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Church membership helps a church to identify you as part of “the local body” (although we are all part of Christ’s body to be sure) and it helps you to identify the church as a resource for your own spiritual needs. At our church there are no pledge cards to fill out or complicated rituals – simply your commitment to our church and our commitment to you in Christ.

Anyone who has been baptized into Christ as a believer may place membership with our church.  We only ask that you repeat a simple confession of faith, “I believe, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  This is typically done before the congregation on a Sunday morning but may be done through other arrangements to accommodate someone with special needs such as a disability, or phobia.  Should you desire to join no arrangements are necessary, simply respond during the decision song on Sunday morning and a minister or elder will guide you through the process.  If you would like to arrange for a meeting prior to this contact the church office for an appointment with a minister or elder.

Obviously no one should feel pressured to make a commitment they’re not ready for, instead be encouraged to come and “belong.” Over time however, as you come to know a church you should make a commitment to them for a few important reasons.  First, it helps them to be alert in their care for you – if a member goes missing then the church takes notice!  Second, it helps you develop a ministry within the local church.  Many teaching ministries, childcare ministries and other public focused ministries are available only to those who have made a commitment to the church.  By placing membership a world of service opportunities open to you!  Finally, placing church membership is a sign of humility and respect for Christ’s leadership.  When you place membership you publicly confess that you will follow Christ and respect the spiritual leadership within the church (i.e. the elders).

Church membership is a beautiful practice – it is like joining a family.  We are all devoted to the Father and committed to our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Come and meet our family and when you’re ready we’ll welcome you with open arms!

We are responsible for each other. We must help each other to replace…

1. Desire with truth

• Perhaps “replace” is bit too strong a word, rather “temper.” Desire in and of itself is not good or bad, it’s the object and action of desire that determines that. Uninformed desire is dangerous, informed desire is much better.
• While the Reubenites, Gadites and the half tribe of Manassah desired land for cattle, they never asked, “What God does desire?” Moses’ decision to let these tribes dwell in the land was done largely without God – if at all (Numbers 32, similar to Lot’s choice in Genesis 13:10-11).
• Moses certainly wanted to maintain peace, but at what cost. We need to make wise decisions. James 3:17, “Wisdom is first pure then peaceable.”
• The problem is that too many of our choices are focused on us. (James 4:1-3)
• We need each other to provide insight and balance. (Proverbs 5:18)

2. Suspicion with transparency

• This happens a lot, especially when we hear a sermon that convicts us. If the sermon is on money and we feel convicted to give – the first thing we say is, “All that guy wants is money.” If the sermon is on sin and we feel convicted – the first thing we say is, “That’s just hellfire and brimstone, the church is so judgmental.”
  • Or we’ll attack the messenger, “That preacher is a hypocrite.” Never mind the fact that the message is what’s important not the messenger.
  • We get more concerned with the church’s minutiae than real problems facing us.
• We need to be transparent with each other – this is not to say that you are transparent with everyone, but someone. We must live approachable and transparent lives.
• Transparency is a two sided problem; we need to do all we can to reveal our true selves to each other. What are we to do when we think someone may need to be transparent? 1 Thessalonians 3:5-6, Paul was suspected the Thessalonian church had fallen away so he investigated.

3. Isolation with community

• The means of isolation are limitless, TV, cellphone, internet, text messaging, etc. Quote came from: James Hillman and Michael Ventura, We’ve Had a Hundred Years of Psychotherapy – And the World’s Getting Worse (San Francisco: Harper, 1992), 40-41.
• We isolate for many different reasons, guilt “I’m worse than you,” pride “I’m better than you,” suspicion is usually a manifestation of either. We are suspicious of people better than us afraid they will replace us, we’re suspicious of people “worse” than us afraid they will attack us and our value.
• To live in community however puts those aside and assumes no hidden agenda. It says, “You matter to me, and I matter to you.” It puts aside the comparison and replaces it with cooperation.
• Notice the cost of community, the Israelites we’re willing to sacrifice of their own promise, their own inheritance to make sure that their brothers and sisters were included in community. Joshua 22:19
• What are we willing to sacrifice? One night a week in a small group? One additional hour on Sunday morning? Your lunch break to visit somebody in your life who might be high-maintenance but definitely in need.

Note: A very helpful resource in this Joshua sermon and the entire Joshua series has been, Warren Wiersbe’s commentary, Be Strong (Victor Books: Wheaton, 1993).

There are three character traits in Joshua’s life that made him such an excellent leader…

1. Committed – Joshua knew what was right and led others to do it. (Joshua 5:2-7)

• Joshua was the only one recorded in scripture, other than Moses, who did not fall prey to the Golden Calf sin (Exodus 32). Committed to Moses and God, staying on the mountain when others’ hope had failed.
• Here as he leads the entire nation in a re-dedication to God’s commands and directs that all the men be circumcised. Joshua lived this way throughout his life. Joshua 24:15 is his final charge.
• Don’t think this was easy! Joshua grew up with a generation that was judged severely. Only he and Caleb were allowed into the Promised Land from his generation. The opportunity for sin was everywhere (Genesis 4:7).

2. Adventurous – Joshua moved beyond righteousness and into service. (Joshua 5:11-12)

• For over forty years the Israelites had manna, now it was gone. No longer would they wake up every morning, go to the edge of the tent, fall down and eat. They moved beyond the boring into the great! (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)
• We no longer hunger to read God’s word, believing we know it all already. We no longer pray expecting God to answer. We no longer come to church expecting to hear something new. We have lost our desire to explore the infinite majesty of God!
• Parable of race runners is in Brian McLaren and Tony Campolo, Adventures in Missing the Point: How the Culture-Controlled Church Neutered the Gospel (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2006).

3. Grounded – Joshua was constantly humbled in the sight of God and respected by the people.

• “Trees that grow tall have deep roots. Great height without great depth is dangerous. The great leaders of this world, like St. Francis, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., were all people who could live with public notoriety, influence and power in a humble way because of their deep spiritual rootedness. Without deep roots we easily let others determine who we are. But as we cling to our popularity, we may lose our true sense of self. Our clinging to the opinion of others reveals how superficial we are. We have little to stand on. We have to be kept alive by adulation and praise. Those who are deeply rooted in the love of God can enjoy human praise without being attached to it.” -Henri J. M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey (Harper Collins, 1997)
• Joshua had deep roots, grounded in God. (Exodus 33:11, Joshua 5:13-15)
• It was Joshua’s commitment to God and humility in his presence was what gave him credibility with God’s people (Joshua 1:17).

Today more than ever we need Christian leaders who will be like Joshua. Who will be leaders in the church! Who will be leaders in the workplace! Who will be leaders in the home! We need people that are committed to righteousness, adventurous in following him and grounded in humility before God.

(Sermon audio available here on Bowling Green Christian Church’s website.)