Church Membership in the Bible

Church Membership Is an Office and a Job

By Jonathan Leeman | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Church membership is an office, too. It’s a job that comes with authority and responsibility.

Metaphors and Membership: How Biblical Metaphors for the Church Require Church Membership

By Sam Emadi | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

If you’re looking for the words “thou shalt be a church member” in Scripture, you won’t find them. But if that troubles you, let me encourage you to think a little differently about how to arrive at biblical conclusions.

Two Prooftexts for Church Membership

Two Prooftexts for Church Membership

By Sam Emadi | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

As a professor of mine used to say, “there’s nothing wrong with a prooftext… as long as the text proves what you say it does.”

What are the Responsibilities of Church Membership?

By Matt Emadi | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Sadly, individualism, consumerism, easy-believism, and unbiblical church polities have left many church members intentionally or unintentionally sidelined.

Meaningful Membership & Shepherding the Saints

By Jason Seville | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Church membership isn’t just a useful tool in the pastoral tool belt; it’s the tool belt itself.

Membership around the World

Why Russian Churches Need Membership

By Evgeny Bakhmutsky | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

If we want to see the gospel advance in Russia, then our churches must return to meaningful and biblical church membership—embracing the heritage left to us by Scripture and faithful Russian churches in previous generations.

Why Swedish Churches Need Membership

By Johnny Lithell | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

I’ve often been asked, in a setting like Sweden, whether church membership is even wise. Won’t it simply turn people away?

Why East Asian Churches Need Membership

Why East Asian Churches Need Membership

By Chariot Lu | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

We should exercise biblical membership to correct my people’s growing misunderstanding of love, authority, and commitment.

Why Middle Eastern Churches Need Membership

Why Middle Eastern Churches Need Membership

By Anand Samuel | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Jesus Christ is committed to his church and publicly identifies with her. So should Christians in the Middle East—and every other part of the world.

Amharic-Ethiopa-Holy Bible

Why African Churches Need Membership

By Chopo Mwanza | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Churches in Africa needs to teach and practice biblical church membership because it helps address the false sense of community, nominal Christianity, and the subtle relativism.

Why Australian Churches Need Membership

Why Australian Churches Need Membership

By Lyle Wetherston | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

If church membership runs against the grain of our natural and national inclinations, then we need to be wise as to how we promote it.

Church Membership in an International Church - Challenging Case Studies

Church Membership in an International Church: Challenging Case Studies

By Caleb Greggsen | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

The normal life for a Christian—even one outside their home country—is committed to a particular group of fellow brothers and sisters

Meaningful Membership in a Small Rural Area

Meaningful Membership in a Small, Rural Area

By Josh Myrick | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Pastors in rural areas must take into account certain challenges while leading Christ’s bride to experience the joy of meaningful membership.

Meaningful Membership in a Mega-Church

Meaningful Membership in a Mega-Church

By Mark Vroegop | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Size shouldn’t be an excuse for neglecting membership.

How to Talk about Membership on the West Coast

How to Talk about Membership on the West Coast

By Kyle Schwahn | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

How should we talk about membership on the West Coast? Let me offer three ways that have proven helpful within our body over the past few years.

Membership Best Practices

Once Abused by the Church, Now I Love the Church

Once Abused by the Church, Now I Love the Church

By Patti Withers | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

But Christ intends the local church to be a comfort and grace to all believers— even those who, like me, have been victims of church abuse.

How Church Membership is Misunderstood, Misapplied, and Abused

How Church Membership is Misunderstood, Misapplied, and Abused

By Juan Sanchez | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Pastors committed to the importance of church membership need to be cautious. In our righteous zeal to address deficient views of the church, we may be tempted to an unrighteous zeal.

Should I Join a Church for its Small Groups?

By Andy Johnson | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Keeping small groups from becoming mini-churches often takes intentionality and pastoral effort.

How Long Should A Membership Process Take?

How Long Should A Membership Process Take?

By Allen Duty | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

Your membership process—whether shorter or longer—is a tool for discipleship, usually one of the first ones people come in contact with.

How to Conduct a Membership Interview

How to Conduct a Membership Interview

By PJ Tibayan | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

The two-pronged goal of an interview is to (1) disciple the person, and (2) discern whether their profession of faith in Jesus is credible. You want to disciple and discern.

Considering 7 Membership Exceptions

Considering 7 Membership Exceptions

By Bobby Jamieson | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

So what do you do about people who either are members or want to join, and are willing to attend regularly, but are not able?

Without Exception: How to Handle Exceptions to the Statement of Faith

Without Exception: How to Handle Exceptions to the Statement of Faith

By Michael Lawrence | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

What do we do when someone takes exception to our church’s statement of faith?

Stories of Restoration after Church Discipline

Stories of Restoration after Church Discipline

By J. Kurz, J. Folmar, P. Newton | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

We asked three pastors to share a story of restoration—that is, someone who had been restored to membership after being disciplined for unrepentant sin.

Youth and Church Membership—Or, Stop Baptizing Children into the Ether

By Alex Duke | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019

A church should not baptize young people apart from church membership. To do so is unbiblical, unhelpful, and unloving.

Episode 87 - On Church Membership

Episode 87: On Church Membership

By J. Leeman, M. Dever | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.14.2019

In this episode of Pastors’ Talk, Jonathan chats with Mark about our new Journal—Church Membership: Following the Lord Together.

Evangelism

February 2024
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Catholicity

November 2023
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Church Planting

November 2023
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A New Christian Authoritarianism?

April 2023
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The Church’s Ministries

December 2022
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The Pastor and Church Administration

September 2022
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Pursuing Revival While Avoiding Revivalism

June 2022
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Expressive Individualism in the Church

March 2022
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Sound Doctrine: The Foundation for Faithful Ministry

October 2021
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The Ordinary Means of Grace—Or, Don’t Do Weird Stuff

July 2021
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How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members

March 2021
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Heaven: Rejoicing in Future Glory

December 2020
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Pastoring Through Political Turmoil

September 2020
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Shepherding: The Work & Character of a Pastor

June 2020
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What’s Wrong With Gospel-Centered Preaching Today?

March 2020
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Complementarianism: A Moment of Reckoning

Complementarianism: A Moment of Reckoning

December 2019
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The Heart of the Gospel: Penal Substitutionary Atonement

August 2019
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Church Membership: Following the Lord Together

Church Membership: Following the Lord Together

May 2019
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Ecclesiology for Calvinists

February 2019
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The Pastor and Pornography

The Pastor and Pornography

October 2018
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Pastoral Burnout: Its Causes & Cures

July 2018
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Church Life: Our True Political Witness

Spring 2018
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Church Discipline: Medicine for the Body

January 2018
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The Reformation and Your Church

Fall 2017
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Church Mergers and Plants

Summer 2017
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Pastoring Singles

Spring 2017
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Healthy Churches around the World

Fall / Winter 2016
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Authority: God’s Good and Dangerous Gift

Summer/Fall 2016
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The Church Praying

Spring 2016
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Confessions, Covenants, and Constitutions: How to Organize Your Church

Winter 2016
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Missions: Adding Wisdom to Zeal

December 2015
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Multi-Ethnic Churches

Summer/Fall 2015
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Expositional Preaching

Spring 2015
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Complementarianism & the Local Church

Winter 2015
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Vanishing Church?

Fall 2014
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Biblical Theology: Guardian and Guide of the Church

Summer 2014
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The Church Singing

May–June 2014
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Prosperity Gospel

January–February 2014
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Evangelism – Part 2

November–December 2013
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Evangelism – Part 1

September–October 2013
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Is Scripture Enough?

July–August 2013
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Church and Churches

May—June 2013
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Pastoring Christians for the Workplace

March—April 2013
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Lay Elders: A User’s Guide—Part 2

Jan—Feb 2013
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Lay Elders: A User’s Guide – Part 1

November—December 2012
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Discipling in the Church

September—October 2012
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Mercy Ministry in the Church

July—August 2012
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Wanted: Apostolic Pastors

May—June 2012
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The Underestimated Doctrine of Conversion

March—April 2012
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Don’t Be Too Cool for Sunday School

January—February 2012
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Revitalize: Why We Must Reclaim Dying Churches—and How

November—December 2011
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The Pastor and his Staff, Part 2

September—October 2011
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The Pastor and his Staff, Part 1

July—August 2011
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Church Membership: Holding the Body Together

May—June 2011
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Church and Parachurch: Friends or Foes?

March—April 2011
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Pastoral Moves

January—February 2011
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Book Reviews on the Mission of the Church

November—December 2010
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Hell: Remembering the Awful Reality

September—October 2010
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Pastoring Women

July—August 2010
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Journal about Deacons

Deacons

May - June 2010
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A New Evangelical Liberalism

January—February 2010

Church Discipline (Part 2)

November—December 2009

Church Discipline (Part 1)

September—October 2009

Missions

July—August 2009

Multi-site Churches

May—June 2009

Young Pastors

March–April 2009

Raising Up the Next Generation of Pastors

January–February 2009

Counseling in the Church

November–December 2008

Family & Parenting

September–October 2008

Marriage & Pastors’ Wives

July—August 2008
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Living As a Church

May–June 2008

Cooperation

March–April 2008

Corporate Prayer

January–February 2008

Church & Culture

November–December 2007

Race and Ethnicity

September—October 2007

The Gospel

July–August 2007

Preaching

May–June 2007

Elders (Part 2)

March–April 2007

Hospitality & Friendship

January 2007

Elders (Part 1)

February 2007

Biblical Theology

November–December 2006

The Church’s Mission

October 2006

The Emerging Church

September 2006

Miscellaneous Articles

December 1999