Church membership
Church membership, in
Theology of church membership
Christian theologians such as Bostwick Hawley teach that church membership is commanded in scripture, grounding this in the fact that "apostolic letters are addressed to the Churches", "Apostolic salutations are to Churches", "Jesus Christ is the founder of the Church", "authority and power of discipline are vested in the Church", "Believers on earth are a part of the true spiritual Church", the "general Church is the spiritual kingdom of Christ", "Jesus Christ is Head of the Church, and Christians in an organized capacity are the body", "Ecclesia, meaning assembly...designates a Church, or congregation of Christians, having the ordinances of the Gospel and discipline duly administered", and "To the Church belong the ministry, the Scriptures, and ordinances for the perfecting of the saints".[4] Hawley states that the duty of church membership is taught:[4]
1. From the teaching and practice of the apostles. Acts ii, 41, 47; xiv, 23, 27; Rom. i, 7; 1 Cor. i, 2; Eph. iii, 5.
2. From the authority of our Lord. Matt. xxviii, 19; xviii, 18; iv, 19.
3. The Church is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and Christians share his influences somewhat because of a union with the Church. Eph. ii, 20–22; 1 Pet. ii, 5; Heb. iii, 6; 1 Cor. iii, 16; 2 Cor. vi, 16.
4. Christians derive spiritual life and health from the Head of the Church, because of a union with him in the Church. John v, 24; xx, 31; 1 John v, 11, 12.
5. Religious prosperity is promoted in the Church. Matt. xviii, 20; John. xiv, 23; xv, 4 ; Eph. v, 23, 26, 27.
6. The perpetuity of the Church depends on the union of Christians with it. Isa. ix, 7; Dan. ii, 44; Matt. xxviii, 20; I Cor. xi, 26; xv, 25.[4]
Reformed theologian Kevin DeYoung argues that church membership keeps Christians accountable to God.[9] Missiologist Ed Stetzer states that membership in the church exemplifies covenant theology.[10]
Church membership by Christian denomination
Anabaptist
Those who are interested in becoming an
Baptist
In the
Catholicism
In the
The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that a distinction can be made between those people who are members "in a bodily manner" and those "in the heart" of the church, warning that members of the body of the Church who "[do] not persevere in charity" cannot be assured of salvation.[15]
The Instrumentum laboris of the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops acknowledged that in some parts of the world, the Catholic Church is "witnessing a decline in sacramental and Christian practice among the faithful to the point that some members can even be called 'non-believers' (Greek: άπιστοι, apistoi).[16]
Lutheranism
In the
Methodism
Traditionally,
In order that we may not admit improper persons into our church, great care be taken in receiving persons on probation, and let not one be so received or enrolled who does not give satisfactory evidence of his/her desire to flee the wrath to come and to be saved from his/her sins. Such a person satisfying us in these particulars may be received into our church on six months probation; but shall not be admitted to full membership until he/she shall have given satisfactory evidence of saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. —¶89, The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Entire Sanctification, Outward Holiness, and assent to the Articles of Religion) and a covenant.[21] In the United Methodist Church, the process of becoming a professing member of a congregation is done through the taking membership vows (normatively in the rite of confirmation) after a period of instruction and receiving the sacrament of baptism.[22] It is the practice of certain Methodist connexions that when people become members of a congregation, they are offered the Right Hand of Fellowship.[21][23] Methodists traditionally celebrate the Covenant Renewal Service as the watchnight service annually on New Year's Eve, in which members renew their covenant with God and the Church.[24]Moravian and Hussite
In the Moravian Church, those seeking to become church members normatively do so through confirmation (as is the case of those raised in the Church).[25] Those transferring from other mainstream Christian denominations receive the Right Hand of Fellowship, while non-Christians receive the sacrament of baptism as they enter the Church.[25]
Pentecostalism
Holiness Pentecostalism
The process of becoming a member in churches of the
Methodist tradition. In the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas, those persons who have experienced the New Birth are eligible for membership.[26] Members are required to assent to and adhere to the Fire Baptized Holiness Church's general standards.[26]Finished Work Pentecostalism
In the
Finished Work Pentecostal denomination, church membership is taught as being "in harmony with the whole of New Testament teaching."[27]Reformed
Continental Reformed
In the
Reformed Church of America, two tiers of membership include Baptized Members and Confessing Members.[28] Confessing Members are those who "have been baptized and have professed or reaffirmed their faith before a board of elders."[28]Presbyterian
Individuals who wish to join the membership of the
Congregationalist
Those who wish to join
Congregationalist church membership indicate their interest to the minister who enrolls them in a membership class.[30] Upon completing the membership class, a board of deacons approves the names after which they are "received into membership as part of a regular worship service".[30]See also
References
ISBN 978-81-8329-191-0.The traditional, liturgical observation of Easter, as practised among Roman Catholics and some Lutherans and Anglicans begins on the night of Holy Saturday with the Easter Vigil...it is the time when new members are initiated into the Church, and it is being revived in some other circles. Whether there are baptisms at this point or not, it is traditional for the congregation to renew the vows of their baptismal faith.- ^ Simcox, William Henry (1881). The Beginnings of the Christian Church: Lectures Delivered in the Chapter-room of Winchester Cathedral. Rivingtons. p. 254.
...even in these the supreme authority on all spiritual matters is, to his mind, the Church--the Church Universal, represented to the individual by the local Church of which he is a member; that local Church being represented by its bishop, presbyters and deacons.- ^ The Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline of the Global Methodist Church. Global Methodist Church. 2021. p. 25.
All baptized or professing members of any local Global Methodist congregation are members of the Global Methodist Church and members of the church universal.- ^ a b c d Stephen O. Garrison (1908). Probationer's Handbook. Eaton and Mains. pp. 42, 43.
- ^ Pribble, Stephen (2003). "Is Church Membership Optional?". Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Catechumen or Candidate?". University of Dayton. Archived from the original on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^
ISBN 978-1-4969-5704-7.- ^ See Augsburg Confession, Article 7, Of the Church
- ^ DeYoung, Kevin (14 May 2015). "6 Reasons Why Membership Matters". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ Ed Stetzer (7 July 2015). "Membership Matters: 3 Reasons for Church Membership". Christianity Today.
- ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". BeachyAM. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Becoming A Member". Memorial Baptist Church. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ "RCIA Planning" (PDF). Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ Racine, Joyce (31 March 2010). "Mystagogy is a lifelong journey of growing closer to God, deepening our faith". Today's Catholic. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
- ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 837, accessed 26 October 2022, cf. Vatican Council II, Lumen Gentium, section 14, accessed 26 October 2022
- ^ "The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith – Instrumentum Laboris". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
- ^ a b c "Membership by Adult Instruction". Redeemer Lutheran Church. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^
ISBN 978-1-4985-2664-7. ISBN 978-0-313-22048-7.- ^ Sanderson, Jimmy; Scott, Stanley; Hunt, Elton B.; Belcher, Dianne B.; Woods, James H. (2011). Doctrines and Discipline of the Lumber River Conference of the Holiness Methodist Church. pp. 17–18.
- ^ a b c The Discipline of the Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection (Original Allegheny Conference). Salem: Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection. 2014. pp. 42–47.
The United Methodist Church. Retrieved 4 June 2021. Emmanuel Association. 2002. pp. 25–28.- ^ Manskar, Steve (2012). "Covenant Renewal". Discipleship Ministries. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Becoming a Member". Ephraim Moravian Church. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ a b Frazier, Patrick L. Jr., ed. (1990). Manual of the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas (PDF). Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas. pp. 73–76.
- ^ Grisworld, Larry (1 October 2019). "Why Church Membership?". Assemblies of God. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ a b "How to join a local church". Reformed Church in America. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ "Membership". Faith Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ a b "Constitution". First Congregational Church. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2021.