This past Friday, Beth Schlueter and I had the privilege of leading a workshop and sharing with about 70 people the whole idea behind membership, that it has to do with three things, actually—three stages that we go through in becoming disciples of Jesus Christ (because membership really = discipleship). Those three stages that we go through I call the ‘Three Bs.” So, becoming disciples involves:
- Belief
- Behavior
- Belonging
Belonging is where we want to get people to … but they have to go through a process first—a process of discipleship. Becoming disciples of Jesus Christ is really what membership is all about here at the Dodgeville United Methodist Church … and, we believe, it should be everywhere! It’s not just another club! What we’re talking about is not belonging to something that is temporal—in other words, that only lasts for a short while; what we’re speaking of is belonging to something that is eternal! It truly is the Body of Christ … that will last forever! And, we need to be paying attention to this ‘Foundation of ministry’ here at DUMC…
According to a recent study in Leadership Journal (Leadership, IV, 3, p. 46), one of the most difficult things to do is not to get people to visit your church; the difficult thing is to get people to stay at your church—to feel like they belong to the fellowship there. The results of Leadership’s study were: 90% of new people will stay in the church if…
(1) They can articulate their faith—get help with that (implies need for membership classes)…
(2) They belong to subgroups (i.e. music groups, missional activities, Bible Studies, Sunday school classes, etc.)…
(3) They have 4-8 close friendships within the church…
Folks, membership involves us all working together to build up the Body of Christ … right here in Dodgeville! Let’s learn more about this Body of Christ from one who knows what he’s talking about…
“As it is, there are many parts but one body. 21 So then, the eye cannot say to the hand, "I don’t need you!" Nor can the head say to the feet, "Well, I don’t need you!" 22 On the contrary, we cannot do without the parts of the body that seem to be weaker; 23 and those parts that we think aren’t worth very much are the ones which we treat with greater care; while the parts of the body which don’t look very nice are treated with special modesty, 24 which the more beautiful parts do not need. God himself has put the body together in such a way as to give greater honor to those parts that need it. 25 And so there is no division in the body, but all its different parts have the same concern for one another. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness. 27 All of you are Christ’s body, and each one is a part of it. – 1 Corinthians 12:20-27 (TEV)
… So, we need to move people from right belief (having the mind of Christ) to right behavior and then to learning how to belong; but, here’s where we need to begin…
BELONGING MEANS KNOWING THAT YOU ARE PERSONALLY CONNECTEDTO JESUS CHRIST, THE OBJECT OF OUR FAITH! 1 Corinthians 3:9b-11 – “For we are partners working together for God, and you are God’s field. You are also God’s building. 10 Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build. 11 For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid.” Membership is the foundation of every local church’s ministry; everything else that happens in the local church is built on that… But, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, isn’t it?
Folks, what God wants to build in our lives begins with the Foundation—and God’s word tells us that Foundation is Jesus Christ… That’s where we really learn to belong—by first committing our lives to the one who is the Foundation!
Often, I’m told by folks that they can’t really remember when Christ wasn’t a part of their life. In a sense, that is true, as we do believe in ‘prevenient grace’ (but, we’ll save that for another time). What I believe is going on in many of these cases is that they believe that their faith somehow mysteriously attached itself to them through their parents or grandparents or friends. We can be influenced & encouraged to put our faith in Christ by those closest to us, but the ultimate decision about who is going to be Lord of our lives … is ours! No one else can surrender our will to God … but us…
So, becoming a Christian is a deliberate act of the will—something that may come in several steps, but something that definitely happens in a particular place and at a particular time. It’s not that important that you remember your ‘spiritual birthday,’ as some call it … but it’s important that you understand that becoming a Christian is an act (or acts) of surrender that happens at a place & time; you have actually surrendered your will to God’s—that’s the act! To realize that there’s a pivotal moment (or moments) in your life that led you to this decision … is what’s most important!
But, no one can make this decision for us … but US! Here’s another way of saying it: GOD DOESN’T HAVE ANY GRANDCHILDREN! We cannot ride into eternity on the spiritual shirttails of our parents or grandparents, just because they had a solid walk with God! Each person has to deliberately commit their life to Christ personally…
- Oswald Chambers, in his devotional "My Utmost for His Highest" (April 17) asks this question: “Have you deliberately committed your will to Jesus Christ? It is a transaction of the will, not of emotion.”
- Recorded in Luke 14:33 (TEV) are Jesus words about this very important step in our lives: “‘In the same way,’ concluded Jesus, ‘none of you can be my disciple unless you give up everything you have.’”
It’s all really a matter of the will; who’s going to be in charge … of your life … and your stuff. Who is the real owner? Is Jesus Lord and Master? Or, are you still in the habit of arguing with God about who owns what in your life? It’s really all about a surrender of our will … to God’s will… That’s where belonging to the Body of Christ really begins…
Folks, that’s where the Christian life begins … by giving our life to Christ, allowing him to be Lord of our lives! Having your name on a membership role doesn’t guarantee your eternity! Only surrendering your will to his does… Belonging means, first and foremost, that we are attached to Christ, personally! That decision & commitment are the first steps to belonging… Then,
BELONGING MEANS KNOWING WHAT YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE (WHERE YOU FIT)! Verses 24b-27 – “God himself has put the body together in such a way as to give greater honor to those parts that need it. 25 And so there is no division in the body, but all its different parts have the same concern for one another. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share its happiness. 27 All of you are Christ’s body, and each one is a part of it.” (Note: Early in 1 Corinthians12, Paul explains about spiritual gifts … or where we fit into the Body—where our place is…)
Have you ever served on a committee in a local church, because you were asked to, only to find out that you really didn’t like what you were doing and the situation soon bordered on miserable?
This is why we need to know our spiritual gifts … so that we know how God has created us & gifted us … so that we’ll know where our place in the Body is… Here’s how it usually goes though…
- Most local churches have a Nominations Committee … that once a year fills open spots on committees in the church…
- Someone—maybe even the pastor—asks you if you’d be willing to serve on one of these committees and, of course, you’d feel guilty if you said ‘no’ … so you probably said ‘yes.’
- You spend about 3-4 months on the committee … only to find out that you’re miserable serving in that place … because it’s not a good fit for you…
- But, how do you tell your pastor that you’re absolutely miserable and are just about ready to quit the whole church, because of this horrible ‘miss-match?’
Now, think of that time in your life that you discovered something that you were really good at… Do you remember how that felt? It was almost like you didn’t fit anywhere … for awhile; but then, you found something that you were good at: sports, music, technology, academics, or something else… Now, finally, your whole world changed; now, you belonged…
Folks, it should be the same in churches today; we should only have people in places of service … that are good at what that group does! If you’re good at something & can serve in that area, that work will suddenly be an absolute JOY!!!! And, folks, God loves cheerful givers! But, so often the Church has been kind of foolish … and hasn’t paid attention to spiritual gifts; but, that’s why we do now. We can have a happy church … if we just do things God’s way!
So, belonging involves several things…
- A deliberate act of the will, allowing ourselves to belong to Christ … and when we belong to Him, we then belong to his Body—the Church.
- Knowing how God made us—what part we are in the Body—is very important!
- But, there’s another thing we need to talk about, too, when it comes to belonging—the church’s part—those who are already a part of the Body; we need to befriend those who come through our doors!!!!
So, here’s what we’re going to be about:
- Helping people connect to Christ personally…
- Helping people know how God has gifted them to be a part of His Body—to know where they fit in…
- Being willing to be friends with those who God sends us … no matter what!
Intentionally moving people to BELONG… That’s what membership is all about!