Membership Matters

Jim Ladd

Americans are less committed to organizations and institutions than ever before. There are a multitude of reasons for this, but I want to focus on the specific practice of Church Membership and encourage you to consider why it matters.

Over the years, I have had a love/hate relationship with Church membership. At times I have seen it as very high value and worthy of the effort and commitment that it requires. At other times, I have felt like membership is a lived-out and personal reality that does not need a covenantal or contractual promise. After much reflective prayer, debate, study, and effort I have landed in a renewed and deep conviction about the value of membership, and I want you to as well.

The New Testament assumes that commitment to a local faith community is part of the reality and rhythm of every disciple of Jesus. In fact, a simple reading of the four biographies of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) reveal that Jesus had two core practices in His life: time alone with the Father, and life in community with others. In fact, God has hardwired us with a need for community for our own sense of being, health, and fulfillment. Not only that, but Christian community is the most effective witness in a lonely and disconnected world.

I know, I know; you can experience community and connection without officially joining a church. Yes you can, but membership tells a bigger story. When we declare our commitment to a local family of faith, we are proclaiming our desire to be discipled by our Pastors, guided by our church leaders, and to be a contributor to the needs and mission of our church family.

We are shaped by the commitments that we make.

I want to encourage you, if you were a member of ECC last year and have not yet renewed your membership (hundreds of you have not done that yet), do it today! You matter to us, we need you, and frankly, you need us.

If you are not yet a member, and you are a disciple of Jesus, I encourage you to come to our next Discovering Membership meeting and prayerfully consider officially joining our family.

In God’s family, membership does not have its privileges, but it does have its rewards! Renew your membership, or learn more about Evergreen membership, here.