In a spiritual world of quick fixes and vague emotion, is it crazy to believe there is still a place for insights based on simple, basic, theological understanding. I believe it is worth exploring.
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Monday, February 22, 2016
A Touch of Humor - Simplification
Should the issue of membership turn on who we like? Why or why not?
Church membership is a strange duck. We are all members of the Body of Christ. That seems to be the most important part. Local church membership seems to have more to do with supporting it with money and service.
A strange duck indeed. As I see we have an obligation to support the Body of Christ with our money and service, though in appropriate ways. I suppose there should be a priority for you local congregation in this, they are after all the people you know. But I do not see what membership has to do with it unless not being a member somehow is an excuse for not giving support.
We are all members of the catholic church. We can have relationships with many others in this universal church. We support such friends with our presence. When 2 or 3 of us are gathered together in Jesus' name he is there with us.
We really have no obligation to be a part of anything else unless God leads us to do so. When he does it will be obvious because people there will love us and care about us. And we will develop a love for them. And in doing so we may be led to support them with our resources.
But supporting a "local" church apart from the presence of such reciprocal love and care is simply religious foolishness.
With that I would totally agree. The only purpose I see for church membership is to indicate who identifies with a particular group of believers for purely practical purposes. And even this can be arguable.
Church membership is a strange duck. We are all members of the Body of Christ. That seems to be the most important part. Local church membership seems to have more to do with supporting it with money and service.
ReplyDeleteA strange duck indeed.
DeleteAs I see we have an obligation to support the Body of Christ with our money and service, though in appropriate ways. I suppose there should be a priority for you local congregation in this, they are after all the people you know. But I do not see what membership has to do with it unless not being a member somehow is an excuse for not giving support.
We are all members of the catholic church. We can have relationships with many others in this universal church. We support such friends with our presence. When 2 or 3 of us are gathered together in Jesus' name he is there with us.
DeleteWe really have no obligation to be a part of anything else unless God leads us to do so. When he does it will be obvious because people there will love us and care about us. And we will develop a love for them. And in doing so we may be led to support them with our resources.
But supporting a "local" church apart from the presence of such reciprocal love and care is simply religious foolishness.
We are Christ's body and members of it.
With that I would totally agree. The only purpose I see for church membership is to indicate who identifies with a particular group of believers for purely practical purposes. And even this can be arguable.
Delete