Leaving a church C19

Hi, I would like to hear differing opinions on this issue. I joined a church (became a local member) in 2017 as a new believer. They were doctrinally sound but when covid hit they immediately shut down in-person services and went exclusively remote for about a year before opening their doors again.

At the time (and currently) I had the need to be around the body of Christ and virtual sermons and fellowship weren't cutting it for me, so I found a great church that stayed opened and I don't intend to return to the original church that I'm a registered member at.

Let's not debate the whole issue wether churches should have closed or not. My questions are

1. how important is church membership? I hear the reformed guys are pretty big on it while others like the Calvary Chapel people don't even practice it. I'm not talking about a home church where I regularly attend, but rather the formal registration/membership process.

2. If we're all in one body of Jesus, is having my name registered at a local church really that important?

3. Where in the bible is there a strong model for membership at a local church? We see churches in Acts and the Epistles but does that really mean believers had a formal membership assigned to that particular location? Wasn't it just the case that believers just went to the nearest place to home where the gospel was being taught?

4. If I informed the pastor I'm attending elsewhere, is there a need for a formal exit process?

These may be simple questions to some, but getting saved mid-life and then jumping into a pandemic has limited my exposure to certain doctrines and aspects of Christian culture and history. Feel free to address other areas the questions didn't cover.

Thank you everyone.

A.S.

I think God draws believers together when they are saved. Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. If you find a church that is biblically sound and has the presence of God (both of equal importance), by all means attend it. God naturally raises up pastors and shepherds to lead His flock, and He will show you who these people are. You don't need any kind of formal, written membership (although I am not against that.)

Two things are of utmost importance.

1. Make sure you spend time in prayer every day; fellowship with Jesus and ask Him to reveal Himself to your inner man. Getting alone with God is more important than fellowshipping with other christians (I'm not saying that fellowship is not important or downplaying it; I'm saying that communion with the Holy Spirit is more important.)

2. Read your Bible and compare it with what any pastor or teacher is saying. If what the pastor or teacher says contradicts the written Word, stick to the Word. Even solid, mature believers can be wrong on certain subjects.

Hi A.S.,

I echo what Nigel said as being most important. However, I'll also give a little extra input regarding your specific questions:

1.) How important is church membership?

Well, in the grand scheme of eternity, it's not at all important. This is because your "membership" isn't based upon things like attendance, offerings, doctrinal adherence, etc. It's between you and the Lord.

In a practical way, many churches have "membership" rolls so that individuals who fellowship there and adhere to the beliefs and practices of that church can vote on matters of importance. If it was open voting for anyone and everyone, then unbelievers could come into your midst and vote out pastors and make changes that are, well, terrible. So, in this sense, they see an official church membership roll as a means to provide this voice to specific individuals.

It's definitely a question that a lot of people think about. In many denominations or even local congregations, the people who are offered the opportunity to work in ministry must abide by the beliefs of that congregation or denomination. You might be permitted to be involved; however, you might not in a more formal manner.

2.) If we're all in one body of Jesus, is having my name registered at a local church really that important?

Spiritually speaking, it's not important. The only roll that matters is the Book of Life. I will say that I knew a missionary who struggled with this. He was very involved in churches of a particular church organization. He went to Mexico and funded the construction of many, many church buildings (and other buildings and construction projects). He was not a licensed or ordained minister in the denomination that he fellowshipped with.

One day, this missionary received a call from the denomination's (or, as they prefer, "fellowship's") headquarters. They had heard many great things about him. They wanted to fully fund his way through Bible college and then help him receive his ordination and license (which does have some usefulness when operating overseas on certain visas). They were going to help him out (he was married and had three young children).

This missionary prayed about this. He also considered the cost and benefits. Ultimately, he chose NOT to accept this offer. He told me that he felt that it would only hinder the work that he was already doing. It would take years to finish Bible college. The denomination had a set of requirements for missionaries too -- which would take years.

So, this missionary continued to work as he had. He continued to personally raise the funds for building projects, organize teams (including for preaching, construction, medical needs and even general work). The interesting thing is that nearly all of the churches that he built in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America were given to local congregations within that particular denomination/fellowship.

So, there is that consideration.

3.) Where in the bible is there a strong model for membership at a local church?

I think that you're right. I've read Acts many times. There was "decency and order." There were apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. There were individuals with different gifts too. There are very specific requirements for ministry mentioned by Paul and in other epistles. However, I don't know with any certainty that the book of Acts (or Epistles) sets up a hierarchy beyond what we read.

4.) If I informed the pastor I'm attending elsewhere, is there a need for a formal exit process?

I'm not really sure. I've heard of people who "transferred" their membership from one church to another. However, that was usually within the denomination itself. When I moved, I never really even thought about doing that. Since then, I have never actually become a "voting member" of any church that I've fellowshipped with.

In the apostle Paul's day the churches were interactive. They read the epistles written to their and other churches by Peter, Paul, and John. It is mentioned that the deaconess Phoebe brought messages from one church to another. Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and others were itinerant.

Sadly, many of today's churches act like rival clubs. "How dare you go *there?*" "You can't give your money to *them*! It belongs to *us!*" "What have they got that we haven't got?" I have heard many such statements like this.

I love it when churches get together to pray, evangelise, and coordinate efforts within a particular city or region. "A house divided against itself cannot stand." Of course, I am not speaking of ecumenism or endorsing gross compromise.

It is courteous to let the one church know that you have moved onto another. In the best scenario, membership fosters a sense of belonging, commitment, and accountability.