What’s the difference between a member and somebody who just goes to Life and Salvation Church every week?
At Life and Salvation, we make a distinction between “members” and “guests.” Members participate as the church family: sacrificing time, talents, and treasure; committing to the care and community of their fellow members; and submitting to the authority God has established to lead our congregation. If you have attended LSC for a while, we encourage you to become a member so you can be in obedience with God’s will for your life. In short, the difference between a member and a non-member is that members are “on mission.”
What does it mean to be “on mission”?
To be on mission means that you’re a Christian; that your identity is founded in Jesus, and that you embody the Life and Salvation Church purpose statement by living a life of worship to Jesus, a life of fellowship with other Christians, and a life of mission to non-Christians (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20). These expressions are only possible when you identify yourself as a member of a church of which Christ Jesus is the head. The truths are covered at membership class 101.
Bible Reasons For Church membership
As Christians, we are saved to belong to a church family. God didn’t put us on earth to live an isolated, insolated life. He put us on earth to belong to His own family – the church.
“It is His boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again so that we are now members of God’s own family” (1 Peter 1:3 LB).
“Those who believed were baptized and added to the church. They joined with the other believers and committed themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship. They worshiped together regularly at the temple courts and they met in small groups in homes for communion and they shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness.” Acts 2:41-42, 46, LB
“So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.’ Romans 12:5, NIV
‘‘For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ’‘ (1 Corinthians 12:12).
It’s a beautiful illustration of how we’re each created to serve different functions, we need everyone to function in order to be a healthy body, and all of us as separate parts find purpose and unity under Jesus, ‘‘the head of the body, the church’‘ (Colossians. 1:18). Each member belongs to each other and members are the church (Ephesians 2:19-22).
Why should I become a member of LSC?
The church of Life and Salvation Church is a family, adopted by God (Galatians 4:6-7; Ephesians 1:5). We care for each other, we pray for each other, and serve together. If you’re already a Christian, if you’re already in some form of Life and Salvation Church community, if you’re already giving of your finances and your time, then you’re already fulfilling some functions of a member. Without making an official commitment, however, we cannot provide the same level of pastoral care and community support, in part because the Bible requires that we take care of our family first (Ephesians 2:19; Galatians 6:10).
At Life and Salvation Church we recognize the need for a formal membership. Therefore, we ask you to commit to membership for four reasons:
1. A Biblical Reason: Christ is committed to the church.
“…Christ loved the church, and He gave His life for it.” Ephesians 5:25 (GN)
2. A Cultural Reason: It is an antidote to our society.
We live in an age where very few want to be committed to anything: a job, a marriage, our country. This attitude has even produced a generation of “church shoppers and hoppers.” Membership builds commitment and commitment always builds character.
3. A Practical Reason: It defines who can be counted on.
Every team must have a roster. Every school must have an enrollment. Every army has an enlistment. Even our country takes a census and requires voter registration. Membership identifies our family.
4. A Personal Reason: It produces spiritual growth.
The New Testament places a major emphasis on the need for Christians to be accountable to each other for spiritual growth. You cannot be accountable when you’re not committed to any specific church family.
If you’ve spent a lot of time at Life and Salvation Church and haven’t entered into formal membership, search your heart and identify your hesitation. There may be valid reasons to abstain from Life and Salvation Church membership. But we’re rebels by our cursed nature; if you bristle at the very idea of becoming a member, ask yourself why–and don’t hesitate to speak with a leader at our church.
What are the benefits of being a member?
Scripture calls us a body, a family, a household–being a Christian is not a solo effort. Jesus works through the church (Ephesians 2:10), the church is Jesus’ body (1 Corinthians 12:27), and apart from Jesus, you can do nothing (John 15).
This isn’t an association or member club. Again, members are the church. ‘‘In love [God] predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ…So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God’‘. (Ephesians 1:4-5; 2:19).
You don’t join for the perks–although members do enjoy greater access to Ministry and certain volunteer opportunities are only available to members. The benefit is that we get to worship Jesus together, serve in His kingdom, and be children of God! We enjoy the guidance that his Word provides, and, when sin comes between us, we enjoy the reconciliation Jesus’ blood provides.
How do I become a member?
To begin, the membership process, we encourage you to attend our Church 101 Membership Class.
In this 30 minute class, Pastor Mike Prah covers:
– Our Statements—purpose and beliefs
– Our Strategy—reaching the lost and helping members grow
– Our Structure—how the church is organized and the unique way we view church membership
The class ends with an opportunity to make your membership in Life and Salvation Church official by completing a Membership Application and Covenant Agreement. This class is a requirement for membership. We offer Church 101 generally on 1st Sundays. Check church announcements for the next opportunity.
You can begin the process by completing our Membership Agreement after reading our membership covenant under the member menu of this website.
What is a “member covenant”? Can I read it before I become a member?
The member covenant is not a legal document or some sort of cultic rite. It is an affirmation for both the church and its individual members. They are basic principles of how God wants us to relate to each other in the family of God (Ezekiel 20:44, Ezekiel 36:22, Psalm 76:11, Hosea 2:19-20, Hosea 3:1, 2 Timothy 2:13).
Click the hyperlink to review our Member Covenant.
Do members have to be baptized?
Since Jesus commands that all of his disciples be baptized. Baptism is recommended for Life and Salvation Church members who have not been baptized. (Matt. 28:19 Acts 2:38 10:48 1 Peter 3:21). If you’ve already been baptized since you became a Christian, you don’t need to get re-baptized.
If you have more questions about baptism, please speak with Pastor Mike.
The Next Steps
After 101, you’ll want to get started on the LSC Growth Track, a series of classes and events designed to empower each believer to follow God’s unique purpose for his or her life.
ESSENTIALS: 201
This class guides you through the essential beliefs every Christian needs to find success in their walk with Christ. Check church announcements for the next opportunity.
DISCOVERY: 301
We want to help you realize what makes you so unique. This seminar will help you discover your personality, gifts, and purpose in life and see how God combines them for the best fit in ministry. Check church announcements for the next opportunity.
DREAM TEAM: 401
Attend an orientation or training session in the ministry area of your choice to learn more about how to be involved. The Growth Track is complete when you join or start a ministry team. Check church announcements for the next opportunity.