In this series we look to build a strong healthy church by asking the question “What does it mean to be a church member?”

Week 6 – As Lutherans, we believe, teach, and confess that our salvation is a gift from God, not something that is owed to us. This gift of faith puts us in the invisible Christian church (the body of Christ) and local visible churches. “Membership” can make one think like a consumer. Christians might say or think, “the church should be thankful they have me and my money.” In consumer ways we can think our opinion might be the only opinion, and we can just get up and leave if things aren’t done just the way we want. This happens when we think the church is there to serve us, instead of the other way around. How can I take this gift and serve God and others? Being a Christian is a gift given by faith alone. Being a part of the church and hearing the gospel is a priceless gift. When we view our membership as a gift we will be better prepared to serve in joy, be filled with thankfulness, and see God and the gospel working even when life is filled with challenges and troubles.

In this series we look to build a strong healthy church by asking the question “What does it mean to be a church member?”

Week 5 – Pastors and teachers are called to serve and work in the gospel ministry on behalf of God’s people. But no one has more impact on the faith of children than their parents and family. As members of the body of Christ, we are also one Christian family. How are you, even if you don’t have kids, modeling what it means to be a Christian? What are you teaching others, family members and friends, concerning priorities in life and what it means to be a member of the church? How do you speak about the church and other members? Parents are God’s representative to your children. Love is caring for each other with compassion, time, and support. True love also involves sharing law and gospel and helping those we love to know they are loved by Jesus. While God’s Word causes division in the world and families, Jesus tells us that faith in him is what will matter when everything else is gone.

In this series we look to build a strong healthy church by asking the question “What does it mean to be a church member?”

Week 4 – The Church is diverse and is filled with people of different gifts and abilities. Pray for the leaders of your church; the volunteers who serve in many ways often overlooked, the leaders who give time to planning and maintaining ministry, the musicians who work hard to bless our services with music, and the pastors who preach and teach along with the teachers at our Christian day school and Sunday School teachers, all on behalf of the body of Christ. All these and many others seek a noble task, and the devil seeks to bring them down and create division. Prayer works and is a powerful gift to be used, especially on behalf of your church leaders.

When people hear the word “membership,” they think about being part of a gym or a wholesale club. Membership is often thought of to come with privileges, perks, and benefits. Members are served. Is this what it means to be a member of a Christian church? Paul explains the metaphor of the Church as being a body with many members with Christ as the head (1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12). At the heart of this is love (1 Corinthians 13). Forgiven by the love of God through the love Jesus has for us to win us forgiveness, we can love God and others. “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” He has placed us all in the Church with different gifts. In this series we look to build a strong healthy Church by asking the question “What does it mean to be a church member?”
Week 3 – The body of Christ is blessed with diversity. Each of us have different gifts, talents, and preferences. When you get a group of 10 people together you may have 10 different opinions. What happens when you group 700 together? How can you have unity and peace among so many Christians? If each is only concerned about getting their way and having their preferences met, peace, harmony and working together will be impossible. Through Jesus and His humility, we can see how we can put others first.

When people hear “membership,” they think about being part of a gym or a wholesale club. Membership is often thought of to come with privileges, perks, and benefits. Members are served. Is this what it means to be a member of a Christian church? Paul explains the metaphor of the church as being a body with many members with Christ as the head (1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12). At the heart of this is love (1 Corinthians 13). Forgiven by the love of God through the love Jesus has for us to win us forgiveness, we can love God and others. “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” He has placed us all in the Church with different gifts. In this series we look to build a strong healthy church by asking the question “What does it mean to be a church member?”

Week 2 – What builds unity among different people? The world is seeking the answer to this. Our world is divided on so many issues and topics. Can one be unforgiving and have unity? Can one ignore others and their needs and preferences and have unity? Can one think that their way and their ideas are the only right ways and have unity? Over all of this, there is one thing that will drive and create unity. Love. And not just loving one another, but the love that comes from Jesus, who forgives us, and showed us His great love, to bring us into a relationship of unity with God.

When people hear the word “membership,” they think about being part of a gym or a wholesale club. Membership is often thought of to come with privileges, perks, and benefits. Members are served. Is this what it means to be a member of a Christian church? Paul explains the metaphor of the Church as being a body with many members with Christ as the head (1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12). At the heart of this is love (1 Corinthians 13). Forgiven by the love of God through the love Jesus has for us to win us forgiveness, we can love God and others. “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” He has placed us all in the Church with different gifts. In this series we look to build a strong healthy Church by asking the question “What does it mean to be a church member?”

Week 1 – Many churches only have 1/3 of their membership active and functioning. Meaning if your membership is 300, only 100 are regularly in worship and serve in joy. This week we look at what it means to be a functioning member of the body of Christ led by His love.