Meaningful Church Membership

Well, if you would, I want to ask you this morning to turn to three places in Scripture. I've already given one of them to you earlier in our Scripture reading. Acts chapter 18, we'll look at verses 24 to 28. But I would ask you to turn to 2 Corinthians 3, 1 starting in verse 1. Second Corinthians 3 starting in verse 1. And then Acts chapter 18 starting in verse 24. Romans 16, 1. Second Corinthians 3, 1 in Acts 18, 24. It's not that often that we turn to various places, but that's just the way it needs to be. Approach this morning. I encourage you to mark those passages. We'll turn to them later in the message. Maybe help your neighbor.

There's always someone around us that might have missed one of those Scripture references. We want to read certain Scriptures, but at times we write verses down that we reference. We go back and study our notes and study these Scriptures because we want to get our minds and hearts around what the Lord's teaching us. And sometimes it is like a large buffet meal. We have to go back and back and back so that we can get all that the Lord wants to give us. Now, you know that we've been progressing along in our study of the 10 pillars of the church. We learned a few weeks ago that pillar number one is the church, the institution of the church.

The church is the only institution that's been entrusted with the responsibility of kingdom work and so much more. Then next we moved on to pillar number two. Pillar number two is the gospel, the gospel. We learned that the gospel is the primary message of the church, not just to the lost world around us, but to us as believers. And then we progressed to pillar number three, which is the Word of God or the Bible. However you want to phrase that. We learned that the Word of God is the inspired Word of God. It is sufficient in all matters of life. It is authoritative in all matters of life, especially the life of the church.

And then last week we examined pillar number four, which was salvation or saving grace, conversion to Christ. And I stated this and I restate this. Saving grace is the gateway into the kingdom of God. If a person is not converted through the new birth, they can't see the kingdom of God. That means they can't understand it and they cannot even enter into the kingdom of God. And of course we know that Jesus told Nicodemus those two very things when he encountered him at night. Now I want you to listen to your pastor here as we are progressing in these messages. I want to encourage you to again to embrace all of this teaching.

We must work hard to embrace what is before us. These are non-negotiables. These are what we are going to build the church on. Again, this is not just going to be our profession. This is not just going to be what we do in the church. As far as programs, this will be how we live our life. And we must have our children observe our lives and know that these pillars are real because of how we live. Not just individually, but in the life of the church. Now this morning we are moving into the next room. I have used this analogy all throughout the series. The church, the institution of the church, pillar number one.

It was the front room of the house and these are simply rooms in the house as we are going along. And this morning we moved to pillar number five and this is church membership. Pillar number five is church membership. But this is a lot more than church membership. This is biblical church membership or meaningful church membership. I say biblical and meaningful on purpose because most of what is seen today is not meaningful nor is it biblical. I know that is negative, but it has to be said. Most of what is seen today, most of what we have experienced in our own lives is not meaningful nor are biblical when it comes to church membership.

Now I want to start us off by sharing with you what I call the reality of the local church. The reality of the local church. Now we know that the first use of this word church was found in Matthew 16 verse 18. We know that. We have learned that many times. Jesus declared that he would build his church on himself. He was the rock, the foundation. Now I do not believe that those disciples who heard that teaching, I do not believe they had a clue as to what Jesus was talking about. This was prophetic right here in Matthew 16, 18. This work would take place through these disciples and others in the near future. We read about one, Apollos earlier.

Later on chronologically we see the birth of the church in the book of Acts. Christ's work of the cross was complete. He had ascended back to his proper place in heaven at the right hand of the Father and the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. And from this point on we see the reality of the local church. From Acts chapter 2 to chapter 8 we see the church at Jerusalem develop rapidly. Many were born again and baptized and added to their numbers there at the day of Pentecost.

They were devoted to the apostles' teachings, to meeting together and fellowshipping with one another and they were devoted to prayer. And when great needs arose they sacrificially shared among themselves. There was a great purifying work in the life of the church. When Ananias and Sapphira brought hypocritical giving into the church, God literally killed them to keep that sin out of the church. Then came persecution in Acts 8. But in Acts chapter 8 verse 1 we have an interesting term in the New American Standard and in other translations it reads the church at Jerusalem. So we see the reality of the local church. But let's take a step back.

Let's look at, and I use this language from time to time, big picture from the book of Acts to Revelation, it is about the birth and the spread and the development of the church all around the known world. After the book of Acts most of the New Testament was written to the local church and it was written for encouragement and for teaching and for correction. This was all for the development and the health and the success of the church in reaching the lost world. Actually you just can't read the New Testament from the book of Acts to Revelation without seeing what? The local church.

The church is the context of all that is being written from Acts to Revelation. And if you pull any verse or any portion of scripture or any book out of that context you could possibly be on very dangerous ground. I want to go a step further and briefly show you the organization of the local church. The organization of the local church. Early on we see the church was organized by numbers. Yes, by numbers. In Acts 2.41, 2.47, in Acts 5.5 verse 14 those passages deal with the numbers of people who were being born again and added to the numbers of the church. We also see the church organized in its leadership.

As the church at Jerusalem grew they appointed some in physical manners and some to stay committed to spiritual matters. That's in Acts chapter 6 starting in verse 1. Most scholars see this is the beginning of Deacon ministry. We see a fuller development of leadership in the church in 1 Timothy and some other passages as well. In Timothy we also see lay leadership as the older were instructed to teach the younger. We also see the organization of church government in the church. In Acts chapter 2 Paul calls the elders at Ephesus to guard, to oversee and to shepherd the flock or the church of God.

The books of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus speak of who is supposed to govern the church and how they are supposed to perform this work. And then also we see the practice of church discipline. We see this practiced in the local church at Corinth, 1 Corinthians chapter 5 and then also the local church at Thessalonica and that's in 2 Thessalonians 3. Specifically we see discipline as it applies to the elders of the church or leaders in 1 Timothy chapter 5 starting in verse 19. So we see the organization of the local church and the reality of the local church. Now a question, what am I trying to show us here?

We need to see the spread and the development of the local church from Acts to Revelation. Not only the spread and the development of the church but also the organization of the church. This was a tangible and specific work directed by God and carried out through His appointed leaders. Simply this is the reality of the local church. Not just one local church but a whole bunch of them if I can use that language. From Acts to Revelation you'll see that the local church spread everywhere. Now another detail within this organization of the local church.

It is surprising to some but we do see the existence of the church letter within the local church. I want us to turn our attention to these scriptures, these three portions of scripture. We will start with Acts then go to 2 Corinthians and then our passage in Romans. And here just out of these three passages we will see the existence of the church letter. So let's look at our Acts chapter 18 passage starting in verse 24. Now a certain Jew named Apollos, he was Alexandrian by birth and he was an eloquent man and he came to Ephesus. Now this was all part of a work in the development of the church in Ephesus. And he was mighty in the scriptures.

He had been instructed in the ways of the Lord and then verse 25 says he was fervent in spirit. Verse 26 he began to speak in the synagogue but we know that he was slightly ill equipped because what do we see? Priscilla and Aquila they heard of him, they took him aside and they began to explain to him the way of the Lord more accurately.

But notice verse 27, "And when he wanted to go across to Achaia the brethren," who would have been the brethren, "those with him there in Ephesus, they encouraged him and they wrote to the disciples." See there's this letter of recommendation to welcome him when he arrived and he helped greatly those who believed through grace. So here we see that a letter, a recommendation was sent along with Apollos to the disciples when what did the letter do? It validated Apollos and it validated him spiritually. Essentially this letter would have said accept him in the church and accept him as a part of kingdom work.

But let's look at our 2 Corinthians passage. Second Corinthians. Second Corinthians chapter 3 verses 1, 2 and 3. Paul says to these Corinthians Christians, "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again or do we need as some letters of commendation to you, to you or from you?" He goes on to say, "You are our letter written in our hearts known and read by all men being manifested that you are a letter of Christ cared for by us written not with ink but with the spirit of the living God not on tablets of stone but on the tablets of human hearts." Now what do we see here?

Paul is defending himself against false teachers who sought to discredit him in the Corinthian church. They were trying to destroy his reputation. He is saying, "Do I need a letter to prove myself to you as some do?" He speaks of a letter which would have vouched for spiritual credibility. And then let's look at our Romans passage. Romans 16 verses 1 and 2.

Verse 1, "I commend to you our sister Phoebe who is a servant of the church which is at Sentria that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and that you help her in whatever manner she may have need of you for she herself has also been a helper of many and of myself as well." Here Paul is writing to the church in Rome and he is vouching for this lady Phoebe. He is encouraging them to accept her into the church. He is saying that she can be added to the body and to the work. This is a letter of recommendation from Paul. Notice what he says, "She's been a great help to me." Now simply what do we see here?

Essentially, they would be saying three things. First, these people are in the faith. Isn't that what Paul is saying about Phoebe? They are true born again believers. Second, they can be accepted into the local body, the local church. Isn't that what he is saying about Phoebe and Apollos? There's no sin in their life worthy of discipline. They are in good standing with the church and the leaders of the church, other believers. They would have been an asset to the church. And then third, they can be entrusted with kingdom work.

If you look at our passages in Romans, it's like Paul is telling them, "Put Phoebe to work." Apollos and Paul and Phoebe were all worthy of kingdom work. More specifically, they were worthy and willing, willing to be put to work in the local church. And listen folks, this is a biblical church letter. This is biblical church membership, which is represented by a letter. This is meaningful church membership. Most likely, this surprises even some of you here this morning. And look, do you think that this recommendation by Paul for these individuals, do you think it meant something? Oh, it carried a lot of weight. I mean, this was weighty.

I give you an example, one from my own life. Years ago, when God called me into the ministry, I had been faithfully serving at Highland Baptist Church in Laurel, Mississippi. I was licensed to the gospel ministry in Ordain. I took it very serious, still do today. I was a member in good standing. I tithed, I served, supported the ministries of the church there. And that church and my pastor wholeheartedly recommended me, not only to First Baptist Church Ellisville for ministry, but they recommended me as a man of God, born of God, called of God, and they recommended me to take my life there and pour my life into another church.

You might say, "Pastor, that's a little different. You were called in the ministry." No, it's not. Phoebe wasn't an elder. She was a servant. But I think about it like this. How many people leave a church and look, they leave in sin and they simply just go to another church. You have this casual business meeting, so and so request a letter, and they just transfer it on. It's so casual and carnal and worldly. Wasn't that way for me when I left Highland Baptist Church and went to First Baptist Ellisville.

It wasn't that way for me when I left First Baptist Ellisville and came to East Haven Baptist Church, and it sure wasn't that way for me when I came here to know of Baptist Church. Now this brings me to the point of the message. Biblically, the church letter should represent a born-again believer who is seeking to identify with a local body of believers and desirous to serve in the local church. That's kingdom work. This is meaningful church membership. Anything other than that is not meaningful. Now this leads us to a definition. I used this quite a few years ago back when we were in our first study of the Ten Pillars of the Church.

I will put this up on the screen before us. I want to challenge you. Do not try to write it down. In the right time, I will give this to all of us. I really want you just to look at it. I have borrowed this from John MacArthur. I've had this in my possession for quite a few years. This is extremely accurate, and we're going to use it for years to come. We might even alter it, but we will keep most of it because it is so good. Look at it before you. This is a definition of church membership.

To become a member of a church is to formally commit oneself to an identifiable local body of believers who have joined together for specifically divinely ordained purposes. These purposes include, and there are five, number one, receiving instruction from God's Word. Number two, serving and edifying one another through the proper use of the spiritual gifts. Number three, participating in the ordinances. That would be baptism and the Lord's Supper. And then number four, proclaiming the gospel to those who are lost.

And then number five, in addition, when one becomes a member of a church, he submits himself to the care and the authority of the biblically qualified elders or pastors that God has placed in the local assembly. Now this is extremely practical. It's very practical, but it is thoroughly biblical. And I believe this definition thoroughly reflects meaningful church membership. We will adopt this. We have adopted this. This will become our definition. And like I said, it could come to a point when we alter it some, but it's just so good I don't see how we can.

Now out of this definition, I want to show us six commitments, six commitments which flash out this meaningful church membership. What it should represent, what meaningful church membership should look like, and how meaningful church membership should be seen in our lives. Another words, these six commitments should be a part of our lives, not just on paper. So let's look at our first commitment. Example one, meaningful church membership should represent a commitment to assemble together. Meaningful church membership should represent a commitment to assemble together. Now in reading our definition, we can see two things right away.

First of all, this definition does not include assembling together as a church. It doesn't say that. But second, for anyone to embrace all five points of this definition, it is obvious that one must be faithful to assemble as a church. It's a given. It's just a given. I can say it like this, just like I can't be faithful to fly out to Atlanta unless I get inside an airplane going to Atlanta. I can't be faithful to do what? Instruction from God's word, using my gifts in the body, faithful to participate in the ordinances, proclaiming to the lost, and then submitting to the leaders of the church.

I can't be faithful to these things unless I'm faithful to assemble to the church. I want to look at a passage here that will help us. Hebrews chapter 10 verses 24 and 25. I don't know if you realize that Hebrews is an interesting book. I've been studying in Hebrews quite a bit, preparing for my missions trip to the Philippines, which is coming up. But listen to Hebrews 10 verse 24 and 25. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. That's a good portion of scripture. We all need stirring up. Verse 25.

"Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near." Now, here we have the writer of the book of Hebrews correcting these believers within the church. Now, Bible scholars believe this was mostly a Jewish church. Now it appears that many within this church could not break away from the Old Covenant worship that involved the temple there in Jerusalem. Simply, they seem to be holding on to all of the external religion of Judaism instead of Christ. Simply, they were having a hard time letting go of the Old Covenant and fully embracing the new.

This was keeping them from assembling faithfully within the church. We saw this commitment to faithfully assemble together at the very beginning of the church there in Jerusalem. In Acts chapter 2 verse 42. "Those within the church at Jerusalem, they were faithful to assemble to the apostles' teachings. They were faithful to assemble together for fellowship over meals, and they were faithful to assemble together for prayer." Simply, there in Jerusalem, they were committed to assemble together. In Acts chapter 8, when the persecution broke out, how did Saul know how to find them? Now, he went house to house, yes.

It was because they were faithful to assemble. They were identifiable. So there is to be a commitment of God's people to faithfully assemble together for the instructions of God's Word and so much more. From the newly birthed church there in Jerusalem on through the New Testament writings of God that we have before us, the body is to be faithful to assemble together. Let's move on. Chapter 2, meaningful church membership should represent a commitment to instruction from God's Word. Meaningful church membership should represent a commitment to instruction from God's Word. Here we see the first of these divinely ordained purposes.

I really love this definition. What does it say? We should be faithful to receive instruction from God's Word. And I love that portion divinely ordained purposes. I wholeheartedly agree with that. Assembling for the instruction of God's Word should be seen as God ordained. It should be seen as part of worship and it should be part of a very serious commitment in our own lives. We see this in two important places in one particular passage. First in the life of the Ephesian church and then second in the life of Timothy. He was the pastor there in Ephesus. Now listen to what Paul said to Timothy. First Timothy 3 or excuse me 4, 13 and 14.

Paul says until I come devote yourself to the public reading of scripture to exhortation, to teaching and then verse 14 do not neglect the gift you have which was given to you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Here we see that Timothy was to be faithful to read the scriptures and to teach and explain the scriptures. Verse 14 tells us that this was a spiritual gift that Timothy possessed. Simply he was good at this. He was good at teaching and preaching God's Word. This word exhortation that the new American standard gives, it simply means to explain or encourage, it even means to apply to someone's life.

So there is a two sided commitment here in this verse. First from the one who is faithfully teaching, faithfully preaching, faithfully applying God's Word and second from the congregation. Both were equally faithful. Both were equally commanded to be faithful to this commitment, the instruction of God's Word. And then number three, meaningful church membership should represent a commitment to serve through spiritual gifts. Again we see these divinely ordained purposes. I like that phrase. As born again believers, we should serve and edify each other through our spiritual gifts. Now question, what are spiritual gifts?

We do not have time to go through these spiritual gifts, but we need to see that spiritual gifts are not natural talents. These are not natural abilities. Spiritual gifts are spiritual by nature and there are a couple of verses that help us here. Ephesians 4, 7, Paul's writing to that church and what does he say? But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Now this grace gift was not salvation. These were the grace gifts that God gives individuals for the congregation. Then 1 Corinthians 12, 1. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.

On down in verse 7 he says, "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." Now question, what are we seeing here? This word gift again speaks of an endowment from the Holy Spirit. Again these are not natural talents, natural abilities. These are spiritual gifts given to true born again believers to be used within the church. Notice what 1 Corinthians 12, 7 says, "These were for the common good." This means the church. Question number 4, "Meaningful church membership should represent a commitment to participate in the ordinances." Again I go back, I'm being repetitive. These are divinely ordained purposes.

They are ordained by God. We see them in the Word. As the church we are commanded to participate in two ordinances. These are not optional. These have very specific and serious spiritual meaning. These do not have any saving qualities whatsoever. So many get involved in believing these have saving qualities. Participating in these ordinances do not impart saving grace at all. But first we have the ordinance of baptism. Baptism. Within the Great Commission passage, Jesus commanded his disciples to go and make disciples and do what? Baptize them. If we continue to read through the book of Acts, we see that the apostles, they practiced baptism.

And Acts 2 at the great end gathering of souls at Pentecost, they were baptized according to the command. If we read the book of Romans in chapter 6, we see that the church exemplified this baptism. In Romans 6 verse 3, Paul teaches that the Roman believers were baptized. Starting in verse 5, Paul teaches the significance of this baptism. And then the second ordinance, we have the Lord's Supper. We see that Christ instituted the Lord's Supper at the last Passover meal that he had with his disciples. We see this in other places, but one specific is Luke 22 starting in verse 14.

And then over in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, starting in verse 17, Paul teaches on the Lord's Supper in the life of a struggling, sinful church. So here we see that Christ commanded the church to participate and practice two ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper. He instituted this ordinance with his disciples, and through Paul, he expected this ordinance to continue in the life of the church. And then number 5, meaningful church membership should represent a commitment to proclaim the gospel to the lost. Meaningful church membership should represent a commitment to proclaim the gospel to the lost.

Again, we see this is a divinely ordained purpose. We see the expectation of God's people, the church, to proclaim the gospel message around the world. But remember that we learn that the gospel message is to be the preeminent message of the church. We see this in two ways. First in the Great Commission passage. We've referred to Matthew 28, verses 18 and 19 so many times. Jesus commanded the apostles to go into the nations and proclaim the gospel. That was their duty and they worked diligently even to the death to fulfill that duty. And then second, we see it in the example of the New Testament church.

The story of the book of Acts is the proclamation of the gospel and the building of the church. Those apostles were faithful to proclaim the gospel to the known world. They understood that it was the power of the gospel that would save lost sinners. So here we see that the church as an institution and as individuals is to proclaim the gospel to the lost. But I repeat this. It's more than the church. It is our responsibility as individuals as well. And then number six, we see meaningful church membership should represent a commitment to submit to the elders placed over the local body.

Here we see the last of these divinely ordained purposes of church membership. We see the submission of oneself to the spiritual care and authority of the elders within the church. These are God called men. These are qualified men that God has given to the church. And we will see more. We will go deeper with spiritual leaders when we move on in our study of the Ten Pillars. Now I know this is some strange language to many Baptists. Elder leadership. But this is thoroughly biblical in every way. A couple of passages here. First Timothy 5, 17. Again, Paul's writing to the church at Ephesus, writing to this pastor Timothy.

He says, "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching." What does he say? Elders who rule. Here we see Paul briefly mentions their responsibility, but they were to rule. They were to govern the church. We see this fleshed out a little more in 1 Peter 5, verses 1 and 2.

"So I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder, as a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed." Verse 2, "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight." As an Apostle Peter, he also fulfilled the role of an elder as well. And he is giving instructions to other elders within the church. Here he mentions their oversight over the church. This is governing the work. And then our last passage that helps us here, Hebrews 13, 17.

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will have to give an account." Here the writer of Hebrews is commanding these believers in this church to submit to the leaders that God has appointed over them. And he uses two words, obey and submit. Two words that sometimes we do not like. But notice why. God called the elder to the church and he is responsible to govern the church and he has been given an ability by God for this work. And he is watching over your souls. So here we see the oversight of the elder in the life of the church. They are gifted by God to govern the church.

And God's people, the church, are to submit to their authority. Just as God's elders submit to Christ, God's church is to submit to the God called elders that are put over the church. Now I know we've zoomed through a lot of teaching. This is a lot. We all have a lot here that we need to understand. We must go study on our own. We must examine even our own lives and expectations according to what we see. But this is biblical. This definition and explanation of church membership is thoroughly biblical.

And we can expect to hear more teaching on church membership and this definition which we are adopting and have adopted, we will revisit this over and over and over through the years because this must be our heartbeat. Now I want to move to some application of these six commitments. And then I'll move to the conclusion of the message. First, we here at NOLA must be committed to faithfully assemble together in worship. You hear that church? We must be faithful to assemble together in worship. Now let me warn you here people, there are all kinds of excuses that come along that pull us away from faithfully assembling with the church.

You know what's easy for us to think about hobbies? It's easy for us sometimes to think about jobs. But you know there are all kinds of good things that come into the life of the church. One of the difficult things I've seen that some people face is sometimes family can pull people away from their commitment to the local body. You know family is a good thing. It's ordained by God. But sometimes mothers and fathers and even children and even our commitment to our family can pull us away from our commitment to the local church.

I've known people they had such strict views that it put them in a place where they could only be faithful to the church once a week. You know I have scoured church history to see how biblical and how historically accurate it is for people to just assemble one time a week. I can't find it. I can't find it scripturally and I can't find it in church history. Not church history in scripture but it is a barometer for us. Probably the most famous expositor of God's word in the early 20th century, Martin Lloyd Jones called people who went to church once a week onceers.

If you would have been a member of the church during the Protestant Reformation, you would have gone to church two, three, four times on a Sunday. You would have gone to church multiple times during the week. I believe it was Martin Luther who preached four times on Sunday. What am I trying to show you? These churches met together faithfully and all throughout church history when you see God working in the church, they met regularly. And I do not see how you can be a faithful Christian to the local church. I do not see how you could be a growing mature Christian when you only assemble one time a week.

And you know there are some people they'll have really high strict standards and they're spiritual and it keeps them from assembling. And I wonder just how spiritual they are. I'll take this a little further. You know many of these things can be God's little g. Now it's easy for us to step back and say, "Well, if you have too many hobbies, those are God's little g." I've known people who made a God little g out of their job. Did you know you can make a God little g out of your family? You can make a God little g out of your views, spiritual views and convictions and commitments. I've seen that.

I've watched people make little g gods out of all kind of things. Many times they're good things and they're more dangerous than a golden calf. We are to be faithfully committed to assemble, to worship together. Second, we must be committed to faithfully receive instruction from God's word. We must be faithful. Now what are we doing here when we assemble to come under God's word? We are coming under the sufficient and authoritative, the inspired word of God and we are submitting our lives to be instructed and taught and to be corrected by God's word. These are the words of eternal life. We must be faithful to be under God's word.

To be honest with you, if I was as faithful as some, I would be starving to death. I would be starving to death. I can't get enough. I can't get enough. I take my leisure time to be under God's word. I study God's word for my own life. I study God's word to preach it. I cannot get enough. What would happen if you ate a snack one time a day, physically? Isn't that what some people do? They treat God's word and the teaching of God's word is just a little snack. If I approached preaching and teaching that way, I'd get fired. I'd be called lazy. What am I trying to show you? We must be faithful.

Look, when you go back and look at what took place in the Protestant Reformation, the church was starved of the word of God. And when those men began to preach and teach God's word, people ate it up and they gave their lives for God's word. We must be faithful because this is what forms us in the mature Christians and grows us and reaches our sons and daughters for the Lord. I remind you of Russ's testimony of conversion last week. How many times did he reference truth? How many times did he reference God's word and even truth in song? Third, we must be committed to faithfully serve one another through spiritual gifts.

I heard a man say it like this and I agree with him. Many churches suffer because Christians don't tithe as they should. I'll add to that. Many churches suffer because God's people don't serve as they should. Now this is me not guilt tripping you, teaching you, correcting you. Many churches suffer because God's people do not serve. Listen, every person is gifted with talents and physical abilities and gifts. I am so thankful that we are uniquely designed and there are things that God has equipped you to do physically. Oh, but God does give every one of us who are born again spiritual gifts.

And look, all of our spiritual gifts, all of our physical talents, all of our abilities, even everything we own should be used where in the local church? You know a lot of people treat the church like a service company. You know what service companies are? They're out there to serve us. You know they have a little shirt with a little logo and we call them when we need them. A lot of people come into the life of the church and the church is just to serve us. Just serve us. I don't see that in scripture. We are to serve each other. We are to serve the work. We are to serve the body.

We are to give of ourselves faithfully through our spiritual gifts and all that we are in the life of the church. Now the question, how do I find out my spiritual gifts? You roll up your sleeves and you get busy in the life of the church. God will show you. I found my spiritual gifts by serving, by serving. Then forth we are committed to faithfully participate in the ordinances. Now we work real hard to elevate the ordinances where they should be. I would encourage you if you want to know how we view baptism and how we view the Lord's Supper on our church website.

There are quite a few sermons where we have dealt with this extensively in the past. We do not participate in these ordinances in a casual way. We don't just baptize people. We want to come in here when we partake in the Lord's Supper ready. It's an active worship. I don't think we're stumbling here. And then fifth, we must be committed to faithfully proclaim the gospel to the lost. Pastor, I thought that was your job. It's our job. All of us are supposed to, listen, Phoebe was commended to the work of the church. He was a layman, Priscilla and Aquila. They took Apollos aside and they instructed him in the ways of God.

It was more than Paul going and evangelizing the lost world. We'll deal with this more in pillar number seven, evangelism. And then sixth, we must be committed to submit to the elders God has given the church. Now people, I want to share with you my heart here. This isn't a game. This is not a game for me. This is not a job. This is my calling. This is my calling. I share with you something that Brother Keith helped me with. I'm dealing with my calling here at Nola Baptist Church. He said it like this, Chris, he said, you operate by two covenants. First covenant is you made a covenant with your wife. Yeah, I did. I walked down an aisle.

My wife walked down an aisle. We exchanged rings. We said vows and I made a covenant. I made a covenant to God for better or worse. The death do us part before family and friends. I made a covenant. We understand that. That ring represents that covenant. But Keith helped me here. He said, Chris, you have another covenant in your life. When God called you in the ministry, you made a covenant with God that that's what your life would be. This is not a job for me. This is not a game. We work hard to be the elders that God has put over you. And I ask you, I beg you to go look at those passages.

God has put us over you, not the Lord over you, but the love you and to serve you. And you are called to submit to us as we are called to submit to Christ. A lot of people, a lot of Christians, they're suffering because they just refuse to submit to the leadership that God has put over them. Again, I don't see how a man could be under the leadership of the elders that God has put over them if he's only a one-serve. I was meeting with a man one time and he was talking about our fellowship time. It wasn't just fellowship over coffee. Spiritual things, deep spiritual things.

And he said, I'm so concerned over friends that I know that don't have this. He's speaking with his hands. You're speaking into my life. You're teaching me and you're telling me I would wither up and die if I did not have Christians to connect with and to be accountable to. People that I look up to. Why? Because I can't be a one-serve out there alone living in on my own. No! And some of you will never be the Christian that God wants you to be until you're faithful to a symbol, faithful to be under God's word, willing to be used in the life of the church. That might affect many things in your family.

I'm committed to the elder leadership that God's given me. Now in wrapping up this message, I want to refer back to this church membership definition. I know it's lengthy, but let's look back at it. I really want to focus on the introductory sentence. To become a member of a church is to formally commit oneself to an identifiable local body of believers who have joined together for specific divinely ordained purposes. Now question. What's this phrase formally commit? Is that phrase formally commit too much? I don't think so.

I think we see this type of serious commitment exemplified in the scriptures, in the lives of the New Testament saints, men like Paul, men like Apollos, a couple like Priscilla and Aquila, and so many more. This was a serious commitment to the body and to the Word. And for us here at Nola Baptist Church, we will move to a thorough document which represents biblical church membership. And as a part of this document, we will have a membership covenant. I say pastor or covenant? Yes. It's a serious business. This is the work of the church. This is kingdom work that is entrusted to all of us.

This will be a spiritual yet formal commitment to this identifiable local body called Nola Baptist Church. Now question. Not for you to answer out loud. How important is your marriage covenant? Think about that. How important is your marriage covenant? Our church membership is much like a marriage covenant. We covenant with God to identify with a local body to do and to be all the Word of God says we should be and do. We covenant with each other, brothers and sisters in the faith in this work as well, according to God's Word. I think many of you have picked up on the title of the message by now. It's a simple, meaningful church membership.

Meaningful biblical church membership. Let's pray together.