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“You are a member of God’s very own family, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.” Ephesians 2:19.

Becoming a member of a church is one of the most important decisions a Christian will make. Do it with prayerful thought.

The Bible has many instructions for us to carry out with each other — love, forgive, bear with one another — and there is a lot of Biblical support for church membership. Refusing to part of a community of believers is disobedience to the “one another” commands of Scripture. Romans 12:5.

I believe that church membership is right and a privilege of the believer. Just like voting, you can exercise it or not. I gain a lot from belonging to a family of Christians in the church.

The first benefit I saw in membership was the care I received from the church body. I was invited to begin my spiritual growth as Christian by attending new member classes that gave me direction and a path to being a disciple of Christ. I came under the leadership and protection of godly leaders who guided me in learning about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and where I could use those gifts to help others.

Coming under the shepherding and care of church leadership is important for spiritual direction and growth. God has called some members of the body to be leaders and teachers and when we are members of the body then they can exercise their gifts in a way that we are designed to need.

Ephesians 4:11-13 states that it is the responsibility of the leaders of the Body to “equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church.”

It is in that context under their leadership that we mature and grow in the Lord, “measuring up to the full stature of Christ.” Hebrews 13:17, Acts 20:28-29. My church provides a place to discover and use my gifts in ministry. Christians have a responsibility to the church to use our natural gifts to help one another. We need each other’s gifts.

In the New Testament, Paul describes the various gifts that are given to believers in Christ. These gifts are expressed in community and are given to build each other up. If Christians are not in community, they are not only withholding the gifts God gave them from others but they do not benefit from the gifts of others.

One of the greatest aspects of Christianity is the gifts given by the Holy Spirit. The church helps us to first understand those gifts, and then allows us to use them within our church body of believers. Being part of the body of Christ gives Christians the accountability needed to grow in Christ. Accountability is needed in the church and without membership there is a lack of accountability to others in the church. The church family provides a spiritual family for support and encouragement.

Members of the church look out for each other. When we are sick the church ministers to us. When we need help the church is there. In Hebrews, we are instructed to “not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.” We are instructed to meet together with other believers and to “encourage one another.” This “one another” might be the most important one for me.

According to I Corinthians 12, the church is a living interdependent organism. If someone who is necessary to the proper functioning of that organism just stands off to the side with one foot in and one foot out they aren’t working the best of their ability and in turn are hurting that body. Not only is the body of the local church suffering but also the global church that we are all a part of.

We have a biblical example for church membership in Acts 2:41, 47 and, 5:14 that shows how as the church grew, people lived, worked and were committed to each other. They were members of a community united around a single purpose; to love one another and make disciples of the world. That is what church membership is all about. 1 Corinthians 12:4-27.

Insight is sponsored by the Tanana Valley Christian Conference.

Alice Heckert is Celebrate Recovery program coordinator at Zion Lutheran Church.