Enthused
What is Membership?

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (page ___) / Ephesians 4:1-6 (page ___)

What is Membership?
“…so that all the members care for each other…” (1 Corinthians 12:25)

“We ought to come to the church looking to contribute and enhance, not just looking to take or be recipients.”
- Jeremy Kimble

A needed Shift: we move from “I want” to “I will”.

Is Church Membership Biblical or a manmade thing?

Biblical Record

(See Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, 1 Corinthians 1:2)

“Cleave” (belong)

Acts 9:26, (NLT), “When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!”

kollao – belong (join)

(See also Matthew 19:5 and Genesis 2:24)

Point: Belonging is biblical.

Practical Necessity

(See Hebrews 13:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14, 1 Timothy 3:1-7)

Historical Witness of the Church

• Early Church 100-150 AD - Justin Martyr
• Medieval Era 500 – 1500 AD - Great Schism
• Reformation 1500-1750 AD – Radical Reformers (Anabaptists)
• Great Awakenings 1750 AD + - Conversion Baptism Membership

What is expected of Membership?

Unity, Responsibility, Ministry, Testimony

Membership is a GIFT
Membership is LIFE

Final Thought: Who wouldn’t want that?