Sermon Notes - Things Churches Need... Membership - Littleby Baptist Church - June 2, 2024

1.        Some of our Things Churches Need series have been focused on inside the church. 

a.        Christ centered worship, Biblical teaching, Discipleship, and fellowship.

b.       Some have been focused outside of the church such as Evangelism, Ministry, and Hospitality.

c.        I guess I would say God dependent Prayer falls in both areas.

d.       Today’s Things Churches Need focuses on the church and our interaction with it.

2.        Things Churches Need… Membership.

a.        Membership tends to be values in some way.

b.       Might be what you expect to get out of it.

c.        Like having a membership to a big box store so that you can get better deals or free shipping.

d.       Some memberships cost a lot but come with some perks, like being about to get a tee time at a prestigious golf course.

e.        Some memberships have more to do with something someone has been through like the VFW.

3.        Some Membership also require a level of investment.

a.        Things Churches Need… Membership is no different.

4.        We have spent some time in Acts chapter 2 already in this series.

a.        Our focus has been verses 42 to 47.

b.       Let’s back up a bit.

c.        Peter preached starting at vs. 14, (read).

d.       Called for repentance starting at vs. 37, (read 37-41).

5.        Acts 2:47

a.        People accepted the message Peter was sharing, were baptized, and were added to them.

b.       They accepted the message of Jesus, repented of their sins, made a public declaration of their faith.

c.        They joined the Apostles and other followers of Jesus.

d.       They accepted Jesus’ gift and joined the church.

6.        How do we become a member of the Universal Church, the Church?

a.        By becoming a follower of Jesus.

b.       By repenting of our sins.

c.        Unlike one of the box stores or golf courses, we cannot pay for our membership.

d.       Nothing we can give would cover the cost.

e.        Thankfully Jesus has already paid it for us and is offering us a free forever membership.

f.          All we have to do is accept it.

7.        In most cases we add a little bit more to join the local church.

a.        As a Baptist, we require baptism.

b.       Which we do see as part of the process in Acts 4:21.

c.        A reasonable step.

d.       Then in many churches there is some level of an approval process.

e.        The intent is to ensure that people believe that the individual joining the local church is a believer.

f.          The bar is not supposed to be set high with 20 things needing to be checked off.

g.        It should be fairly simple.

h.        Accept Jesus as Lord of their life, repent of their sins, be baptized, and having begun learning what it means to be a Christ follower, aka beginning the sanctification process.

i.          Not arrived, but simply beginning the process.

8.        Things Churches Need… Membership does have a process.

a.        As a body of believers, we need to make sure we keep it as simple as possible.

b.       People don’t need to have straightened their lives out to be a member.

c.        They simply need to have given their lives to Jesus and have publicly done so.

d.       Jesus already paid the price for the privilege for us to be a member of His Church.

e.        The church does not need to add to the list of requirements.

9.        Membership normally includes benefits.

10.   What benefits comes from the Things Churches Need… Membership?

11.   Many of the Things Churches Need we have covered are benefits.

a.        Dependent Prayer.

b.       Where the church or its members pray for each other asking God to work in other members lives in ways that only He can.

c.        Christ centered worship.

d.       A time of corporate worship to help us recenter our lives, our thoughts, our hearts on Christ.

e.        In hopes of helping each of us to stay focused on Jesus throughout our week.

f.          Biblical Based Teaching.

g.        Being a member of a church that values the Word of God provides a regular dose of Bible teaching.

h.        Discipleship.

i.          Being involved in a church should provide opportunities to be discipled and to disciple.

j.          Fellowship with fellow believers is an important part of being part of a church.

k.        Living life with fellow believers helps us grow and gives us opportunities to support each other.

l.          There are many other benefits to being part of a member of a local Body of Christ.

m.     Too many for me to list.

12.   Things Churches Need… Membership includes benefits, but we also have some responsibilities as church members.

13.   Hebrews 10:24-25

a.        Gathering together is important.

b.       When we think about all of those benefits of church membership, it is hard to get those benefits if we do not come together.

c.        Fellowship does not happen from a distance.

d.       Discipleship is not as efficient without face-to-face interaction.  

e.        Proverbs 27:17 ‘Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.’

f.          It is really hard for iron to sharpen iron without contact.

g.        We cannot help each other without interaction.

14.   While technology has allowed other forms of interaction, there is nothing like face-to-face contact.

a.        If you send someone a short text, there is a chance they can misunderstand your shorthand.

b.       If you send them an email, they can take your tone incorrectly.

c.        On the phone they can hear your voice but cannot read their body language or facial expressions.

d.       It can be hard to get a real feel for how someone is doing with modern communication.

e.        It is easier to see how someone is doing when we gather together, so that we can watch out for one another and encourage each other.

15.   Gathering together as fellow Church members is Fellowship.

a.        It provides opportunities for Discipleship as we walk alongside each other through life.

16.   Ephesians 4:14

a.        Those being tossed and blown around were being deceived by false teachers.

b.       They were being led astray.

c.        They needed Biblical based teaching, discipleship, fellowship, and membership somewhere that would help them grow.

17.   Ephesians 4:15-16

a.        The body is fitted and knit together… God brings believers together for a reason.

b.       We are meant to gather together.

c.        We are meant to work as one body.

d.       Held together by our faith in Christ.

e.        So that we can grow as individuals.

f.          And as a local body of Christ.

g.        As we grow, we can do ministry together as The Church and reach farther than we ever could on our own.

18.   Things Churches Need… Membership benefits the Body and the individual.

a.        We all benefit from each person being a part of our local family.

19.   Over the years membership has lost its value.

a.        Both in the world and in the church.

b.       In the world, they have to sell you something to justify the cost of your membership.

c.        Sometimes it is worth it, sometimes that gym membership is just a lot of guilt that costs you money every month.

20.   Church membership is different.

a.        You are a member of The Church if Jesus is your Lord and Savior.

b.       Scripture tells us that we need to be united with other believers so that we can grow as well as help others grow.

c.        If you are not a member of a local church, commit to one and join it.

d.       It will be a mutual blessing.

21.   If you would like to become a member of LBC please come talk to me.

22.   The first step is to accept the gift that Jesus is offering and to repent of your sins.

a.        We are all sinners.

b.       We are lost and cannot save ourselves.

c.        Jesus understood this.

d.       He came down to earth.

e.        Lived a sinless life.

f.          Then willingly died on the cross for us.

g.        Paying for our sins.

h.        Three days later, He defeated death and rose from the dead.

i.          Jesus is offering you a new life. A life that is set free from your past.

j.          If you would like this amazing gift.

k.        I would love to talk to you.