Membership and loyalty clubs are an everyday part of life. We have gym memberships, wholesale shopping clubs, hotel and frequent flyer clubs, app subscriptions, and so much more. I noticed the other day that our local carwash even has a separate “members only” entrance from the “guest” entrance. In some cases, membership comes with special perks and incentives like extended hours, VIP lanes, discounts, referral bonuses, and cashback rewards.

That’s not what we mean when we talk about church membership. Church membership doesn’t give you a priority entrance or premier seating. There’s no secret handshake. No backstage pass. And sorry, you don’t get cashback rewards on your tithe. (In fact, the Bible warns against partiality or bribes).

What then is church membership? Church membership is a group of believers uniting together (we might even say covenanting) as a local church to honor God, care for one another, and obey the great commission.

There are a lot of modern misconceptions about church membership, so we recently spent a couple weeks digging into the subject. In part one, I explain the purpose of church membership and walk through the first two commitments of our church member covenant. We learn…

• The value of commitment in a local church
• Ways we can promote church unity
• How church life is like team sports
• Encouragement to invite more visitors to church  

(8/8/25 Update: Here’s an audio link to part two of this discussion on church membership.)

Here’s the full transcript to part one…

UNITED IN MEMBERSHIP (PART 1 OF 2)
PASTOR STEPHEN JONES
CALVARY CHURCH WEST HILLS
JULY 6, 2025

Introduction
• Membership and loyalty clubs are an everyday part of life. There are gym memberships, hotel and frequent flyer club membership, movie theaters, timeshares, HOAs, etc. E.g. (see photo) Carwash – members only vs. guests. Separate entrances. In some cases, membership comes with certain perks like extended hours, VIP lanes, special discounts, referral bonuses, and cashback rewards.
• But that’s not what we mean when we talk about church membership. Church membership doesn’t give you a priority entrance, or premier seating, or secret handshake, no VIP lounge with better donuts, or backstage pass to hang out with the worship band. You don’t get cashback rewards on your tithe. In fact, the Bible warns against partiality and bribery.
• Church membership a group of believers uniting together (or we might even say “covenanting”) as a local church to honor God, care for one another, and obey the great commission.
Our Church Covenant
• From Article V of our Church Constitution & Bylaws. Member Covenant – “Having received Christ as my Lord and Savior and been baptized, and being in agreement with Calvary Church’s statements, strategy, and structure, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the Calvary Church family. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members to do the following: I will protect the unity of my church by acting in love toward other members, by refusing to gossip, and by following the leaders. I will share the responsibility of my church by praying for its growth, by inviting the “unchurched” to attend, and by warmly welcoming those who visit. I will serve the ministry of my church by discovering and using my gifts and talents, by seeking to be equipped by my pastor to serve, and by developing a servant’s heart. I will support the testimony of my church by attending faithfully, living a godly life, and by giving regularly.”
• Each of these statements are then backed up by scripture. I think you will be hard pressed to find anything unbiblical in that list. If you can assent to this statement, I would encourage you to join Calvary Church West Hills. It is my prayer that if you haven’t already joined the church, that you will do so as a result of these next two messages.
• There’s a scary word in that covenant I read for you. It’s the word “commit.” Many of us are hesitant to make that kind of commitment.
• Four commitments. We will focus on just the first two today.

Protecting Unity
• Romans 14:19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
• Context of Christian liberty. (see 14:2). Don’t quarrel! (14:1) Don’t despise (14:3). Don’t pass judgment! (14:3, 4, 13). Rather, know what you believe (14:5, 22-23), honor God in all you do (14:6, 8, 18), avoid stumbling blocks (14:13), pursue peace (14:19), and welcome others (14:1), knowing you will one day give an account before God and want to hear the words “well done” (14:10-12).
• Out of five chapters on practical theology at the end of Paul’s letter, two of them are dedicated to the subject of church unity.
• So what Paul is saying is use your newfound liberty in Christ, your spiritual strength, and any authority God has granted you, to serve others. Authority and submission. Biblical authority does not mean domineering. In fact, just the opposite. Leadership is the God-given privilege of providing vision, influence, guidance, and example for the benefit of others. Spiritual leadership is servant leadership.
• …By acting in love toward other members. Romans 15:5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus. Cf. 1 Pet. 1:22; Jn. 15:12.
• Think about the concept of right of way in traffic. In some countries, the biggest vehicle on the road gets the right of way. A pedestrian yields to a bicycle, a bicycle to a car, and a car to a van, and a van to a bus. But Jesus says in Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you shall be your servant.
• …By refusing to gossip. Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
• …By following the leaders. Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
• Harmony. Cf. Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
• Personal Example: Dr. Plew in the Master’s Chorale. 60 person choir. But there’s a sense in which we had one-voice. Had to blend – in dynamics, in timbre, to listen and match the pitch of others, all while following the conductor.
• >>A church member agrees first of all to protect unity, and expects others to do these same. Neither our members nor our leaders will be perfect, but these will mark a healthy, godly church. They would be good for a family as well.
Sharing Responsibility
• Rom. 14:19 “So then let us pursue what makes for peace.” Who is the us? Cf. 1:7 “to all those in Rome who are loved…” ch. 16 giving personal greetings – 16:1, 5, 6, 6-7…
• Love this expression – “share the responsibility.” If you’ve ever played a team sport, you understand this all too well. Take basketball for example, five players on the court at time, all different positions. One might be a captain. One might be taller, a better, scorer, ball-handler, or rebounder, or defender, but all of them are important.
• One of the most ridiculous aspects of COVID was the invention of the term “non-essential” worker. In the church, there are no non-essential members. Now, that’s not to say that the church ceases to function. But it will not be as healthy, as fruitful, or as bright a witness if some members fail to do their part and exercise their spiritual gifts.
• That would be like saying one of the body parts are non-essential. Sure, you can survive without an eye, or an ear, a thumb, or a second kidney. But do you really want to? Every had your foot fall asleep? The blood circulation gets cut off and suddenly your foot is numb, and you walk with a heavy limp. The same thing happens with a church has members who have “fallen asleep.”
• By praying for its growth. 1 Thessalonians 1:2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
• By inviting the unchurched to attend. Luke 14:23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.
• By warmly welcoming those who visit. Romans 15:7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
• Compare a consumer driven church versus a service oriented driven church.
Conclusion
• John MacArthur says it well in Biblical Doctrine: “To become a member of a church is to formally commit oneself to an identifiable, local body of believers who have joined together for specific, divinely ordained purposes. These purposes include receiving instruction from God’s Word (1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 4:2), serving and edifying one another through the proper use of spiritual gifts (Rom. 12:3–8; 1 Cor. 12:4–31; 1 Pet. 4:10–11), participating in the ordinances (Luke 22:19; Acts 2:38–42), and proclaiming the gospel to those who are lost (Matt. 28:18–20). In addition, when one becomes a member of a church, he submits himself to the care and the authority of the biblically qualified elders whom God has placed in that assembly.”
• How does membership help in practical, down-to earth terms?
– Classes are easy to schedule, provide regularly. Some larger churches even offer on a continuous cycle
– Gives us an opportunity to hear people’s testimonies and profession of faith
– Gives leaders a chance to get to know, shepherd, assimilate, disciple members
– Provides spiritual protection. Helps protect against false teachers – (remember Pastor Walter’s teaching from Jude last week)
– Provides legal protection, an opportunity for “informed consent” regarding church beliefs and practices, and special teaching such as Jesus’ words on church discipline
– Greater Transparency. We can provide a copy of our statement of faith and bylaws to members. People stay more informed. It gives us a chance to go over governing documents, resulting in more educated voting members. Along these same lines, it allows… 
– Congregationalism, where regenerate church members have the opportunity to prayerfully vote over some issues in the church such as approving the annual budget, calling a new pastor, or church discipline cases. You definitely want born-again, like-minded Christians to be making these important decisions!
Next week, we will continue this study…