Why Church Membership Doesn’t Matter

There's an interesting and rather in-depth discussion going on over at nakedreligion about why church membership doesn't matter. Read the post there and check out the comments.

I posted in there a couple of times explaining a little about the membership in the church I attend, and why I think church membership IS important and DOES matter.

The author of nakedreligion.com, BJ Berfalk, in his post says of his church:

"membership is essentially meaningless because of the behavior we’ve allowed to accompany what it means to be a member."

To me, it is very important to be a member of a local body of believers, and with that membership comes a huge responsibility and one that is not to be taken lightly. The church has to recognize the responsibility as well! With membership comes commitment...an individual's commitment to Christ and to the Body, and the commitment of the Body to Christ and to the individual believer. There must be commitment!

Berfalk notes in his post that the Rotary club "gets it" because if you don't participate in it's activities, you are no longer a member. Would a church do that? What if you don't participate in worship? or other ministries?

The YMCA "gets it" because if you don't pay membership dues, you are not a member. Are you a committed member of a church if you are not supporting it financially on a regular basis?

Does church membership matter? It should.

One commenter, Tom, posted:

Gee, don’t you remember reading in the gospel story about the membership class Jesus held for all the potential disciples?

Neither do I. Two thoughts strike me. First is from the Gospel According to Groucho: I would never join an organization that wanted me as a member.

Jesus did not hold membership classes, however He did handpick the disciples. Furthermore, did the disciples not realize the need to replace Judas after his “departure”? In Acts 1:21-26 we read about how Matthias became the next “member” or leader to carry out the apostolic ministry. To me, that does indicate a level of “membership”.

In today’s society we have many “church-hoppers” who never commit to anything. With no membership, there is rarely any accountability and something that membership allows for is time for relationships to build with other believers. Within those established relationships, there can be accountability, teaching, growing.

So if "membership is essentially meaningless because of the behavior we’ve allowed to accompany what it means to be a member" in the church, it is not only membership problem, it is a leadership problem.