Leader Guide Session 4

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SESSION FOUR

The Mission of a Member

Session Overview OBJECTIVE FOR THIS SESSION

Acquaint the group with their place as potential members of your church. SESSION OUTLINE

Gather

a) Beginning points b) Discussion starter c) Why join a church?

Instruct and Interact

a) Reasons for joining the church b) What does it mean to be a member?

Integrate

a) Group reflection and discussion b) Decision to become a member c) Closing

Going Deeper MATERIALS FOR THIS SESSION

Participant guides (one per person); leader’s guide; pens or pencils; Post-it notes; dryerase board or chart paper and markers; PowerPoint presentation; appendix resources (optional); members from the church to give brief testimonies of ministry experiences (optional)

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Gather Beginning Points ■ Welcome participants back to Mission Friends: The Meaning of Membership. ™4.1-4.2



Explain: ™4. 3 The objectives for this session are to: t
Acquaint the group with their place as potential members of [insert your church name]

■ Pray.

Discussion Starter ■ Choose from one of the following options: t
Option 1: Hand out Post-it notes. Have participants list the people and organizations they are committed to. Either in pairs or as a group have participants share the reasons behind their commitments. t
Option 2: Have participants look in their wallets or purses and pull out every card that represents membership in something. Examples may be a library card, AARP, frequent flier program, and so on. Do some fun “contests,” for example: who has the oldest “member since” recognition, who has the longest expired card still in their possession and so on.

Why Join a Church? ™4.4

Explain: Sometimes we hear that people no longer like to commit. As we have just seen, that just isn’t the case. When people understand why commitment is important, they are willing to do so. Today we will explore what it means to commit to becoming a church member. If you are a follower of Christ, one spiritual reality the Bible teaches is that you are already a member of God’s universal Church. You are joined right now to every other believer here and around the world by the common relationship you share with Christ. When we join God’s family, we are organically joined to all other brothers and sisters who have also experienced the grace of Christ. We become brothers and sisters in Christ regardless of location, culture, class, or gender. So why bother joining a congregation? What would you say are good reasons to join a local church? (Allow for answers)

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Instruct and Interact Reasons for Joining the Church ™4. 5

Explain: You have already identified many reasons for joining a local church. These reasons tend to fall under one of the following that God’s word gives for joining the church. t
A Christ-Honoring Reason. It is a tangible expression of a spiritual reality. It helps us make public declaration of a spiritual truth about our identification with Christ and other believers. Christ loved the Church and gave his life for it. As we commit to the Church, we join Christ in that commitment. (Mark 10:45, Luke 24:46-47, Hebrews 10:25, Colossians 2:19) t
A Missional Reason. Quite simply, we are better together. We can accomplish more by joining with others than we would ever be able to accomplish on our own. (Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 12:5-8, Acts 11:19-26, Ephesians 2:10) t
A Spiritual Growth Reason. It’s part of the progression of faith. First we commit to Christ, and as part of that we further commit to Christ’s family. Additionally, there are 39 “one another” commands in the New Testament about how to live life as brothers and sisters that cannot reasonably be fulfilled without a commitment to a specific group of people. (John 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 12:14-22, Ephesians 4:15-16) t
A Biblical Reason. Membership is inferred from the New Testament. For example, in one case the Apostle Paul was so broken-hearted at the persistent, flaunting, egregious immoral behavior of a member that he instructed the Corinthians to expel him. You can’t be expelled from something of which you are not an initiated member. It is also inferred in Acts 6 and 1 Timothy where some leaders could choose others to minister, or restrict the ministry of others. (Acts 2:44-47, Ephesians 4:11-13, Ephesians 5:19-20) t
A Cultural Reason. It swims against the current of consumer religion in which, with no commitment to a congregation, people feel greater freedom to move from church to church. However, when hopping from church to church, people curtail their own growth. They never grow roots, and fail to see the kind of growth that can be produced by persevering even in difficult times. Public commitments cause us to review the depth of bonds even in tough times. (1 Corinthians 12:22-26, Galatians 6:2, Philippians 1:29-30)

What Does it Mean to be a Member? ™4. 6

Explain: Membership in the church is sometimes described as the desire to grow as Christ’s disciple, becoming part of God’s kingdom, and seeking to fulfill the will of God. Let’s look at each one of these individually.

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GROWING AS CHRIST’S DISCIPLES



Explain: ™4. 7 In the Evangelical Covenant Church we are committed to help one another grow deeper in Christ. To remind ourselves of this ongoing commitment we have developed the acronym G.R.O.W. which reminds us about how we grow as disciples in Christ as well as our commitment to grow as disciples of Christ over a lifetime. Leader’s Tip! Elaborate on these and any others that you may wish to emphasize, explaining how these are lived out in the life of your church.



Explain: Our commitment is to help you G.R.O.W. t
G—God’s Word. As a Biblical people, we will help you understand the Bible so you can apply it as the frame of reference for all of life. t
R—Relationships. As a Connectional people, we will help you find your way into meaningful, supportive relationships to encourage you for the journey. t
O—Obedient Living. As a Missional people, we will help you discover God’s purposes for life and your unique strengths for meaningful, significant service to God in the world. t
W—Worship. As a Devotional people, we will help you cultivate a deeper spirituality not just when we are together, but also through being attentive to God throughout the course of life.

■ Ask the following reflection questions: ™4.8 t
How have you seen or experienced GROWth during your time here? t
Where do we still need to work in order to be serving you well in these four areas? BECOMING A PART OF GOD’S KINGDOM



Explain: ™4. 9 As was mentioned before, if you are a follower of Christ, one spiritual reality the Bible teaches is that you are already a member of God’s universal Church, or God’s Kingdom. Jesus often speaks of the kingdom; in fact he included it in the Lord’s prayer. Jesus said it’s time for a new kingdom to come in which God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven. This kingdom is not like any earthly kingdom. It is not established by force. It does not have physical boundaries. It will not fall and crumble, but will last forever. As Jesus first ministered with his disciples in Galilee, he demonstrated what God’s kingdom is all about. He revealed a kingdom centered in a loving relationship with God and each other. Those who have accepted Jesus live in two worlds, the kingdom of God and this world. Believers are commanded to be “in the world,” so as to bring the good news of Jesus to others, but not to be “of the world,” caving into the evil that exists in the world. Believers

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are disciples and ambassadors of God’s kingdom. They are called to be like Jesus, to spend time with God in prayer, and to help bring God’s kingdom to the world by battling hate with love, apathy with care and concern, injustice with justice, and despair with the hope in Jesus. Believers are called to pray for their enemies, care for the sick, reach out to those in need, and be a friend to the outcast. Jesus invites us to live in this kingdom.

■ Ask the following reflection question: ™4.10 t
How can being a member in the church help us live into the kingdom and help us to be the kind of disciples Christ is calling us to be? SEEKING TO FULFILL THE WILL OF GOD ™4.11



Explain: We become a part of God’s Kingdom and a growing disciple of Christ for the purpose of fulfilling God’s will in the world. By God’s grace we come to faith and are granted the amazing opportunity to fulfill God’s will. As a church member you will join with all other members in seeking to fulfill the will of God. Together we… Leader’s Tip! Elaborate on these and any others that you may wish to emphasize or invite other members of your congregation to share. 1. Strive for spiritual health as a congregation by: a. being committed to GROW personally b. praying for the church regularly c. faithfully participating in the life of the church d. protecting unity e. supporting the spiritual growth and personal care of others f. worshipping together 2. Serve together in ministry as a congregation by: a. discovering and using our spiritual gifts b. engaging in discipleship opportunities that help us be more effective in our service to God c. caring for one another 3. Support the mission of our congregation by: a. giving regularly of finances, time, and talent b. actively participating in congregational decision-making c. inviting non-churched friends d. being externally-focused in seeking opportunities for evangelism and compassion/mercy/justice to the lost and hurting in our community and beyond

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Explain: Growing as Christ’s disciples, and helping to fulfill God’s will in the world is something we are all growing into, from the youngest to the oldest person in the church. It takes a lifetime of growing and we are committed to help one another in this journey.

Integrate Group Reflection and Discussion ™4.12 ■ Ask the following discussion questions: t
There are many ways that we seek to fulfill God’s will. Which are you most drawn to? t
What are your thoughts about this lifelong journey and the ways in which we minister together to fulfill God’s will? t
Does today’s session raise any particular questions, concerns, fears, or other feelings for you?

Decision to Become a Member ™4. 13 NEXT STEPS TOWARD BECOMING A MEMBER ™4.14

■ Outline the membership process from this point on. Points to cover would be membership application, application review process, transfer of membership from other congregations, congregational recognition, and so on. IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO BECOME A MEMBER ™4.15



Explain: You may pray about this and decide that now is not the time to formally join as a member. That is perfectly okay. We want you to know about this church and make the best decision as God leads you. While you may not be able to formally vote in the church, you will have opportunity to belong and be involved in the life of this church. Your voice matters as we move into the future, and we look forward to having you join us with your unique gifts and talents. Leader’s Tip! If you have associate membership, describe those qualifications.

Closing ■ Optional: Have a current member of the church give a brief talk (under five minutes) on what the church has meant to him or her. Pray for that member.

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■ Ask the following discussion questions: ™4.16 t
What are your closing thoughts as we end this discussion? t
Would any of you share about what [insert your church name] has meant to you so far and what you hope to experience in the future?

■ Optional: Create a video using the stories and experiences of the class to introduce new members to the congregation when they are brought to membership. Include the reflections on the class from those who are choosing not to become members at this time, and include the faith testimonies of those who are becoming members.

■ Close the class by offering a final thank you for their participation, and express your hope for a long and fruitful relationship together. Pray for God’s direction in their lives.

■ Remind your group of the additional questions which are available in the “Going Deeper” section at the end of this session for those who want to reflect further on their role in the working out of their mission as a member.

Going Deeper Where is it Written? What do the Scriptures say? During this session, we’ve looked at several reasons that a person might choose to become a member of a particular church. Take some time through the week to dig into Scripture and explore some of these reasons. What are you sensing God might be impressing upon you through these Scripture verses? 1) A Christ-Honoring Reason Mark 10:45 Luke 24:46-47 Hebrews 10:25 Colossians 2:19 2) A Missional Reason Matthew 28:18-20 Romans 12:5-8 Acts 11:19-26 Ephesians 2:10 3) A Spiritual Growth Reason John 13:34-35 1 Corinthians 12:14-22

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Ephesians 4:15-16 4) A Biblical Reason Acts 2:44-47 Ephesians 4:11-13 Ephesians 5:19-20 5) A Cultural Reason 1 Corinthians 12:22-26 Galatians 6:2 Philippians 1:29-30

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