Blog
Resources: Unit 4, Session 3
Sermons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0BZkQstkjI
https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/a-lesson-in-forgiveness/
https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/after-the-funeral/
https://resources.thegospelcoalition.org/library/guilt-and-grace
Articles:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-joseph-story-really-about/
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/purposes-god/
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/joseph-reveals-himself/
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/hard-providence/
Video:
https://thebibleproject.com/explore/genesis-12-50/
Fill ins:
pg 32: free actions, sinful, crucifixion
The quote is from Spurgeon. He is saying that Scripture is the very words of God, and who doesn’t love to hear the sound of God’s voice? ¹ The problem is that most of us want to hear God’s voice, but we don’t crack our Bibles, and we don’t even buy our own excuses for not doing so. We can all use some fresh motivation.
Here are ways Scripture motivates us to start reading.
Scripture is the words of God to you. Open the Bible anywhere and the words there could be introduced with “the Spirit says” (Heb 3:7). These words are bread for our soul (Deut 8:3). They bring life.
Over the past year, I have watched how they bring this miracle of life. I have seen it in friends whose bodies were dying, and I have seen it in friends who have lost loved ones. Their stories are each uniquely hard and beautiful, but there is a way they are the same. They all fed on Scripture. They asked for Scripture from others. They prayed Scripture. As a result, though they were facing death, they were profoundly alive.
Israel’s kings were directed by God to handwrite a personal copy of his words and keep it with them (Deut 17:18-20). They didn’t, of course. Hezekiah may have been the exception because he knew the Law of Moses and did not depart from it (2 Kings 18:6). Life and power were evident during his reign. Take note of Josiah, too. During his reign, an extensive rehab project of the temple was undertaken and a copy of the Law was unearthed. When it was read, the Spirit used it to revive an entire nation (2 Kings 22-23).
Scripture was the words of the Father to Jesus. King Jesus was the one who had the words of the Father close at hand. When he took on flesh, he lived with the same resources we have—Scripture—and it was food for his soul. Watch him in the wilderness. He did battle and stood firm against Satan, not because he had singular connections to the Father and the Spirit, but because he remembered Scripture—“it is written” (Matt 4:1-7).
Scripture is about Jesus. Moses wrote of Jesus. (John 5:46). The bread that came from the mouth of God (Deut 8:3) was Jesus, who said, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). This means that as we feed on Scripture we are feeding on Jesus himself. The person is more prominent than the commands. Task number one in Scripture is to discover the suffering servant and risen Lord. And though we might think that an audible voice or a spectacular visitation from God would be a great boost to our confidence in what God says to us, Scripture anticipates us here. “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets,” Jesus said, “neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (Luke 16:31).
I have been in accountability groups in which we would ask about our times in Scripture from the week before. The reminder was helpful and the fellowship was sweet, but the reminders didn’t always get us into the Word. Perhaps a simple question would have been more effective. “Anyone want to hear words that come from the very mouth of God?” Then we could simply have read Scripture together.
¹I paraphrased Spurgeon for the title of my lecture at our 2018 Annual Conference: “Loving Your Bible: A Personal Invitation.”
Kindle Deal for $2.99
Help for asking questions.
A great resource for group leaders and personal study of the Bible
21 Days of Prayer - Day 4
Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship to God.
It is remarkable that in all of his writings Paul’s prayers for his friends contain no appeals for changes in their circumstances. - Timothy Keller
21 Days of Prayer - Day 3
As you give thanks, let us remember to thank God for the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission and the generosity of Christians that care for the needs in our community. We are thankful for those who gave to the Above and Beyond at Northbridge to bless the expansion project of the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission.
To pray is to enter the treasure-house of God and to gather riches out of an inexhaustible storehouse. - C H Spurgeon
21 Days of Prayer - Day 2
Today is Ashley Sheffer’s first day in Germany. As you take 5 minutes to pray the following Scripture. let us pray for Ashley Sheffer, Rich and Julia Rudolph and Michael Landoll.
Pause to pray that God will fill you, our church and our missionaries with his love so that it brings the lost to Jesus.
Prayer is the way we work our way out of the comfortable but cramped world of self and into the spacious world of God. - Eugene Peterson
21 Days of Prayer
Welcome to the 21 Days of Prayer!
Each day we will pray the Scripture together for ONE thing. The prayer categories are Praise, Repent or Request and Thanksgiving.
Pause to express your thoughts of praise and worship.
God’s acquaintance is not made hurriedly.
- E M Bounds
Resources: Unit 4, Session 2
Resources for Unit 4, Session 2 of Gospel Project, winter book (page 20).
Sermons:
https://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/sermon/the-fall-and-rise-of-joseph/
http://resources.thegospelcoalition.org/library/the-story-of-joseph
https://longhollow.com/media/losing-your-coat-without-losing-your-character/
https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/making-the-most-of-it/
https://albertmohler.com/2015/08/23/genesis-391-23/
https://albertmohler.com/2015/09/13/genesis-401-4157/
Articles:
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/how-involved-is-god-in-the-details-of-your-life
https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/sermon-joseph-prison-innocence-hope-trust-genesis-39-40
http://intersectproject.org/faith-and-work/josephs-vocation/
Fill ins:
pg 21: not limited, deterrent, comfort, hope
pg 23: continuing, natural order, individuals, events
Resources: Unit 4, Session 1
Hello Northbridgers!
We start our winter small groups on Sunday, January 6. We are in a new book so if you haven’t gotten your book be sure to stop by the information table.
These resources are for Unit 4, Session 1 in the winter (“Out of Egypt”) book.
Sermons:
http://resources.thegospelcoalition.org/library/sent-sold-sad-safe
https://albertmohler.com/2015/06/21/genesis-375-28/
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-sale-of-joseph-and-the-son-of-god
Articles:
https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/brother-ambushed/
https://www.rzim.org/read/a-slice-of-infinity/wrestled-perspectives
Fill in:
pg 12: models, teach, lead, honor, obey
pg 14: resisted, followed
2018 Book Lists
I love to read books and know that many of you do as well. So as you make your reading lists for 2019, I’ve compiled a few of the best book of 2018 lists. One of the books, we want to give to you free in 2019!
A few of the books that I have enjoyed or have impacted my ministry in 2018:
Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was, and Who God Has Always Been by Jackie Hill Perry
All That’s Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment by Hannah Anderson
The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt
Christian Hospitality and Muslim Immigration in an Age of Fear by Matthew Kaemingk
Barracoon – The Story of the Last Black Cargo by Zora Neale Hurston
How the Nations Rage: Rethinking Faith and Politics in a Divided Age by Jonathan Leeman
The Gospel Comes with a House Key byRosaria Butterfield
The Rule of Love by Jonathan Leeman
The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd
A book Northbridge will give to you in 2019 when you sign up for “Getting to Know the Heart of Your Neighbor”
The Art of Neighboring by Pathak and Runyon
2018 Gospel Coalition Book Awards
Top 10 Church Planting Related Books
Trevin Wax’s Top Books of 2018
Counseling Books of 2018 by Bob Kellerman
Darrel Dash’s Favorite Books of 2018
Jared C Wilson’s Top Books of 2018
Jared spoke to our men at the Build Conference in 2018
Ashley Sheffer - Germany Church Plant
Dear Northbridge Family,
I am very excited to share the news that I have now purchased a ticket to fly out to Germany on January 11th! It has been quite a journey from the night in small group I felt the Lord leading me back to Germany until today, but He has been gracious through it all! I want to thank you as a church for the support I have received through prayers, encouragement, monthly support and special gifts. I have been beyond blessed by my church family and will miss you all so much.
While the day to day life on the mission field can change as needs arise, my ministries will be focused on the children’s programs we have in three of the churches we work with, running the kid’s clubs and helping each church to have the ability to run these programs on their own. I will also be involved in women’s ministries, especially with the refugee women, building relationships and doing discipleship. As a third ministry I will be working with our young teens, potentially starting a second teen group in one of the other churches we work with.
I’m anxious to see what the Lord has in store, but trust He has fully equipped me for the work He has laid out for me. I am so grateful for you, my sending church!
“…and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador…that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Ephesians 6:19-20
In Him,
Ashley Sheffer
Kalamazoo Gospel Mission - Above and Beyond
The Kalamazoo Gospel Mission is more than a homeless shelter. Did you know that the Mission provides:
three meals a day
recovery programs
childcare
job training
counseling
and a learning center?
The Kalamazoo Gospel Mission has been serving Kalamazoo for over 85 years and each night in the family shelter, women's shelter and men's shelter the Mission houses 350 men, women and children.
The men's shelter ministry is divided into two parts. The dormitory is for men who are substance-free and can house up to 88 men. The Good Samaritan men's shelter will take anyone for any reason and provides 90 beds per night.
The Mission kitchen feeds 500-600 meals per day from donated food. Anyone can come in and receive a meal. While feeding people in need is important the mission of the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission is much deeper. The Mission strives to feed people body, mind, and soul.
Between the Creation Station and Sonshine Kids children's ministry, the Mission serves about 50 children every day. While in the Learning Center adults receive GED certification, job search assistance, resume writing, job, and college application assistance. Bible teaching is available for adults along with parenting classes and household budgeting seminars.
Many people do not know that the Mission has a health clinic. The clinic provides vision referral and glasses, urgent dental referral, mediation assistance, and help with DHS food stamps, Medicaid and cash assistance.
Rescued Treasures and Rescued Wheels both provide the Mission with funding and individuals with job training and job skills. Come on out and shop!
This year at Northbridge a portion of our Above and Beyond Offering will go to support the Mission's Capital Campaign. This 8 million dollar expansion will double the capacity of the women's shelter, improve facilities open to children and create a single secure entry point. The expansion is on the footprint the Mission occupies currently.
Would you consider giving to the Above and Beyond at Northbridge? Together let's be part of the gospel going forward and people receiving the help they need to know Jesus and flourish.
Praying the Scriptures for someone who is ill
Prayer is a universal thing. Nearly everyone prays because we are created in God’s image as worshippers and thereby programed to speak to God. However, not all prayer is true pray as instructed by God in the Scriptures. James says, that we can ask and miss the target because we are not praying properly with the right motive (James 4). Jesus says, don’t pray like this, pray like this in Matthew 6. We need to learn how to pray.
When we pray we ought to pray according to the prescribed pattern and teaching in Scripture. It is fine to recite the pattern we call the LORD’s prayer but we are not to pray the words over and over as if it is a magic charm or rabbits foot. Vain repetition accomplishes nothing. We are instructed to meditate on Scripture but that is a related but different topic that we will not address here.
So it is important that we get prayer right but don’t become anxious over getting it right. It is important that we are obedient in the pattern, encouragement and command to pray. Prayer is not intended to be a burden we carry but a blessing and encouragement to make our journey light.
In prayer, God gives us three helps. First is the Scripture and that will be our main focus here. The next is that Jesus himself is our mediator and the final is the Spirit of God. The Scripture guides us, Christ’s work covers us in grace and presents our prayers to the Father and when we do not know how to pray, the Spirit of God prays on our behalf when we are at a loss for words. How much divine power does it take to get a believer from grace to glory? It involves the continual, unending, relentless intercession of the Son and the Spirit. Prayer is something we are to be obediently and joyously involved but the power in prayer is all God’s and not our own.
So how do we pray for someone who is ill or going through a medical procedure or fighting cancer. We pray the Scriptures for them. 1 Corinthians 2:10-16 say that the Word of God is the mind of God in written form. We have the mind of Christ in the Scriptures!
Let’s use the pattern of the LORD’s prayer in Matthew 6. Jesus taught us to pray in this way. Jesus’ pattern is a broad pattern in which other patterns fit. So it would be appropriate to pray through Psalm 23 or James 1, Hebrews 11, Romans 8 as they fit within the pattern of the LORD’s prayer. We are limited by the LORD’s prayer in that it shows us what prayer is not. And through the LORD’s prayer we have a pattern that it would take a million life-times to explore in which all other biblical prayers fit. Just remember that all Scripture is profitable in this way as it focuses our mind on Jesus our Savior.
Matthew 6:9-13
9 Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Let’s say for the sake of example we are praying for Janice who is fighting cancer.
Father, we are thankful that by your mercy and grace we can come to you in prayer. You love us and you call us to commune with you as we do with a friend. God we know that while you call us into this relationship and into this place of praise and petition that you are not like us.
You are the One who created all things and by you all things exist and without you nothing that is could be. Your power is ever present. You know all the mysteries of the universe and today you know our hearts. May our hearts in this moment and in the hours and days to come magnify you, make much of who you are so that we might rejoice in you and that others might see your glory.
We believe that you have never made a mistake, you are without error unending. In this hour of uncertainty and suffering we pray that Janice will see, that I will see that others will see and believe that even in suffering nothing that you have set out to accomplish, no purpose or plan or promise will ever fail. Because of Jesus, we know that suffering and illness can never be an indictment on the efficacy of your power, purpose, will or plan. Press upon us an imprint the cross of Jesus upon our lives today that we might be reminded that is was through the death of the Son of God on the cross that gives us hope. It was through your power in resurrection of the righteous Savior that brings to us grace upon grace. You passed through the ultimate valley of death so that in our suffering we would only feel it’s shadow and never its full weight. May the message of the cross and hope of Jesus be unhindered in our suffering rather expose through our suffering it’s power.
Father, we know that what we have our life, our family, our church, our possessions our daily provision is from you. Thank you. Thank you for this therapy that fights this disease. The knowledge, the doctors, this building and its staff they all come from you. If I have anything, it is from your hand. I pray now for Janice and those others that are here today. Give them patience and staff an understanding of their total and utter dependence on you for everything and a gratitude for life, each moment that is by your sheer grace.
Father, I pray now for Janice. I want her to get well and in her life and in mine I want to understand more of the depth of you care. May we trust you to do what is best and be obedient until the day we meet Jesus our Savior. Forgive her where she falls short. Let her experience your great grace in her weakness and sin and make her even more gracious more merciful for your glory.
Janice is experiencing weakness of her body. Protect her, Father, in her mind and soul. May she not give in to sin. Keep her mind on you. Calm her anxiety by giving her a firm trust in your care and deliver her body, from illness and mind and spirit from sin.
We pray these things in Jesus name, Amen.
We want to hear God from God when we pray. The way that we hear from God is through the Word of God alone, so pray the Scripture and pray as the Scriptures instruct. Remember, that prayer is something Jesus taught with great patience to his disciples. Even so, he will be patient and gracious with you.
You are loved,
Pastor Ray Brandon
What to Read When Anxious
Anxiety attacks the mind and soul and body. Battle back with the following resources:
Richard Baxter, “The Right Method for a Settled Peace of Conscience and Spiritual Comfort,” in The Practical Works of the Rev. Richard Baxter (23 vols.; London: Duncan, 1830), 9:1–287.
Andy Farmer, “Peace and Anxiety,” ch. 5 in Real Peace: What We Long for and Where to Find It (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013), 79–93.
Robert W. Kellemen, Anxiety: Anatomy and Cure (The Gospel for Real Life; Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2012). 42 pp.
John MacArthur, Anxiety Attacked (Wheaton: Victor, 1993).
Wayne A. Mack and Joshua Mack, Courage: Fighting Fear with Fear (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2002).
J. P. Moreland and Klaus Issler, “Defeating Two Hardships of Life: Anxiety and Depression,” ch. 7 in The Lost Virtue of Happiness: Discovering the Disciplines of the Good Life (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2006), 155–77.
John Piper, “Anxiety: Sin, Disorder, or Both?,” Ask Pastor John, February 19, 2014.
John Piper, “Battling the Unbelief of Anxiety,” sermon preached on September 25, 1988.
John Piper, “Faith in Future Grace vs. Anxiety,” ch. 3 in Future Grace (2nd ed.; Sisters, OR: Multnomah, 2012).
John Piper, “Let Jesus Argue with Your Soul about Being Anxious,” Desiring God Blog, July 30, 2011.
Edward T. Welch, Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest (Greensboro, NC: New Growth, 2007).
How inspiring worship wins over anxiety
Exodus 6:6-27 is confusing at first read. What does a family tree have to do with anything? Why is the passage bookended by the same statement by Moses about his anxiety over his inadequacy to lead the people of Israel. At first glance, the text itself can make one anxious!
This Sunday, we will see how Moses’ anxiety is resolved in Aaron’s leadership over the worship of God in Isreal. In the same way, God has created and commanded worship to assure us, to remind us of His good grace and sovergn power.
Learn this Sunday how regular inspiring worship wins over life’s anxieties.
Service times are 8:30, 10 & 11:30 AM. Childcare is provided at the 8:30 & 10. The 11:30 service is a family worship service. Children of all ages are invited to worship with their parents.
3 Questions about you and the kingdom of God
Matthew 16:13-19
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Is it possible to love Jesus and not love his church? Can one love God and not his neighbor? Can one fear God and not do what he says? These are the choices some, maybe many, make. Jesus ask in this passage – Who do you believe I am? – Some peole believe Jesus is one thing and they follow their own idea of Jesus. This week we learn to be like Peter and follow the Jesus who is the Promised One.
Cameron Woolford is our speaker. Cam provides strategic and tactical leadership and direction for Servant Leaders International. He has been in ministry now for over 20 years as a missionary in Latin America. He has served in the United States, Mexico, Ecuador, and in Costa Rica, doing church planting, discipleship, and leadership training. He has his bachelor’s degree in Bible/Missions from Clarks Summit University in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, and his Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Cairn University. You can email Cam cwoolford@servantleaderstraining.com or visit http://www.servantleaderstraining.com/
Setbacks can get you to the goal
Everyday we live with certain kinds of setbacks. As God creates the journey for us we often feel like its two steps back and one more step back. Progress is slow and not often enough.
This week we will explore how God, the master designer of our journey, uses setbacks to get us to the goal in Exodus 4:18-31
TABLETALK Devotions and Baptism
I’m thankful for the TABLETALK devotional magazine. The articles and daily reflections are filled with solid instruction in God’s Word and not the cotton candy drivel of most devotionals that at best give you little substance of spiritual value and mostly the air of humanism. Every morning I read the TABLETALK devo and I listen to the daily Scripture through the Ligonier App or read the Scripture in the printed Word. If we are to become a church that is marked by the maturity of people who are on mission, we must be a people who are daily in God’s Word. Let me encourage you to continue, every day, to be in the Word.
From Wednesday the 11th of October up to Monday the 16th, the TABLETALK devotional dealt with baptism from a covenant reformed perspective. Northbridge is a reformed church that is particularly Baptist and not covenant reformed. Thereby, we would not agree with all of the specifics that equate the practice of circumcision in the Old Testament to baptism in the New Testament. Covenant Theology sees the relation of God to mankind as a kind of compact which God established as a reflection of the relationship existing between the three persons of the Holy Trinity. Covenant Theology interprets all of the Scriptural truth through the interpretive lens of two or sometimes three covenants.
Covenant Theology is reformed but not baptistic. Being Baptist by conviction, we then do not baptize infants a sign of God’s covenant He made with Israel. Rather, we believe in believer’s baptism as an obedient sign of conversion and testimony to faith in Jesus, our new covenant. The mode of baptism is important because of the specific picture of redemption through the work of Jesus’ perfect life, sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. In believers baptisms, the symbol and the mode of the symbol, that of immersion, is very important. In Covenant Theology, the event of the covenant of God with Israel in the past and as an extension of that to the church today is important and the mode (immersion, sprinkling, pouring) or picture of baptism in redemption specifically is not important. According to covenant theology, baptism then can take place prior to salvation as an infant, or child as well or after salvation as a believer. All are acceptable in Covenant Theology because baptism does not picture Jesus work specifically in the work of redemption but rather God’s covenant(s) in general.
While more certainly can be said of this and much more explained, I am confident that you are receiving solid biblical truth through the TABLETALK devotional. Of the many devotionals we could choose – and there are few of this caliber – TABLETALK is one of the best. It combines, theology, church history, a focus on the biblical text and daily application. I know that you will continue to be blessed by the devotional even though we will encounter points of disagreement with the authors at Ligonier.org ministries.
Also, don’t forget to read the articles! This month’s articles are invaluable to understanding the reformation. I love the translation of Luther’s 95 Thesis and R. Albert Mohler Jr’s article on “Why We Protest”. WOW! It’s good stuff for godly living and great talking points for the gospel with our friends and neighbors.
Then came cancer – and I was terrified!
‘Then Came Cancer … I was terrified.’
Life was about to get very difficult for Connie Dever. Her soul echoed her body’s turbulence. Everything felt so desperately out of control. ‘Fears seized me and sometimes evil felt palpably close. At times I couldn’t even open my Bible – only hold it. I was at the end of myself. -God, hold on to me! I can’t do anything-‘
And hold onto her, He did.” From “He Will Hold Me Fast: A journey with grace through cancer” by Connie Dever.
I’ve never had cancer. I never want to endure cancer but sadly, I know so many people who do. There are so many people I love who are fighting this terrible disease. I hate cancer.
Cancer changes things. It changes your body, your ambitions, you hope and reality. Cancer changes how you love and what you love, mostly for the better but so I understand it limits some of the things one loves and can no longer experience. A Northbridger with cancer recently said, “my disease woke me up to the reality that I was no longer in charge.” She was not giving up or giving in to cancer but realizing her mortality.
I’m hopeful. I think someday we will conquer cancer.
But will we conquer disease and decay? Will we conquer everything that makes us mortal. That, I am not so hopeful. Disease is a result of sin that has entered into the world. I hate cancer but I must ask, “do I hate the source of cancer?” Do I see my own sin as the rebellion and entaglement that brought great heartache into the world?
Connie Dever is right to fight cancer and point us to the one to who we must surrender, Jesus. He is the ultimate victor! He is the Savior. We must not fight but surrender because He is the only one that can forever hold us fast.
So, you are thinking about becoming a church member…
How wonderful! It is certainly a very important decision—one of the most important you will ever make in your life. At first, it may seem to be a very simple choice—as they say, a “no brainer”—for there is no organization more important and no cause more noble than the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither the Lion’s Club, Girl Scouts, Toastmasters, nor the local chapter of a particular worker’s Union can claim the Creator of heaven and earth as its Head. The church can. Furthermore, no earthly organization is guaranteed a perpetual existence. Every company that comes along will be replaced eventually by a newer and more relevant model. Not the church—it will last forever.
Indeed, it seems like an easy decision. But, then again, I’m sure you have a number of questions whirling in your mind:
How do I know if I’m ready to join the church?
What do I need to know before I join?
How do I go about joining the church?
Is it even necessary to apply for formal membership?
What will it matter if I don’t?
Well, I want to help you to answer some of these questions. It is appropriate for you to consider, in advance, the significance of this decision and to learn something about the many privileges associated with membership in the church.
I also want to address a few issues that you may or may not have considered regarding some of the responsibilities associated with church membership. Jesus taught that it is important to “count the cost” of following Him—that is, to consider what is involved in discipleship.
What will membership in the church require of you?
What will be expected of you?
No doubt, you’ve heard the adage, “With privilege comes responsibility.” In a day when many people approach the gospel as consumers, asking “How can this benefit me?”, it is needful to recover Jesus’ emphasis on servanthood. The most basic question asked by early Christians was not the consumer’s question—“How can I benefit from the church?”—but the question of the servant—“What shall we do?”
Indeed, there are privileges—rich and wonderful privileges—associated with membership in the church. Church membership will benefit you in a variety of ways. But there are also duties that accompany the commitment to follow Jesus Christ in the fellowship of other believers, and it is important that you understand both what you can expect from church-life and what will be expected from you, before you become a member.
Perhaps we should begin by asking the very basic and fundamental question…
Is the concept of “joining the church” even a Biblical concept?
A reaction against institutional forms is one of the unhappy emphases of our day. Some would argue that baptism is “into Christ,” as Romans 6:3 says, not “into the church”. But it is doubtful that Romans 6 is talking about “water baptism” at all; the subject of Romans 6 is the legal doctrine of spiritual union with Christ. It may surprise some people to know that the Bible does indeed talk about “joining the church”.
Twice in the book of Acts, reference is made to a person “joining himself” to the church. The original word translated “join” means “to cement together, to unite” and refers to a formal relationship such as the joining of a man and a woman in a marriage covenant.
Furthermore, there are statements in the New Testament that make sense only in the context of an official membership—“tell it to the church,” “when you are gathered together,” “if the whole church be come together into one place,” etc. All of these references suggest that the early church was a local assembly with a definable membership.
In Acts 2:47, conversion is defined in terms of “the Lord adding to the church such as should be saved.” Obviously, the Bible assumes that church membership is the will of God for every true believer. That leads to the next question…
Who should join the church and when is the right time?
How do you know if you are ready to join the church? If the Lord has done a work of grace in your heart, then you are not only qualified for membership, but called—simply by virtue of His gift of salvation—to unite yourself to His people. The call to separate oneself from the world and to identify oneself with the stigma of the cross is God’s will for every one of His children.
The church is for believers. We practice credo- (or believers) baptism by immersion, not paedo- (or infant) baptism, for belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is the ultimate evidence that a person has been born again. Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? Well, ask yourself these questions: Have I been brought to see myself as a sinner who needs a Savior? Have I found comfort in the gospel of Christ and dared to believe that the work of Jesus on the cross was for me? Have I ceased to trust in my own personal worth or merit as the basis of my acceptance with God, convinced that Christ alone is my righteousness? Have I turned from the ambivalence and unbelief that presumes to sit in judgment on the Bible and said with the hymnwriter, “I can, I will, I do believe”? If you can answer “yes,” then you ought to unite with others who understand your experience.
Perhaps you wonder how much you ought to know before you can be a member. We have “membership classes” to educate candidates for membership in the basic function of the local church. It is helpful (especially in cases where a person is an adult) to have a basic understanding of the fundamental function or core beliefs of the church concerning salvation and baptism. You may want to enroll in the next class offered.
Of course, from one standpoint, commitment to Christ comes first and deeper understanding and education comes next. You don’t have to be a scholarly theologian to join. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me”—in that order. In a very real sense, all that is required for membership is the knowledge that (in the words of John Newton) “I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.”
On the other hand, there is a place for learning as much as possible about the basic theological convictions of the church, for baptism is essentially a theological statement—a confession not only that you believe in Jesus Christ but of what you believe about Jesus Christ.
Do you believe in the sovereignty of God in salvation? Do you rejoice to hear the message of a successful Savior who actually secured salvation for His people on the cross and finished the work of redemption? Is the message that says “salvation is of the Lord” a joyful sound in your ears? Does the message that man is hopelessly fallen in sin and cannot recover himself by his own decision or effort agree with your experience? Does your heart resonate with the proclamation that salvation is by grace alone—not of works lest any man should boast? Do you hunger for the faithful and consistent teaching and preaching of God’s word? Have you publically declared your faith through the waters of baptism? If you can answer “yes” to these questions, then (may I be so bold as to say) you ought to unite with those who share these convictions. Now is the day of salvation; today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart.
How does a person unite with the church?
The ordinance of baptism marks the entrance into the fellowship of the local church. By this solemn act, a person gives dramatic testimony to those with whom he will live and worship of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Gospel baptism marks a turning point in the believer’s life—a decisive act of repentance from his former lifestyle and willing submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In a very real sense, it is a fresh start—a new beginning—a “year of Jubile”. To witness a penitent sinner submit to Christ in baptism strengthens the faith, inflames the zeal, and renews the commitment of the entire church. It also establishes a bond of mutual love and understanding within the fellowship—a unity in the Spirit that arises from participation in a common faith.
Baptism marks your entrance into the church. At Northbridge we have a process of a class, an interview with the Elders and a formal vote on membership based on a confession of faith and baptism.
What difference will membership in the church make in my life? What can I expect?
Have you ever noticed that much of the New Testament’s instruction for Christian living is framed in the context of local church life? For example, it is in the epistle to the church at Ephesus that we are exhorted to walk in holiness, love, light, and wisdom. It is in the fourth and fifth chapters of that letter—as well as the letter to the Colossians—that the apostle Paul gives practical directions for living Christianly in the areas of personal attitudes and behavior, relationships in the home and at work. It is in the letter to the church at Philippi that he teaches how to overcome worry and to live joyfully and contentedly, regardless of one’s circumstances. What is the significance of this fact? By framing his practical teaching in the context of letters to specific churches, Paul implies that it is only in the fellowship of the local church that anyone can possibly live an authentic Christian life.
What difference, then, will participation in the life of the church make in your life? First and foremost, it will enable you to fulfill God’s call to holiness by creating a setting in which it is possible for you to grow in Christ and to receive the spiritual nourishment you need to bear burdens and resist temptation. If it were possible for a person to get these benefits on his own, Christ would have never established the church.
There are privileges associated with membership in the church that a person simply cannot get on the outside. Consider Paul’s argument for unity to the church at Philippi. When Paul urged the Philippian believers to labor for unity, he pleaded with them on the basis of the many privileges that were theirs in church life: “If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, fulfill ye my joy that you be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord.” His point is unmistakable: Great privilege in the fellowship of the saints calls for great effort to preserve the blessing.
Perhaps the greatest benefit to church membership is the privilege of participating in the Lord’s Supper. To be permitted to take the unleavened bread—a symbol of the Savior’s broken body—and the cup of wine—an emblem of His precious blood—in communion with the saints is an unspeakable mercy. These tangible elements are visual reminders of both the act and the significance of Christ’s death on the cross. Personal participation in this solemn ordinance serves to make the audible gospel a reality to the individual believer, prompting him to say, ‘He loved me and gave himself for me’. It is an opportunity for you to proclaim the death of Christ until He comes again.
Membership in the church also fosters a sense of belonging and identity. When he came to years, Moses chose to identify himself with God’s people. He knew that he was a Hebrew, not an Egyptian. He esteemed the reproaches of God’s greater riches than all the treasures in Egypt; therefore, he joined himself in covenant with the people of God.
It is my experience that such a sense of identity will prove to be a great safeguard against sin. More than once, I have been spared from falling into temptation by the simple reminder, “I am a church member and should not participate in this activity.” Membership in the church brings a person face to face with the sins of slothfulness, selfishness, and covetousness in his life. The awareness that I have made a commitment to the Lord and other believers establishes a structure that makes it easier for me to be zealous and energetic. It drives me outside of myself and forces me to think beyond the little circle of my personal life. It gives me a sense of responsibility, direction, and significance in life.
Finally, membership in the church carries with it the privilege of fellowship. Paul thanked God for “the fellowship in the gospel” that he enjoyed with the church at Philippi. The Greek word koinonia (translated “fellowship”) means “to share in common.” The covenant relationship between fellow believers in the church is a reciprocal dynamic of giving and taking—a mutual ministry in which each gives to satisfy the need of his brother and receives from his brother the supply that God has given to him. It is only in the context of sharing in the common life that any believer can grow to full maturity.
What do believers share with one another? They share their knowledge of Scripture, experiences, encouragement, counsel, spiritual gifts, material possessions, and prayers. They participate together as partners in the gospel of Christ. Fellowship is life in community with the saints—life in covenant with other believers.
That brings us to the next question…
What does it really mean to enter into covenant with other believers?
Membership in the church is a glorious thing because it is an assembly of people who have made a covenant (or promise) to God and one another to uphold the principles of God’s word. Baptism is the first act of Christian fellowship—a “sharing in common” with other believers. When a believer is baptized into the fellowship of the saints, he/she is saying by that act, “I, like you, place all my hope and trust for salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. I share your convictions of my own unworthiness and of His sufficient sacrifice in my stead. We are people of ‘like precious faith’.”
He is also making another confession to his brothers and sisters in Christ. He is saying, “I want to share with you in the mutual ministry of the church. I want to receive from you what God has taught you and to give to you what God has taught me.” The mutual ministry of the church involves, first of all, subjecting yourself to the input of others into your life. By the act of uniting with the saints, you are saying to them, “I realize that I am not self-sufficient. I cannot live the Christian life on my own. I need your prayers and encouragement, your knowledge of His word, the witness of your example, and your godly counsel. I need the “checks and balances” that church life will provide. I want to be accountable to other believers. I want you to love me enough to gently challenge me when I begin to falter, to faithfully admonish me when I stray, and to help me to be faithful to the Lord.”
Secondly, fellowship involves giving yourself in service to others. At his baptism into the fellowship, the believer is saying, “I want to show my love for the Lord by serving His people. I want to offer my life as a sacrifice on the altar of Christian service. Whatever the Lord has given to me—whether my spiritual gifts, knowledge of His word, material resources, personal time, or experience—I want to invest in the cause of Christ by bearing the burdens of my brethren.”
In a very real sense, membership in the church is a covenant relationship. It is an agreement to take responsibility for one another. Living in a sinful world as we do, we can be thankful that the Lord has given such a precious resource as the communion of saints to help us stay the course of godliness.
Does the idea of “taking responsibility” for the church sound frightening to you? We are living in a day when many people want privilege without responsibility. But it is God that holds us accountable. It is nothing short of Divine Providence that has blessed us with such priceless blessings as the opportunity to congregate ourselves with His children, sing the precious songs of Zion, and hear the joyful sound of redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ. Simply by virtue of the inestimable blessings we’ve been given, each believer is obliged to assume personal responsibility for the maintenance and forward progress of the church.
That brings us to the final question…
What will be expected of me as a church member?
Membership in the church implies activity and commitment. If human organizations that allow a person to retain membership on his own terms are rare, then it should not be a surprise that the “Householder” of the church determines that those who refuse to wear His prescribed garments may not remain at the wedding banquet. A person may not “name the name of Christ” and refuse to depart from iniquity.
Does that mean that sinners are unwelcome? Of course not. The church is not a museum where perfect people are showcased. None of us deserves to be here—all are unworthy sinners, unfit to be so signally blessed. Further, none of us has attained perfect conformity to Christ-likeness yet. But the church is a place for penitent sinners—for those who “keep on confessing” their sins in ongoing repentance, and are disciplined and purified more and more by the word so that there is real growth in grace and progress in holiness. A humble and teachable spirit—a heart that is sensitive and submissive to God’s word—is the first and most basic character trait of those in the kingdom of God. The presence of such an attitude is the raw material from which the Holy Spirit manufactures “vessels meet for the Master’s use”. The absence of a pliable heart will always reveal itself in a spirit that resists accountability and refuses to repent.
In a word, neither you nor I will ever find a perfect church this side of the grace of glorification. The church will always be a people in process of becoming, not a people who boast “we have arrived.” But this fact should never be used as an excuse for shallow commitment. The challenge facing us is to make our church a true and authentic New Testament church—as Biblically pure and distinct from this fallen world system as she can possibly be. Be separate—be holy—be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind—that is the basic call of the gospel of Christ.
When one remembers that the motivation for godliness is gratitude for grace, then duty becomes a privilege. Church members should do all that they do “as unto the Lord”. To be committed to the Lord Jesus Christ implies being committed to His church. In a very real sense, we serve Him by serving others. That being said, what, then, does commitment to the church involve?
1. Consistent Attendance at Public Worship
Hebrews 10:24-25 is one of the premier passages in the New Testament concerning the duties of church members: “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Notice the connection between a concern for other believers and one’s church attendance habits: Let us consider one another…not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together… The point is hard-hitting, almost to the point of harshness: Absenteeism displays a self-centered spirit and lack of consideration for other believers.
Why should you worship with the church? Because the church is “the pillar and ground of the truth”. Here truth is disseminated as the word of God is proclaimed. Here, you may unburden your soul, for God’s house is “a house of prayer for all people”. Here, you may experience the presence of God and communion with the Lord Jesus Christ, for the church is “a habitation of God through the Spirit”. Here your questions find answers. Here your soul will find a haven of rest—a safe refuge from distress. Here God is praised.
I know of nothing that so discourages the heart of pastors and other believers as inconsistency in attendance at public worship. It sends a message of unconcern for the cause of Christ, and thereby suffocates the fire of zeal. It produces a “domino effect,” weakening the commitment level of others and making it easier for them to excuse themselves. Practically nothing does more to impede the interest of visitors who are “asking the way to Zion” as the apparent lack of concern displayed by predominately empty pews. Further, it robs the individual who stays away of the saving benefits of the gospel. Perhaps the most tragic consequence of absenteeism is the missed opportunities for ministry. The word “consider” in the text means “to notice”. The writer indicates that it is in the public assembly that believers will notice opportunities to spur other believers on to greater faithfulness—i.e. to provoke unto love and good works.
Every member needs to know that a part of his covenant to the Lord and his brethren at baptism was the vow to be consistent in church attendance. Ask yourself, “Do I make excuses to stay away? Could I attend more meetings each week than I do? How does my absence affect my pastor and fellow believers? Am I preparing myself to step up and bear the responsibility that others bear now when they are gone? Am I keeping my vows to God and my brethren? Is the Lord pleased with my attendance habits?” Painful questions? Yes, but necessary, nonetheless.
David said, “I will pay my vows now unto the Lord in the presence of all His people”. He said, “I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.” He promised, “I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise Thee among much people”. How church members need to “exhort one another daily” to be committed to faithful attendance at public worship, “and so much the more as the day approaches”! As painful and perhaps unpleasant as it is to hear, every believer needs to know that church membership involves a commitment to faithful attendance.
2. The Practice of Personal Devotion
Secondly, church membership involves a personal commitment to pursue a daily walk with Jesus Christ. Unless a person stays connected to the Lord—unless he “abides in Christ” through the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, and meditation—he cannot bear the fruit of Christian character. The members of the church in Berea “searched the Scriptures daily” —such a practice of saturating the mind with God’s word during the week will make for an eager reception of the word on Lord’s Day morning.
3. Participation in Ministry to Others
Ephesians 4:11-16 outlines the dynamics of church function in terms of “every member ministry in the body of Christ.” It works like this: The most basic function of the church is the preaching and teaching of God’s word. As the word of God is faithfully and accurately taught, the saints are equipped to minister to one another. As each part of the body fulfills its respective role, the body as a whole grows to maturity in Christ.
Each member of the local body is responsible for using the spiritual gifts they have been given to minister to the rest of the body. Each must be interested in the “one another” passages of the New Testament—each should be involved in burden-bearing, intercessory prayer, daily exhortation, showing hospitality, visiting, esteeming, admonishing, loving, helping, teaching, communicating, and serving one another. This is real “body life” with every joint supplying the needs of the body so that is built up by love.
4. Protect the Unity
Another area of personal concern to every member should be the unity of the local church. Ephesians 4:2-3 urges each believer to “endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” by maintaining an attitude of “lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, and forbearance”. If you have ever experienced the heartache of disunity, you know that unity is a priceless commodity. Nothing so discredits the church’s witness to the community as strife, tension, and conflict among the membership. Every member must take personal responsibility for peacemaking within the fellowship. Do what you can to foster harmony, silence gossip, and promote a general spirit of goodwill in interpersonal relationships. Refuse to be a part of divisiveness. Guard the unity.
5. Sacrificial Giving
As a church member, you should be involved in the sacrificial giving of your resources to the church. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Paul said, “God loveth a cheerful giver”. If we have freely received God’s gifts of grace, we ought to freely give such grace to others in confidence that God will sufficiently supply our personal needs. In a very real sense, giving is an act of worship.
Your financial and monetary gifts will be used for the support of the pastor so that his hands may be more and more liberated from secular distraction to devote his time to prayer and ministry of the word. Further, your sacrificial gifts help in the spread of the gospel, the care of those who are in need, the purchase of necessary items in the function of the church (like bibles, website hosting, bulletin printing, etc.), and the general maintenance of the building (e. g. utility bills, lawnmower maintenance, cleaning supplies, items for the kitchen and caafe, and many other background needs in the daily function of the church).
The happiest people in life are those who give sacrificially and cheerfully, never asking if it pays. God is faithful to return such an investment in a myriad of blessings.
6. Personal Evangelism
First Peter 2:9 indicates that God calls people from darkness into His marvelous light and separates them to Himself as His special people to the intent that they may proclaim His praise. Telling others what great things the Lord has done for you is a privilege and responsibility of every believer. Like the early believers who “went everywhere preaching the word”, every follower of Christ is called to be zealous for the expansion of the kingdom of God. The Thessalonian church “sounded out the word of the Lord” so effectively that it had become public knowledge. Each believer should equip himself with the necessary knowledge so that he will “be ready to give an answer” to those who inquire about his faith.
Of course, the best opportunity for witnessing is within your own family and circle of influence. Jesus told the wild man to “go home to [his] friends and tell them what great things the Lord had done for [him]. Andrew first shared the news of Messiah’s advent with his own brother Simon Peter. But even beyond the sphere of immediate influence, every church member will periodically encounter people in hospitals, shopping malls, airplanes, and elsewhere in which opportunities to speak a word for the glory of God are afforded. Spread the good word of God as widely as possible. Invite others to attend public worship with you, saying, “Come and see.” Participate in the labors of those who are doing the work of evangelism by your monetary assistance through the support of local and global outreach.
7. Assisting in the General Upkeep of Church Property
Finally, It is helpful when every member is willing to assume responsibility for the general maintenance of the building and property. Many people would be surprised at the amount of backstage activity that is necessary in the weekly life of the church. Housekeeping chores never cease. There are carpets to be vacuumed, trash cans to empty, floors to sweep, paper supplies to purchase, furniture to dust, hedges to trim, flowers to water, walks to sweep, light bulbs to change, etc., on a weekly basis.
Of course, there is a blessing to be found in this more mundane but necessary part of church life. Though the building is not the church, yet it is a place consecrated to the worship of God. The interest we show in the meetinghouse and property is a part of the witness we give to the watching world. I would encourage each member to take a personal interest in these various responsibilities so that the work load is distributed as evenly as possible.
In the final analysis, the duty of the church member is to do whatever you can to promote the welfare and prosperity of the church for the glory of Christ’s worthy name. May it be said of us as it was said of the people in Nehemiah’s great project, “The people had a mind to work.”
The Hardest Peace
Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.