RevWrites - Nov 9

I’ve had one response to my invitation to talk about membership. It was a very stimulating email that even had some ideas on church membership from another church.

So this week, let me stimulate our dialogue. I think we should have a NAC Membership Agreement. I think that before you can say you’re a member of NAC you should agree to certain things. But what would you put on the list of things you agree to?
• Exercising ministry/ies at church
• Caring for other members
• Attending church (how frequently?)
• Connecting with neighbours
• Bible Reading (every day/once a week?)
• Serving those outside the church
• Social Responsibility
• Praying (how often/for how long?)
• Serving on a Diocesan committee of some sort
• Serving on a Mission Society committee of some sort
• Welfare work
• Tithing
• Washing the senior minister’s car
• Evangelism at work

You can see that I might be tempted to put some things on the list that you might not include. But if we don’t talk about it what will go on the list? Should there be a list? What would a membership agreement look like? Can we have stuff on it that isn’t clearly in 1 Corinthians or the Bible?

Or should we just keep going as we always have? I think we should think about this and talk about it. Talk with each other. Talk with your small group leaders. Talk with your congregational leaders. You might even talk to ME!

If you’ve missed reading any of the RevWrites that lead up to this let me know and I’ll make sure you get them. The one response has made me think about how you resign membership. I’ve also had some ideas about membership defining more clearly the relationship between a member and the eldership of the church. Keep thinking. Keep talking.

P.S. Kathy’s just told me she need RevWrites next week by Wednesday. So it would be good to have your responses by Tuesday. I guess that leaves Monday!

Neil Macken (neil@nac.asn.au)