Chapter 1

I am a church member.

Membership does not imply a civic organization or a country club. It’s the kind of membership given to us in 1 Corinthians 12: “Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it” (1 cor. 12:27). As a member of the body of Christ, you must be a functioning member, whether you are an “eye,” and “ear,” or a “hand.” As a functioning member, you will give. You will serve. You will minister. You will evangelize. You will study. You will seek to be a blessing to others. You will remember that “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; of one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:26).

Chapter 2

Members ought to seek to be a source of unity in the church; knowing there are no perfect pastors, staff, or other church members. But neither are any of us. Members should not be a source of gossip or dissension. One of the greatest contributions you can make is to do all you can in God’s power to help keep the church in unity for the sake of the gospel.

Chapter 3

You should commit not to let your church be about your own preferences and desires. That is self-serving. You are in this church to serve others and to serve Christ. The Savior went to a cross for you; you can deal with any inconveniences and matters that are just not your preference or style.

Chapter 4

As a church member you should pray for your pastor every day. His work in never ending; his days are filled with constant demands for his time – with the need to prepare sermons, with those who are rejoicing in births, with those who are traveling through the valley of the shadow of death, with critics, with the hurts and hopes of others, and with the need to be a husband and a father. My pastor cannot serve our church in his own power. You must commit to pray for God’s strength for him and his family every day.

Chapter 5

You agree to lead your family to be good members of this church as well. We will pray together for our church. We will worship together in our church. We will serve together in our church. And we will ask Christ to help us fall deeper in love with this church, because He gave His life for her.

Chapter 6

This membership is a gift. When you received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, I became a part of the body of Christ. I soon thereafter identified with a local body and was baptized. And now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church. I pray that I will never take my membership for granted, but see it as a gift and an opportunity to serve others and to be a part of something so much greater than any one person or member.

I am a church member.

And I thank God that I am.