What is a church?
What is a Church?
By John Holmes
First Baptist Church Moriarty
Pastor, can you tell me what a church
is in less than 100 words?
The local church is not a building but an intentional gathering of two or more visible Holy Spirit-filled believers who, in Jesus' name, mutually agree about His Gospel. A church must preach the Word of God and observe the ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper scripturally. Normatively, when spiritually healthy, church members voluntarily covenant as a congregation of royal priests to exercise the keys to the Kingdom of God, make new disciples, use their spiritual gifts, and teach all Christ commanded while being led by male pastors/elder(s) and served by deacons who are scripturally qualified. [1]
Pastor, does the Bible say that Christians
should intentionally gather in person?
YES!
Hebrews 10:25
"... not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching."
Hebrews 10:25
"... not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching."
Pastor, is godly church membership expected?
YES! While you may not find the word "membership," it is very much assumed throughout the New Testament. God sovereignly adds to His numbers of those saved (Acts 2) and expects His people to gather for worship (Heb. 10:25). A scripturally obedient Christian has no choice but to join a church.[2] However, membership in a local church is not akin to that of a volunteer organization or private association. It is a unique commitment, a solemn pledge, as the church's mission (as a body of believers) is to reflect God’s glory, serve Him, and bear witness to His wisdom (Eph. 3:10-11, Jn. 13:34–35). As Jesus Christ is committed to His church (Eph. 5:25), Scripture says His people will know their Shepherd’s voice and follow Him—namely because the Holy Spirit is given to all who obey Him and guides as a helper (Jn. 10:27, 16:13; Acts 5:32).
FBC Moriarty operates on a pastor-led, congregationally decided form of church governance. Congregationalism expects that church members will be born-again believers of the Lord Jesus Christ with elder/pastor oversight. An example of where this type of governance is assumed in the Bible is in Matthew 18, verses 18–20; Jesus provides the basis for the assembly’s action in verses 15–17, explaining how the “you” moves from singular to plural. A "kingdom people" must abide by that kingdom’s rule of law. Jesus says the following (in the context of church discipline):
I assure you [plural]: Whatever you [plural] bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you [plural] loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. Again, I assure you [plural]: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you [plural] pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.
Jesus’ words, “I assure you” or "Truly, I say to you," are pointed toward the disciples, but he is treating them as “the church” or members of the church. It is not merely the one individual from verse 15 who does the binding and loosing. It is not merely the two or three from verse 16. It is not some other, unnamed outside committee. It can only be the church, which includes the individuals from verses 15 and 16 [3].
Jesus authorizes the entire assembly to wield the keys of the kingdom. He uses Jewish law to locate the existence of a local church in the gathering of two or three witnesses who testify to His name and to one other's professions of genuine faith. To put it another way, a "gathering [of mutually committed born-again believers] is an essential part of a church being a church." So, just to eliminate any lingering ambiguity on this matter, yes, healthy congregationalism is healthy church membership [3].
As such, proper individual accountability and spiritual care necessitate a commitment to a specific church family that submits to Jesus and His Gospel. The assembled gathering (i.e., congregation) governs well only when there is a commitment to Jesus and His gospel and to each other as born-again believers seeking to honor the Lord (e.g., in a covenantal relationship). We call this committed type of relationship "church membership" today, and it is why, at FBC Moriarty, individual affirmation of the church membership covenant is required. This is because congregational authority is every bit as explicit in the biblical text as elder authority, but the Bible assumes committed believers both comprise the congregation and that they will take their 'job' of guarding the Gospel seriously [3]. This individual commitment is what makes church membership at FBC Moriarty so significant.
Today, churches sometimes blur the lines between 'attenders' and those 'committed' in membership to appear welcoming. Some churches do not practice membership at all, or if they do use membership formally, they do nothing programmatically to distinguish members from non-members. This makes it difficult for committed believers to see/know who is on the inside (the 'committed' members) when times of congregational decision-making are needed, such as for the task of calling a pastor or nominating deacons-- or as in the case of Matthew 18, the occasion of church discipline.
Hence, membership at FBC Moriarty requires the following four criteria be met before a congregational vote for membership may occur: 1) a person receives and professes Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (this implies true life-change, affirmed by personal testimony), 2) identification with Christ publicly through scriptural believer’s Baptism (by immersion) or transferring a letter in good standing from another Baptist church where such baptism was performed or verified and accepted, 3) formative discipleship via attendance of an “Exploring Membership” class for believers, whereby attendees not only learn about what the FBC Moriarty believes doctrinally concerning the Scriptures but also the biblical expectations of church membership and 4) affirmation of both the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 and the church's membership covenant.
In summary, regular attendance at church events is not the same as membership. While everyone is certainly welcome to attend, membership is a distinct commitment reserved for Christians who obediently labor for the Gospel while belonging to and being accountable to a local body of believers in Christ. This represents a holy relationship between believers and their church under Christ's authority. It is characterized by the church's affirmation of the member's spiritual conversion, an individual's desire for spiritual growth, and a person's obedience to living within the spiritual care of the church. Markedly, God emphasizes the need to live holy lives, love and serve Him and others, and grow spiritually (1 Pet. 2:12). Thus, for Spirit-filled believers, there exists an expectation of accountability for Holy living and all the Bible teaches in matters of faith, practice, and morality (Jn. 14:23-27).
FBC Moriarty operates on a pastor-led, congregationally decided form of church governance. Congregationalism expects that church members will be born-again believers of the Lord Jesus Christ with elder/pastor oversight. An example of where this type of governance is assumed in the Bible is in Matthew 18, verses 18–20; Jesus provides the basis for the assembly’s action in verses 15–17, explaining how the “you” moves from singular to plural. A "kingdom people" must abide by that kingdom’s rule of law. Jesus says the following (in the context of church discipline):
I assure you [plural]: Whatever you [plural] bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you [plural] loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. Again, I assure you [plural]: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you [plural] pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.
Jesus’ words, “I assure you” or "Truly, I say to you," are pointed toward the disciples, but he is treating them as “the church” or members of the church. It is not merely the one individual from verse 15 who does the binding and loosing. It is not merely the two or three from verse 16. It is not some other, unnamed outside committee. It can only be the church, which includes the individuals from verses 15 and 16 [3].
Jesus authorizes the entire assembly to wield the keys of the kingdom. He uses Jewish law to locate the existence of a local church in the gathering of two or three witnesses who testify to His name and to one other's professions of genuine faith. To put it another way, a "gathering [of mutually committed born-again believers] is an essential part of a church being a church." So, just to eliminate any lingering ambiguity on this matter, yes, healthy congregationalism is healthy church membership [3].
As such, proper individual accountability and spiritual care necessitate a commitment to a specific church family that submits to Jesus and His Gospel. The assembled gathering (i.e., congregation) governs well only when there is a commitment to Jesus and His gospel and to each other as born-again believers seeking to honor the Lord (e.g., in a covenantal relationship). We call this committed type of relationship "church membership" today, and it is why, at FBC Moriarty, individual affirmation of the church membership covenant is required. This is because congregational authority is every bit as explicit in the biblical text as elder authority, but the Bible assumes committed believers both comprise the congregation and that they will take their 'job' of guarding the Gospel seriously [3]. This individual commitment is what makes church membership at FBC Moriarty so significant.
Today, churches sometimes blur the lines between 'attenders' and those 'committed' in membership to appear welcoming. Some churches do not practice membership at all, or if they do use membership formally, they do nothing programmatically to distinguish members from non-members. This makes it difficult for committed believers to see/know who is on the inside (the 'committed' members) when times of congregational decision-making are needed, such as for the task of calling a pastor or nominating deacons-- or as in the case of Matthew 18, the occasion of church discipline.
Hence, membership at FBC Moriarty requires the following four criteria be met before a congregational vote for membership may occur: 1) a person receives and professes Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (this implies true life-change, affirmed by personal testimony), 2) identification with Christ publicly through scriptural believer’s Baptism (by immersion) or transferring a letter in good standing from another Baptist church where such baptism was performed or verified and accepted, 3) formative discipleship via attendance of an “Exploring Membership” class for believers, whereby attendees not only learn about what the FBC Moriarty believes doctrinally concerning the Scriptures but also the biblical expectations of church membership and 4) affirmation of both the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 and the church's membership covenant.
In summary, regular attendance at church events is not the same as membership. While everyone is certainly welcome to attend, membership is a distinct commitment reserved for Christians who obediently labor for the Gospel while belonging to and being accountable to a local body of believers in Christ. This represents a holy relationship between believers and their church under Christ's authority. It is characterized by the church's affirmation of the member's spiritual conversion, an individual's desire for spiritual growth, and a person's obedience to living within the spiritual care of the church. Markedly, God emphasizes the need to live holy lives, love and serve Him and others, and grow spiritually (1 Pet. 2:12). Thus, for Spirit-filled believers, there exists an expectation of accountability for Holy living and all the Bible teaches in matters of faith, practice, and morality (Jn. 14:23-27).
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
[1] Jonathan Leeman, “A Baptist View of the Royal Priesthood of All Believers,” in The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, 23.1 (2019). Leeman offers a definition, and he cites the 1644 and 1689 definitions of a church. Also, see Johnathan Leeman, Don’t Fire Your Church Members: The Case for Congregationalism. Nashville: B&H, 2016. Jason Duesing, “A Denomination Always for the Church: Ecclesiological Distinctives as a Basis for Confessional Cooperation,” in Jason K. Allen, ed. The SBC and the 21st Century, Revised Edition. Nashville: B&H, 2019.
[2] Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines within the Church, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996), 49-57. See the section titled Biblical Reasons for Joining a Church. See also, Mt. 16:18-19, 18:15-20; Jn. 17:21, 23; Eph. 3:10; Heb. 13:17, and 1 Thess. 5:12-13. These scriptures speak of relationships and expected behaviors that cannot exist outside a ‘church.’
[3] Jonathan Leeman, Don’t Fire Your Church Members: The Case for Congregationalism (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2016), 99, 174, 178.
[+] It is realized that churches will not always have pastors/elders or deacons (during times of transition), or a plurality of either. This does not violate their standing as valid churches, but it can impact their health. As royal priests, the local church should prayerfully and congregationally call men of God qualified to fill those offices (1 Pet. 2:9, Tit. 1:5, Acts 14:23). The New Testament apostolic practice was appointing elders to ensure that each congregation was led by spiritually mature and capable leaders, ensuring doctrinal integrity and pastoral care for the community.
[++] On male pastors/elders, see 1 Timothy 3:1-5, Titus 1:5-6. The phrase "one woman man" or husband of but one wife indicates pastors should be men. Also, see 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 1 Cor. 11:3, 8-9 regarding the creative order set forth by God. Paul's argument from creation is timeless and not culturally bound. Regarding the critics and Galatians 3:28, this passage does not usurp the functional and complementary design for men and women seen throughout Scripture. While men and women absolutely have equal value and equal worth (created in the image of God), their God-designed roles are functionally complementary but different in Scripture. For those who wish to read a collection of essays on this matter explaining the biblical issues at length, see Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (Redesign): A Response to Evangelical Feminism.
[1] Jonathan Leeman, “A Baptist View of the Royal Priesthood of All Believers,” in The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, 23.1 (2019). Leeman offers a definition, and he cites the 1644 and 1689 definitions of a church. Also, see Johnathan Leeman, Don’t Fire Your Church Members: The Case for Congregationalism. Nashville: B&H, 2016. Jason Duesing, “A Denomination Always for the Church: Ecclesiological Distinctives as a Basis for Confessional Cooperation,” in Jason K. Allen, ed. The SBC and the 21st Century, Revised Edition. Nashville: B&H, 2019.
[2] Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines within the Church, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996), 49-57. See the section titled Biblical Reasons for Joining a Church. See also, Mt. 16:18-19, 18:15-20; Jn. 17:21, 23; Eph. 3:10; Heb. 13:17, and 1 Thess. 5:12-13. These scriptures speak of relationships and expected behaviors that cannot exist outside a ‘church.’
[3] Jonathan Leeman, Don’t Fire Your Church Members: The Case for Congregationalism (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2016), 99, 174, 178.
[+] It is realized that churches will not always have pastors/elders or deacons (during times of transition), or a plurality of either. This does not violate their standing as valid churches, but it can impact their health. As royal priests, the local church should prayerfully and congregationally call men of God qualified to fill those offices (1 Pet. 2:9, Tit. 1:5, Acts 14:23). The New Testament apostolic practice was appointing elders to ensure that each congregation was led by spiritually mature and capable leaders, ensuring doctrinal integrity and pastoral care for the community.
[++] On male pastors/elders, see 1 Timothy 3:1-5, Titus 1:5-6. The phrase "one woman man" or husband of but one wife indicates pastors should be men. Also, see 1 Timothy 2:11-15 and 1 Cor. 11:3, 8-9 regarding the creative order set forth by God. Paul's argument from creation is timeless and not culturally bound. Regarding the critics and Galatians 3:28, this passage does not usurp the functional and complementary design for men and women seen throughout Scripture. While men and women absolutely have equal value and equal worth (created in the image of God), their God-designed roles are functionally complementary but different in Scripture. For those who wish to read a collection of essays on this matter explaining the biblical issues at length, see Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (Redesign): A Response to Evangelical Feminism.
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