What is church?

When our children were small, one of their friends asked about church. He said, “Don’t you have to be a member to go there?”

At the time, it seemed a remark by someone ill-informed, but looking back, he may have been closer to reality than my initial response. It depends on the description of ‘membership’ — is church like a club where a person needs to apply for or pay dues? Not at all.

The dictionary simply says membership means belonging to a group. In the case of church membership, it means being part of what God calls His church. The Greek word first referred to a building used by those who belong to God. If ‘membership’ is an appropriate word, it means a group of people who belong to God but this does not forbid others from attending. Most churches welcome those who are not part of their membership. It is the desire of most Christians that others discover the wonder of being in a relationship with God and in this special group that shares God’s interests and goals. In the early church, this was expressed as follows:  

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42–47)

Tozer points out that no matter the size or nature of church membership, each person comes into that relationship with God in an individual experience. Yet as soon as that happens, each person becomes a member of the family of God. Christian believers are the church. We don’t ‘sign up’ but are immediately in His family in a global sense as soon as we believe in Jesus Christ.

The Bible speaks of the church as local communities as well as the global family. That is, the Christians that meets at Corinth or Rome are called a church, just as today where groups like Baptists and Pentecostals meet in varying places and are also called the church. Individuals can be Christians and part of God’s family yet choice or proximity may determine which ‘church’ they decide to attend.

While the varying denominations are often distinguished by their particular theological viewpoints, this should not be so. If we believe the Gospel and have been reborn into the family of God, we are part of His church which is universal in nature. The differences ought to be de-emphasized because many similarities unite us into one family or membership!

As a Christian, I am aware of my need to fellowship in quality time with other Christians. The Bible is filled with the ‘one anothers’ that we do to encourage and build into the lives of our members. Without the love and support of other Christians, our faith wavers and our sense of God’s love is diminished. Tozer says, “Next to God Himself we need each other most. We are His sheep and it is our nature to live with the flock.”

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Dear Lord Jesus, my Shepherd and the Head of the church, I am thankful for the family of God. Wherever I go I find people who are in Your family; they are instant brothers and sisters. What a joy to have family all over the world and to know that You gave us all we need to belong, to be members of this forever family. Bless each of Your people today and always.