Why membership? It's a common question people ask today. Many years ago it was the thing to join an organization and become a member of something. In fact, you could hardly get considered for a job without consideration being given to your religious and political affiliation. Today, the fastest growing political constituency are independents, and mainline denomination memberships are in record decline while more people prefer to identify themselves as spiritual without any religious affiliation tacked on. So, in a world where membership is often overlooked, why membership in a local church?
Barbara Streisand starred in Funny Girl which came out in 1964. In that movie she sang a song called People. That song asserts that "people who need people are the luckiest people in the world." The idea is that people who are not emotionally disconnected from others are lucky people because they both see and value the need to love and be loved. This is why we need membership in the church. Christians who need Christians are the most blessed of all people because they see the value and need to love and be loved within the body of Christ. Paul said as much when he wrote -
"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.'" - I Corinthians 12:21
The truth is we need each other to make our lives whole. We need the prayers, fellowship, service, and gifts of others to help us be the best we can be for Christ; and we need corporate worship with others to help us experience Christ in the most complete way together. The ancient church always believed that the risen Christ was most visibly present and felt only when the fellowship of Christians were gathered together in corporate worship and prayer. This week take a moment to thank someone for what they have meant in your life this past week, or over the years; then take time to thank God for the community of faith and it's place in your life.
If you don't have a community of faith to call your church home, why not start now. You can start this Sunday.
Dennis
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