The right question can sometimes be more important than the right answer.
Marissa Levin, writing for Inc. Magazine1 quoted a Chinese Proverb to get her readers thinking:
He who asks a question
remains a fool for five minutes.
He who does not ask
remains a fool forever.
The article is worth your time to read, but let’s ask this question from a discipleship framework:
If I aspire to be a disciple, what three questions should I have an immediate answer to? Try these:
- What timeless core values do I embrace and are living right now?
- Have I surrounded myself with the right people who will help me live out those values?
- How do I presently, intentionally and willfully improve the life of others for their benefit?
You’ll notice that those questions are all about present practice, not wishful thinking or theory. Words mean nothing. Action means everything.
Why Does the Church Exist?
It’s important to remember what The Church is: the creation of our Founder and Lord, Jesus. On the one hand, we’re simply a collection of local disciples who act as family, loving, caring, and growing toward maturity, just as Jesus taught us. Closely linked, but separate, we’ve been entrusted with his mission to make disciples. He calls them (just as we, ourselves were), but we’re responsible to help them grow, just like others helped us grow. Jesus gave tremendous latitude to his disciples to figure just how complicated or simple they could make it. Historically, it’s been a mixed bag to say the least. But one thing we know: we don’t have a choice. First of all, we would be willfully disobedient if we did not prioritize an interdependent relationship with other disciples, and secondly, we deeply desire to show our love and gratitude to our Lord by embracing the his mission to transform the world and prepare Eternity.
When we say we’re “better together”, it’s not a trite phrase. It is a declaration of both our need and our greater collective calling.
The Local Church of Grace
To more effectively grow in love as a family, and to more efficiently accomplish the mission of Jesus, we are committed the process of membership. For us, we don’t focus on how many we have on a roll, we’re concerned with how individuals are maturing in their discipleship with Jesus. It’s the reason why we have Discovery Classes.
Membership is the sole focus of the first class.
Why Membership Matters
We’re not trying to overcomplicate matters. But we also believe that disciples are accountable to God, and therefore, we should do our best.
There are other reasons why membership matters:
- Membership is one of the great purposes found in the Bible. They are God's purposes. Jesus made it clear just how committed he was to them by going to the Cross to ensure it's proper function, equipping, and empowering. Jesus expects his disciples to take ownership of those great purposes as much as he does.
- Membership is the foundation in which the answer to Jesus' prayer has the greatest potential of fruit. In his prayer for the church, he asked the Father: "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."2
The Father deserves the glory only we can give him, and we do that by our unity of mind, purpose, and action. We can't love each other if we're not around each other. We can’t disciple each other if we don't produce other disciples and help them grow in maturity. Membership says we aren't just "believers"; we're "belongers". - Membership helps us to make our actions count by collaboration and fellowship. Did you know there are at least 59 reciprocal commands3 in the Bible? Meaning, disciples must engage in them together. How on earth are we to learn how to love unless we're with the less than loveable; to serve unless we're with those who need help; to teach unless there are students; to agree unless we are with the disagreeable? Membership is a public pledge to the world that we find our role in the Body of Christ to work alongside other members and hold each other accountable to a faithful, Christ-honoring life.
Membership anchors me in reality. There are no perfect people and no perfect organization. Membership is a humble obligation of loyalty. I realize that I need others in my life — and I’m a valuable part of their lives, as well. Membership is a miracle in the making. - Membership is the pathway to finding meaningful and potent ministry in your life. Jesus has invested heavily in the Church — so much so, that the future of Eternity is dependent on WHO will respond to his Call to be a Disciple.
Membership means pushing all our chips into the middle of the table, saying, "I'm all in!"
If you're Born Again, God has gifted you a powerful spiritual gift that must be revealed and released. You will be called to account.4 Membership is our best effort to make sure this is done in a smart and tactical way.
At Grace, we hope you enjoy the worship, taken opportunity to grow and benefit from ministries, and make some good friends.
But you need to know that we take membership seriously because we believe it's a value worth giving our time, talent, and treasure. Long ago, Jeremiah soberly reminded us: "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD."5
Life is too short to guess at it. We don't need to. God has given us everything we need to live the exceptional life he's marked out for us.6
That's why at Grace, we're not interested in filling some list. We're interested in enlisting disciples who are ready to do much more than just "go to church". We are desperate to be The Church that Jesus designed.
Ready to take the next step?
Start by attending Class 101: Discovering Membership. We'll feed you, feed your kids, and we promise you: you will come away with a richer and deeper understanding of why membership at a local church matters.
To register, click HERE, or just use your Connection Card and drop it off at the Guest Information table, the New Beginnings table, or if you have questions, you can talk to Sean Lee, Pastor of Connection by calling during the week 575.623.5438 or slee@roswellgrace.com
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1 https://www.inc.com/marissa-levin/the-15-most-important-questions-to-ask-yourself-right-now.html
2 John 17:22-23
3 https://www.smallgroupchurches.com/the-59-one-anothers-of-the-bible/
4 1 Corinthians 12:7; Luke 12:48; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15
5 Lamentations 3:40
6 2 Peter 1:3-4