INTRODUCTION

a. This past week I have been to Parkersburg, Toronto, California PA, and to Cowen and back. More than 1400 miles - Trips to a funeral, a vacation, a band camp demonstration and to pick up Sarah from camp.

b. It has been hectic but also a very good week

1. Last Sunday I attended the funeral of Mona Freshour - She was a young person in my first youth group at NPBC - Mona died of cancer but in her life she touched many people - St. Joe Hospital in Parkersburg recently dedicated the Mona Freshour Center for Patient Education. She led many to the Lord - I was pleased to have helped her begin her relationship with the Lord.

2. Becky and I got away for a couple of days

3. We picked up Bethany from Band camp

4. I picked up Sarah after two weeks of counseling at Cowen

1. Mona became a Christian through a church youth group - then led her brother (now a pastor in Washington DC) her mother and father to the Lord. It was in church where her leadership was developed, she found a ministry and served God there. Her life, work and ministry were centered in her relationship with God and the church.

2. Every time I make the trip to Cowen my thoughts are drawn to the many summers I spent there as a camper. It was there that I sensed God's call in my life to pastoral ministry. As I walk those grounds I remember how God has worked in my life there and also acknowledge how He is working in the lives of the campers today. I also think of the 20 years that my parents gave a week of their vacation to direct or work in the Sr. High camp. - It was part of who they were as Christians and as Church Members

e. The question that begs to be asked and answered is, "What is so special about Church Membership?"

I. WHAT ABOUT CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

a. I remember my Dad saying that, "We aren't teaching good churchmanship any more." We are not teaching people the importance of Church Membership

1. We live in a mobile society - Many of us no longer live in the towns we grew up in - statistics tell us that many of us will move from here

a. Because of that many refuse to sink roots or only sink very shallow ones - It is easier to leave if not connected

2. We live in an "Instant Gratification - Feel Good" world where we move from place to place looking for something instant that feels good and when that doesn't happen we go to another place and another and another

3. This is not just true of the church but also in marriages, jobs, and other personal relationships -

4. We have lost a any sense of permanence and we are suffering for it

1. Officer Peter O'Hanlon was patrolling on night duty in northern England some years ago when he heard a quivering sob. Turning in the direction that it came from, he saw in the shadows a little boy sitting on a doorstep. With tears rolling down his cheeks, the child whimpered, "I'm lost. Take me home." The policeman began naming street after street, trying to help him remember where he lived. When that failed, he repeated the names of the shops and hotels in the area, but all without success. Then he remembered that in the center of the city was a well-known church with a large white cross towering high above the surrounding landscape. He pointed to it and said, "Do you live anywhere near that?" The boy's face immediately brightened. "Yes, take me to the cross. I can find my way home from there!"

II. KEY QUESTIONS

a. Is it Biblical

1. God established the church both universal and local - The NT shows us many local churches, at Corinth and Ephesus and Antioch etc.

2. The command of scripture is for every believer to be active and accountable to a local church

3. We do not find membership defined in the NT the way we have defined it in the 20th century

4. People presented themselves before the church as a witness to their faith and then worked in ministry through that church

5. Membership is used to promote ministry, accountability and discipline

1. Generally it comes from doctrinal differences - We interpret some scriptures differently and therefore different groups have come

2. Sometimes we differ in method of worship and style

3. Emphasis of ministry separate us

4. We are not to be critical of others except when they are anti-biblical and an affront to God

a. Because we do some things differently or interpret a passage differently is not cause to be critical - As Christians = We are in this together.

a. God Established It

1. This was and is not man's idea or plan

2. God knew we needed to be and work together in order to be effective so He established the church - Christ's Body on the earth

3. It is both universal and local

1. God calls each of us to a local church family - Not just the Pastor - We are each one called

2. I learned this from my dad - at a time when the pastor at my home church and my dad were at odds - many were curious and asked my dad why he had not gone to another church - He answered, "God called me to this church before he called this pastor and I will be here when he is gone."

3. You have a calling - It is important that you hear it and obey it

1. The teaching of the Bible is that you work and serve and commit yourself to a local church where you live - It never entered the apostles' minds that anyone would only attend and never really be part of the local church where they live - You first present yourself to the church

2. To be active means that we

a. Attend Regularly

1. Cannot receive what God has for you if not here

b. Invest ourselves in ministry of some kind

1. What example do we set when we only attend but never make a firm commitment to a church

2. What you do today profoundly affects your children and the generations that will follow

a. I know that today I run the risk of making some of you uneasy - That was not my intent - It was my intent to share with you how important I think Church Membership is and why I think you should put your membership here - Many of you have better attendance records than most of our members - You call me pastor and I am glad - Since this is your church home - shouldn't your membership be here too

b. I care about you and want God's best for you - Part of that comes from being an active part of a local church

BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER

HYMN # 377 "THE CHURCH'S ONE FOUNDATION"