Membership
Meaningful Membership in a Small, Rural Area
By Josh Myrick | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019Pastors in rural areas must take into account certain challenges while leading Christ’s bride to experience the joy of meaningful membership.
Why Swedish Churches Need Membership
By Johnny Lithell | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019I’ve often been asked, in a setting like Sweden, whether church membership is even wise. Won’t it simply turn people away?
Meaningful Membership in a Mega-Church
By Mark Vroegop | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019Size shouldn’t be an excuse for neglecting membership.
Meaningful Membership & Shepherding the Saints
By Jason Seville | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019Church membership isn’t just a useful tool in the pastoral tool belt; it’s the tool belt itself.
Once Abused by the Church, Now I Love the Church
By Patti Withers | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019But Christ intends the local church to be a comfort and grace to all believers— even those who, like me, have been victims of church abuse.
Two Prooftexts for Church Membership
By Sam Emadi | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019As a professor of mine used to say, “there’s nothing wrong with a prooftext… as long as the text proves what you say it does.”
Without Exception: How to Handle Exceptions to the Statement of Faith
By Michael Lawrence | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019What do we do when someone takes exception to our church’s statement of faith?
Church Membership in an International Church: Challenging Case Studies
By Caleb Greggsen | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019The normal life for a Christian—even one outside their home country—is committed to a particular group of fellow brothers and sisters
How Church Membership is Misunderstood, Misapplied, and Abused
By Juan Sanchez | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019Pastors committed to the importance of church membership need to be cautious. In our righteous zeal to address deficient views of the church, we may be tempted to an unrighteous zeal.
What are the Responsibilities of Church Membership?
By Matt Emadi | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019Sadly, individualism, consumerism, easy-believism, and unbiblical church polities have left many church members intentionally or unintentionally sidelined.
Why East Asian Churches Need Membership
By Chariot Lu | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019We should exercise biblical membership to correct my people’s growing misunderstanding of love, authority, and commitment.
Stories of Restoration after Church Discipline
By J. Kurz, J. Folmar, P. Newton | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019We asked three pastors to share a story of restoration—that is, someone who had been restored to membership after being disciplined for unrepentant sin.
Why Middle Eastern Churches Need Membership
By Anand Samuel | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019Jesus Christ is committed to his church and publicly identifies with her. So should Christians in the Middle East—and every other part of the world.
How Long Should A Membership Process Take?
By Allen Duty | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019Your membership process—whether shorter or longer—is a tool for discipleship, usually one of the first ones people come in contact with.
Should I Join a Church for its Small Groups?
By Andy Johnson | 9Marks Journal: Church Membership: Following the Lord Together | 05.07.2019Keeping small groups from becoming mini-churches often takes intentionality and pastoral effort.
