A Reflection on Church Membership

 “The community of believers was one in heart and mind.  None of them would say, ‘This is mine!’ about any of their possessions…There were no needy persons among them. Those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds from the sales, and place them in the care and under the authority of the apostles.  Then it was distributed to anyone who was in need.”  (Acts 4:32-35, CEB)

A note about this blog series: We live in a time when people are less institutional, less inclined to join organizations. There are multiple reasons why, some better than others.  Where does that leave churches, though?  Why should people even consider joining a church?  Membership in a church, I would humbly suggest, is different than membership at a country club or a charitable non-profit.  Church membership, in its truest form, is about being part of a covenant community where people promise to model the way of God’s love and grace together, through practices like prayer, being present with and for one another, sharing gifts and resources, serving others, and engaging the world by taking a stand for love and justice.  This article explores the membership promise/practice of gifts.

What does it mean to offer our gifts to the church?  It is nothing less than fully giving of ourselves.

In the Christ Church Anti-Racism reading group this month, we read the book, The Black Church:  This is Our Story, This is Our Song, by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.  There was also a recent PBS documentary by the same name ( (see the trailer here: The Black Church ) is more than a book/documentary about church history or even black history. It is American history.

The Black Church came to be through the evils and injustices of slavery and the discrimination of ante-bellum America.  Although white persons prohibited slaves from reading the Bible or meeting together separately, for fear that the Christian faith would give ideas of equality and stir up demands for justice and freedom, black persons would worship in secret, sing spirituals filled with messages of Biblical love, justice, and hope, and give everything they had, even risking their lives, to be a part of this Christian community called the Church.  I am inspired and humbled by their faith and determination. 

In the above passage from Acts, we learn that the earliest Christian communities, also an oppressed and marginalized people, found power in giving everything to be a part of this community called The Church, as well.  So much did the earliest Christians believed this that they sold land and possessions, put them in a common fund, and shared among the community.  They each gave fully of themselves, sometimes at great cost, to join with others in doing the work of Jesus.  As a result, the passage says, “an abundance of grace was at work among them all.” 

Today, still, we are asked to give ourselves fully when we join a church community. That is why part of our membership vows include supporting the church through our gifts.  These include everything from money, to time, to special skills and abilities that we have.  We may not adhere to the practice of giving all of our resources like the earliest Christians did, but we do promise to share our financial resources with the church community, the standard being a tithe, or 10% of our income. 

We also promise to give our time to be involved and build up the community.  Going to a church is not like going to a restaurant where we expect to be served or catered to.  No, church is about giving ourselves, our time, to do the hard work of God through a particular community of Jesus followers.  Further, we can also use any special skills or talents we have to build up the church:  the choir member or musician who shares their gift of music, the accountant who sits on the Finance committee, the editor who checks the pastor’s blogs for correct grammar, or the teacher who gives an hour a week to teach children’s Sunday School.

This is what it means to promise God, and one another, our gifts. 

How can you use your gifts of money, time, and skill to build up the church?  If you are not already doing so, what holds you back? 

Together we are the hands and feet of Christ,

Brett

If God is calling you to become a member of Christ Church United Methodist, we would love to share this discipleship life with you.  Please visit Christ Church UM Membership for more information and next steps.