Between chapter devotional - biblical church member

I have been reminded of a book that we read together in January of 2015, “I Am A Church Member” by Thom S. Rainer.  It was followed by a preaching series on the topic and I go back to this book time and time again with those looking at membership into the church.  It has become required reading along with the sessions of history and constitution of the church.

On my copy I have altered the cover to change the statement into the question, “Am I A Church Member?”  It has been a check list to look at the six commitments and ask myself if I have been living up to being a biblical church member.  I will use this time this morning to look at each question and give a quote that I marked in the book along with some passages of Scripture to challenge us to be a biblical church member at Union.

1.  Am I a functioning church member?  

“One of the ongoing questions you should ask yourself and God in prayer is ‘How can I best serve my church?’  You should never ask yourself if you should be serving your church.”  

1 Corinthians 12:27 - “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”

My question:  Am I coming to be served and to merely consume or am I hitting the door ready to serve with eyes and ears alert to God’s direction to act?

2.   Am I a unifying church member?

“The world will know if we are Christians or not by the way we who are believers act toward one another.”

John 13:35 - “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

My question:  Am I having love for my brothers and sisters in Christ in the specific areas of not gossiping and of having a willingness and practice of forgiving to maintain and display unity?

3.  Am I not letting my church be about my preferences and desires?

“As you are overwhelmed by Jesus’ undeserved love for you that caused Him to sacrifice everything--including His preferences--you will be able to do the same for others.”

Mark 9:35 - “Sitting down, He called the Twelve and said to them, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.’”

My question:  Am I passing on the baton to the next generation with my personal training and continuing support to the principles of the gospel and allowing their preferences to have a prominent place as mine did for a time?

4.  Am I praying for my church leaders?

“Pray for his preaching.  Pray for the pastor’s family.  While no one is invulnerable to sickness and accidents, we can pray for the protection of our pastor’s health.  We should also pray for our pastor’s mental health.”

1 Timothy 3:7 - “And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

My questions:  Am I praying for the church leaders of Union?  Am I praying for our overseers, Sunday School teachers, Kid Klub leaders, worship leaders, Andy, and small group leaders?  Do I have their specific names on my prayer list to voice them before God?

5.   Am I leading my family to be healthy church members?

“As a church member, I am responsible for encouraging and leading my entire family to worship together in the church.  If I am married, I seek to include my spouse.  If I am a parent, I seek to include my children. My family must see my love for the church.”

Ephesians 5:22a, 26a - “Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord,...Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her to make her holy,...”

My questions:  Is my wife and my family seeing a love from me to God’s church, the church family of brothers and sisters He has put around me?  Is my wife and my family given the opportunity to follow my example as I deepen my love for God’s church?  Do they hear and see positive statements and actions of support for the Union Church? 

6.  Am I treasuring church membership as a gift?

“Church membership is a gift.  We respond to gifts with gratitude.  And one key way we express our gratitude is to serve like Jesus did and like He told us to do.”

1 Corinthians 12:26 - “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

My questions:  Am I truly thankful and grateful for my place in the family of God that not only speaks God’s words for us to hear of salvation but also cares for us at our highest points and our lowest valleys?  Am I humbled to serve others as I glorify the God of my salvation?

I hope this has been a help today to keep on track about what kind of church member you are.  I need adjustments at times because Satan is very active to disrupt and divide the family of God.  Let’s not give him a space in this family at Union.  Let’s pray.

“Lord, thank You for my local family of God at Union.  Thank You for all the gifts that You have assembled together to serve one another as we serve You.  Help me to see where I have ventured from being a truly biblical church member to the blessed family you have given me.  Amen.”

Pastor Adam