Comments on: Are You a Partner?

By: maxgrace

maxgrace — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:00:15 +0000

Hi Theresa,
First, thank you for your very kind words about our church and our ministry. It’s always nice to hear the stories of how God is leading and working in the lives of people at NCR.
Second, you’re raising a great question, one that our leadership and I have struggled with too! Stonefox and Hope nailed it, from my perspective. We changed the term from membership (like a country club) to partnership (like a team) because we wanted our partners to understand that church life is more than a spectator sport. The act of becoming a member does a couple of things: 1) it helps us as leaders to know who we can count on, you kind of “come out of the closet” and say, I’m gonna pitch in and make this place work! 2) it helps us make sure that our core leaders know our mission, vision, and doctrine… and that we’re all on the same page. Yes, informal involvement is wonderful, but partnership allows us a level of confidence that our wonderful volunteers in key positions have signed on to the same evangelical doctrines and the same evangelistic mission that our church and denomination hold dear. It’s late, and like my preaching, i’ve already gone on too long. Great blog. Thanks again. Bill

By: Hope

Hope — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:25:58 +0000

For me, becoming a member (“partner” as we call it) means commitment. Again, for me – it’s the difference between moving in with someone versus marrying them. I knew when He brought me there it was home and that was that … 5 years ago.

I do know some people who became members in order to serve because you can’t serve in certain ministries unless you go through the training. Had they not wanted to serve in those ministries they wouldn’t have “joined.”

By: Starr

Starr — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:41:20 +0000

This is a good question. I have been attending the same church off and on for 10 years now and am not an official member. I have thought about ‘joining’, but simply haven’t made time for the ‘membership class’. I think that membership may mean more to some then others. Personally, I know that my heart is committed to being where God wants me to be, and right now that’s at Church of the Nations, and I serve and participate there just like any official ‘member’. I think it’s important to ask yourself what your motive is– if you feel like the Lord has put this on your heart then do it, but if you are just trying to please others– I don’t know. It is important to submitt to the leaders God has called you to be under. Heehee, I don’t think I’m really helping here. I would just seek the Lord.

By: Stonefox

Stonefox — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 07:58:47 +0000

Theresa, I personally think that some people are afraid to join because of the commitment, just like people are afraid to get married because of the commitment. While I would much rather someone come and never join than not come at all, there does indeed come a time when making the next step of commitment is not only appropriate but it is RIGHT.

As the Lord works in our hearts, He leads us to take greater steps of faith and that involves putting ourselves more “on the line” so to speak. It is only as we follow these promptings in obedience that we grow in Him and He reveals more of those treasures He holds in the palm of His hand.

Church membership is not a command in the Bible…but it is a way of saying “I’m with you. I’m here to serve and to associate myself with this body.” In that regards, it is a way to exhort others in the body and to hold ourselves accountable. For me, this is not a duty but a blessing. And it helps me keep my priorities straight.