Church Membership
How Formal Membership Makes the Church a Family
By Caleb Greggsen | 11.02.2020If you want the church to feel like a family, commit to formal church membership.
When Looking for a Church, Beware the “Right Fit”
By Murray Campbell | 08.31.2020“I’m looking for a church that’s just like me.” Few people would say it quite so crassly, but the sentiment is common.
A Strict But Clear Definition of the Church Brings Freedom
By Caleb Greggsen | 08.24.2020How would you, according to Scripture, define the church? Does this definition free you up or weigh you down?
Episode 137: On What If I Don’t Feel Like Going to Church (with Gunner Gundersen)
By G. Gundersen, J. Leeman, M. Dever | 07.14.2020As a pastor, how many times have you heard a member tell you, “I’m so sorry we missed last Sunday—we just couldn’t make it with everything we have going on!”?
Build Fences Around Your Flock
By Joel Kurz | 9Marks Journal: Shepherding: The Work & Character of a Pastor | 06.30.2020We must guard the sheep against wolves. For this reason, we must know how to build fences; that is, we must lead our church in practicing meaningful membership and discipline.
Whacking the Wolves
By Juan Sanchez | 9Marks Journal: Shepherding: The Work & Character of a Pastor | 06.30.2020How should we confront the problem of wolves in the church? At times, we must protect the sheep by whacking the wolves with the shepherd’s rod.
How Can We Care for Our Church Members During COVID-19?
By B. Johnson, C. Mwanza, J. Wiesner, K. Edward Copeland, M. Lohmann, T. Shepherd | 05.01.2020We asked pastors how they’d been serving their people since the pandemic disrupted regular ministry.
Make Sure Your Members Are Christians, Not Just Immigrants
By Jeremy Yong | 04.30.2020This article is written to pastors who serve in an international setting. If that’s you, I have but one piece of counsel: you must make sure your church members are Christians, not simply immigrants or expats.
Does the Book of Acts Teach Spontaneous Baptisms?
By Caleb Morell | 03.10.2020The claim that Acts demonstrates a uniform pattern of spontaneous baptisms is overstated.
Nominal Christianity—Not Complementarianism—Leads to Abuse
By Caleb Morell | 9Marks Journal: Complementarianism: A Moment of Reckoning | 11.22.2019Conservative views on marriage and family are not sufficient in and of themselves to create healthy families and marriages. Church participation and membership make a huge difference.
Some Counsel for Christians Leaving Toxic Church Environments
By Lucas O'Neill | 11.15.2019Recovery for genuine believers who have been damaged by failed churches is a grueling process.
4 Members Who Tear Down the Church
By Chopo Mwanza | 11.08.2019All these members have a common thread: self-centeredness. They’ve missed the very essence of salvation; they’ve failed to love God and love people with every ounce of their being.
6 Members Who Build Up the Church
By Chopo Mwanza | 11.04.2019Dear church member, pursue these qualities in your own life and encourage them in others.
9 Suggestions for Better Members’ Meetings
By Brad Wheeler | 10.28.2019Do member’s meetings always have to end in bitterness and bickering? I don’t think so. Here are nine suggestions to help set members’ meetings on the right track.
A Tale of Two Baptist Associations
By Geoff Chang | 09.23.2019Let me tell you the tale of two Baptist associations.
