Membership

Dear brothers and sisters,

What images does the idea of membership conjure up in your mind? When we sign up to be a member of a local club, perhaps we expect discounts on our meals. If we sign up for membership of a shop, or online store, we might expect a discount, or free delivery. Membership entails benefits, or kickbacks, or privileges. Membership might give thoughts of perks, or others working hard so that I can enjoy some leisure.

When Jesus calls us to be members of his kingdom, he calls us also to belong to each other, to be members of one another, and this expresses itself in membership of a local church. Unfortunately we might bring the ideas of membership we adopt from the world with us, and if we do, we will have all the wrong expectations of membership in God’s kingdom, in a local church.

Membership of a local church means that everyone has a part to play. 1 Corinthians 12-14 makes it perfectly clear that there are different individuals in a church, all with different gifts and abilities, and yet all with a part to play. And it also makes clear that we must play our parts in love. One part cannot say to another ‘I have no need of you’, on the contrary, we are interdependent, we all rely on each other as part of the kingdom. And because we are different, it is important for us to consider the needs of the other ahead of our own. Far too often a controller can take a position in a church and act in a way that may seem sacrificial, but yet is denying others the chance to serve, and meeting a need for themselves.

At Holy Trinity we want to serve each other in love, acknowledging that we all need the gifts and abilities of others, and working together in teams to glorify God. If we are members of a body and all need each other, let us remember that 1 Corinthians 12-14 makes it quite clear that Jesus is the head, and all we do must be governed by him. It is his sacrifice that pays our price, and our service ought also to be sacrificial and aimed at glorifying him. Team ministry that puts Christ first and self last.

In Christ’s Love,

Craig Olliffe Senior minister