What's With Church Membership?

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."

(I Corinthians 12:27, NRSV).

I suppose if one needs a scripture to ground a discussion about church membership, this declaration from Paul might serve well in that regard.  If there is a body, it must also have members to carry out its various functions.  The body of Christ requires members who have a variety of gifts. 

Today it appears church membership is almost meaningless, a relic from another time.  After all, we're not in the 1950's anymore!  Many look askance at "joining" a church and becoming members of it.  The requirements for belonging sometimes seem far too easy and sometimes far too arduous.  Who needs the hassle of such a commitment?  We are already way too overextended!

Many congregations are currently reviewing their membership rolls.  This is to help them get a truer picture of the church's identity.  Inflated rolls are not helpful.  A 100-member church that has only 60 active members may be deluding itself, remembering how things used to be, not facing present realities.  Other leaders may be concerned that keeping inactive members on the rolls will cost the church financially; after all there may be an assessment based on per capita membership numbers.  Still others would rather define a church's size by focusing on its worship attendance: "It makes no sense to claim that we have 95 members when our Sunday worship attendance is only 40." 

I hear the reasoned arguments, but would add a word of caution:  Church leaders should review membership rolls with sensitivity, for those who are not seen may still have deep connections.  I once served a church where woman (I'll call her Sue) was said to be inactive for many years.  We never saw Sue at worship; I had never met her.  Yet, I noticed that Sue often mailed a contribution for a specific ministry of the church.  Year after year, her check would arrive in support of that ministry.  Finally, I encouraged the nominating committee to ask Sue to serve on the committee that was responsible for the ministry.  Lo, and behold, Sue not only reappeared, but she became a leader in the church and is still engaged in the life of that congregation some twenty-five years later.

Sometimes those who are inactive become invisible to us.  Yet, they may have fears and doubts that have kept them away.  They may feel guilty for having failed to live up to promises made long ago.  I recall another person (Dan) who did not feel that he could measure up to the strong and steady folks who showed up every week.  Dan felt inferior and unworthy.  When Dan developed a debilitating disease, we were there with him and the relationship was rekindled in amazing ways.  Had we erased his name from the church's membership record we might have missed an opportunity for relationship and for mutual care. 

Membership is different that joining a club or political party.  Church membership is an expression of something far deeper--Christian discipleship.   My membership at the First Congregational Church of Pembroke, United Church of Christ, means that I covenant, for this time in my life, to commit myself to practicing my discipleship--to worshipping and serving--with this particular community of Christ's people.  Membership is about discipline:  We need others to walk with us as together we follow Jesus.

Were I serving in a local church, I would not advocate for reducing the membership numbers without great care and attentive prayer.  Our local churches may not be as small as they appear to be.  God may have given them lots of members who still claim a relationship to this community of faith.  The challenge may be to go and engage more deeply with them, to listen long, to rebuild relationships, and to invite them to participate.  Isn't that, after all, what Christ has done for us?