Member or Disciple?

At last weekend’s services, Pastor Steve mentioned that the church should not be focused on membership, but rather on discipleship.  He even mentioned that perhaps we should get rid of the membership “rolls” that we keep and start over.  I know some of you wanted to shout “Amen,” while others of you wanted to say something else!

I’ve been thinking about that over the week.  What does it really mean to be a member versus a disciple?  Well, let’s look at what Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary has to say: 

Member  (noun, often attributive)

a body part or organ; a unit of structure in a plant body; one of the individuals composing a group; a person baptized or enrolled in a church; or a part of a whole.

Disciple (noun)

one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another; one of the twelve in the inner circle of Christ's followers according to the Gospel accounts or a convinced adherent of a school or individual.

While both are nouns, they differ in that one is merely focused on being part of a structure or part of an organization; the other requires more activity.  As a member, technically, I don’t have to do anything once my name is in the roll book.  In fact, I get some rights as a baptized member.  I have the right to vote at annual meetings or special meetings regarding other church-wide decisions. I can have my wedding at the church. I can even have my funeral at the church.  Sure, I can get more involved in the church, but that isn’t a requirement to maintain my membership.  Once I’m in, I’m in! 

Now, if I consider myself a disciple rather than a member, my focus changes from being listed in a book to actively professing my faith and “assisting” in the spread of the Gospel.  Yikes!  Some would say, isn’t that the job of our pastors or the evangelism committee?

While “membership” has been historically part of normal church organizational structure for years, what would happen if we considered ourselves not merely “members” of Calvary or a church, but rather as disciples of Jesus Christ who happen to worship at Calvary?  Notice the shift?  How might being a disciple for Christ change our view on how we live out our faith each week?  To really live out what we confess to believe in? 

I know for me, if I refer to myself as a disciple of Christ Jesus, rather than only a member of this church, that requires me to live out my faith, to be a little Christ to others.  Wow!  That puts a little more pressure on me to live out my faith in word and deed whether I’m at church or at sporting events or even at neighborhood block parties. 

My challenge to all of us this week, and for the next few months, as we journey through the Book of Acts, is for us to really LIVE in the chapters each week.  Don’t just read them.  Let’s challenge each other to wrestle with the chapters and apply what we read to our lives each week.  To truly go beyond being a member and take that leap of faith and become a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ!   

Here’s a great song from Matt Maher that reminds us to rise up and be a disciple!

In His Grip!

Pastor Carol