This is Acts week 12 and we have been going through many paces of the early church in an effort to better focus ourselves on what the church should be today. There are identifiable markings of what the church should be that come out of the Bible, this week we will be talking about church membership.
Membership of a club usually involves the question, “what do I get out of this?” We often find ourselves seeking to belong to a group that has the highest benefit to us and the smallest commitment. We bring this mindset into all areas of our lives; work, relationships, even the church. Many people use membership as an excuse, “well I don’t have to do this, I am a member, I am a V.I.P. I should be served.”
The book of Acts is not the “beginning” of the “church,” it is about God’s continuing mission in the world. There has only ever been one plan, God’s. In this series of the book of Acts we hope to do three main things: 1) To see the continuing mission of God as He brings to fulfilment His church, 2) That people would have a good idea what to look for in a church if/when they transition out of our town (or church), 3) Create a deeper understanding that when we live on mission for Jesus, we won’t understand everything He is doing, but we can trust Him.
