CONTEXTUAL APPLICATION PROJECT PHASE THREE: THE BENEFITS OF A MORE

ORDERLY CHURCH MEMBERSHIP AND THE APPLICATION THEREOF

___________________

A Paper
Presented to
Dr. David Norman
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Kansas City, MO

___________________

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Course
Theology 2

___________________

by
Caleb M. Fleming
December 3, 2018
 CONTEXTUAL APPLICATION PROJECT PHASE THREE: THE BENEFITS OF A MORE

ORDERLY CHURCH MEMBERSHIP AND THE APPLICATION THEREOF

Paul writes to the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 14:40 saying, “But all things must

be done properly and in an orderly manner.”1 The immediate context of this verse comes at the

conclusion of Paul’s instructions concerning the use of the χάρισμα for the edification of the

church, but it does call to attention the way the church is to operate. In a broader context, the

church at Corinth had failed to properly address sin within their membership. As a result, there

was a man who was having an inappropriate sexual relationship with his father’s wife (1

Corinthians 5:1). Paul’s rebuke of this church is poignant, “Do you not know that a little leaven

leavens the whole lump of dough?”2 As Paul addresses the importance of restoring this one to

fellowship through the application of proper church discipline, he also takes the opportunity to

address other issues existing within the church. In this way, it is possible to understand 1

Corinthians 14:40 as a bow that ties together a broader argument.

It is important to note Paul’s addressing of a local church which was inspired of the

Holy Spirit to be edifying to the universal church. Paul’s emphasis on the local church must not

be mistaken. Had this church properly vetted, discipled, and held this member accountable, Paul

would have avoided this issue. What is seen is just the beginning of the importance of an orderly

church membership. The goal of this project is to demonstrate the benefits of a more orderly

1
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), 1 Co
14:40. All scripture references will come from the NASB unless otherwise stated.
2
1 Co 5:6.

2
 3
church membership within Baptist churches throughout history and how they can be applied

today.3

Church Membership Defined

It is necessary at this point to define what the “church” is. A helpful approach to this is to

first define what the church is not. Addressing the consumer driven mentality of many church

goers today, Jonathan Leeman provides a few ideas of what the church is not. The church is not:

a club, secret society, a volunteer organization [where membership is optional], a friendly group

of people who share the same religious interests, or a service provider.4 The last point Leeman

addresses is the notion that the church has potentially contributed to this customer/service type of

paradigm, where the ‘customer is always right.’ By referring to the Sunday gatherings as

“Worship Services,” the church is telling people to “…pull into the church parking lot at 11:00

a.m. and get themselves serviced – ‘Tune-ups for your soul in 60 minutes!’”5 Leeman’s point is,

in a society already saturated in an existential reality6, the church seems to inadvertently

contribute to this way of thinking.

Understanding Leeman’s approach to be a bit reductio ad absurdum, his critique does

seem to be meritorious. There does seems to be a failure to properly understand and define the

church. As a result of this perceived ignorance there is a generational degradation that is

3
It is important to note; this paper does not attempt to define the biblical precedent for church
membership. The author is writing from the assumption that the reader understands local church
membership is biblical, practical, and healthy in the life of a Christ follower.
4
Jonathan Leeman Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus (Wheaton, Il:
Crossway, 2012), 22.
5
Ibid., 22-23
6
This is seen in company slogans such as L’Oreal’s “Because you’re worth it,” or Burger King’s famed
slogan “Have it your way” which has been revamped in recent years to “Be your way,” and even in the
not so subtle hedonistic slogan of Nike, “Just do it.”
 4
observable amongst millennials. In 2014 Barna released a research report concentrating on

millennials. This report found thirty percent of millennials say attending church is not at all

important. Thirty-nine percent of those who said church attendance is not important say they find

God elsewhere.7 This problem seems to only be getting worse. Barna has also released a 2018

study concentrating on trends amongst Generation Z (Gen Z), this study found 54% of

individuals within Gen Z say church involvement is ‘not at all’ or ‘not too important.’8 59% of

these individuals say their reasoning stems from a belief that church is not relevant to them

personally.9 The argument can be made a priori, the influence of individualism has led beyond a

simple interest in church and to a failure to properly understand what the church is and why it

exists.

Biblical/Historical Definition

Εκκλησία is understood historically as the gathering or the assembly of people with a

shared belief.10 The term ἐκκλησία is a compound word made up of ἐκ + καλέω which means, the

called-out ones. If attention is given to passages such as Romans 8:28-30, one will notice the

emphasis of being “called.” God is calling the ones who have been known from the foundations

of the earth, for His purpose(s). If the church is the assembly of individuals who have been called

7
Making Space for Millennials: A Blueprint for Your Culture, Ministry, Leadership, and Facilities (Barna
Group, 2014), 40. This demonstrates a failure in understanding the nature of the church. If God is found,
experienced, and worshiped outside the corporate body he established in Christ, was Christ necessary?
8
Gen Z: The Culture, Beliefs, and Motivations Shaping the Next Generation. (Barna Group and Impact
360 Institute, 2018), 71.
9
Ibid., 72
10
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian
Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 303.
 5
out, it is important to understand the individuals who make up the assembly have been called out

by God for his purpose.

Louis Berkhof takes this concept and says of the church, “the Church consists of those

who are partakers of Christ and the blessings of salvation that are in Him.”11 Berkhof then

continues to discuss the development of the church through the patristic age. He highlights the

rise of theological heresies,12 while others note the occurrence of extensive church-wide

persecution as reasons not only to better define the church, but ultimately this leads to the need to

practice church membership in an orderly way.13 Geisler expounds on Berkhof’s idea saying,

“The term church [used in this volume] refers to the New Testament church
founded by Jesus Christ; that is, an assembly of believers joined to Christ’s
spiritual body by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13) at the moment of regeneration
(Titus 3:3-6), when they individually place their faith in the Lord Jesus as their
Savior (Acts 16:31).”14

Geisler goes on to say those who have become part of the church through faith in Jesus Christ

should be part of one locally, while still on earth (Heb. 10:25). He continues by pointing out the

benefits of being committed to a local church involves, “edification (Eph. 4:12), worship (John

4:24), and participation in the ordinances.”15

For the purpose of this project the following definition of the “church” will be used: The

church is the assembly of saints who have been called by God for His purpose and pleasure. The

11
Louis Berkhof Systematic Theology. 19th Edition. (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2012),
553.
12
Ibid., 558
13
Tony Lane A Concise History of Christian Thought (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006), 24-26.
Lane discusses the persecution in the mid 3rd century and the two-pronged attack put on by Emperor
Decius. First was the murdering of the leading Bishops in the church. Second was the requirement made
of Christians to sacrifice to the Roman gods, and to obtain a certified receipt stating they had done so.
Once the persecution was over those apostatized members wanted back into fellowship. This created an
issue of church discipline, on that Cyprian took a hard line on.
14
Norman Geisler Systematic Theology. Volume Four (Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House Publishers, 2005), 17.
15
Ibid., 17
 6
church consists of the people of God who are marked by true conversion and regeneration to

new life in Christ Jesus. The church exists locally in individual congregations and universally as

the Church catholic. Whether locally or universally, the Church exists as the Body, where Christ

serves as the Head (Col. 1:18).

Regenerate Church Membership and Southern Baptists in 2016-2017

Understanding the meaning of church as previously defined, it is beneficial to briefly

examine any corollaries that may exist between the definition provided and the Barna research

results previously mentioned. If a trend from the local church can be seen in the Barna study, is it

a visible decline? Since this project is from a Southern Baptist perspective the scope of this

inquiry will be limited to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).

The Annual Church Profile (ACP) report published for 2017 shows a total church

membership among SBC churches at 15,005,638 members in America.16 While this number

seems impressive, the same report shows weekly attendance to be 5,320,488, a mere fraction of

the reported membership number. The ACP for 2017 presents interesting data when compared to

the results of the previous year. It shows a decline in membership of 1.39% from 2016 to 2017

but shows an increased attendance of 2.3% during that same period. What this suggests, is that

while people might be willing to attend a local church, they seem to be increasingly hesitant to

commit.

These findings should garner the attention of local church leaders. There is a societal

problem regarding the church, and the church needs to address this. Our members need to better-

understand what the church is and why it exists. What are the benefits of membership versus

simple church attendance? Why is it acceptable for a church to have expectations of its

membership? These are all questions that must be answered to lead existing church members in a

16
Released by LifeWay Christian Resources on May 22, 2018
 7
manner that encourages them to grow in Christ-likeness. Additionally, this will set a level of

expectation for new members.

More Orderly Regenerate Church Membership

Previously, Geisler demonstrated some of the direct benefits of local church

membership,17 but biblical church membership also lays out expectations of the individual

member. The following section addresses benefits, expectations, and a biblical order of church

discipline.

Benefits Extended to Members

As noted, the benefits of local church membership consist of edification, worship, and the

participation of the ordinances. οἰκοδομή is translated as edification and should be understood as

the process of building.18 When in the context of the assembly of believers, οἰκοδομή is the

process of strengthening, encouraging, and building up the church in the strength and admonition

of the Lord. In the orderly existence of the local church, the first purpose is to glorify God and

the second is to edify the saints. The importance of edification cannot be overstated. So

important is the edification of the church, that Paul argues against the personal use of tongues, as

it serves to edify the individual, whereas the gift of prophecy exists to edify the church. Here

Paul is demonstrating the importance of edification within the local church.

Mark Dever says, “Joining a church will help counter our wrong individualism, and it

will help us to realize the corporate nature of Christianity.”19 When an individual makes a

commitment to the local church, they are denying themselves and submitting to a God-ordained

institution. One which is built on relationships and love. The people who commit together in a

17
See footnote 15.
18
BDAG, sv. “οἰκοδομή.”
19
Mark Dever Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. Third Edition (Wheaton, Il: Crossway, 2013), 166.
 8
local congregation are committing to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), they are

committing to helping meet the needs of the less fortunate within the congregation (Acts 2:44-

45, 4:32-35, 6:1). Committing to a local congregation demonstrates a desire to worship and live

in such a way that promotes the corporate health of the assembly versus selfishly focusing on self

(Philippians 2:3-5). This concept is also seen in what Dever refers to as the “lettuce patch”20,

Hebrews 10:19-25. Here, the author of Hebrews is encouraging his audience to join together

through the use of the phrase “let us.” He says, “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full

assurance. Let us hold fast our confession. Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love

and good deeds.” This passage climaxes in verse 25 when the author says, “not forsaking our

own assembling together.” The overwhelming consensus here is that the church exists on the

confession of Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, and for his glory. This is seen through the ones

who have been called fellowshipping together and being intimately involved in the spiritual,

physical, and relational welfare of those committed together.

Another benefit of local church membership is corporate worship. Geisler cites John

4:24, where we are told those who worship God must do so in Spirit and truth. The point Geisler

is making seems to be the worship of God is expected, but it is a blessing to those who do so.

Throughout the Old Testament, God demonstrates his desire to be worshipped (Exodus 20:3,

34:14). God’s desire to be worshipped is seen in a corporate setting through the institution of

temple worship. This does not take away the individual’s personal worship of God,21 rather we

should see the individual worship ought to spur us to a more robust practice of corporate

worship. Leeman was correct when he critiqued the subtlety of a worship “service.” The message

that it is displaying says, “it is about the consumer in the pew.” The church should primarily

20
Ibid., 168
21
See the personal Psalms of David.
 9
exist to glorify God. This is done corporately through worship; Sunday morning meetings do not

exist to be the primary function of evangelism for the church, nor do they exist to be the

attraction for potential members. The Sunday morning time of corporate worship exists for the

glory of God. In turn, the church is edified, and the individual equipped.

A third benefit of local church membership, and one that is closely tied to the previous

benefit of corporate worship, is the participation in the ordinances. The first ordinance, largely

viewed as the initiation right into the church, is baptism. Leeman lays out a simple, yet concise

process for church membership, culminating in baptism.22 If baptism is the initiating right into

church membership the partaking of the Lord’s Supper is the continuation of church

membership. The partaking of the Lord’s Supper has been something of a debate in some circles.

Should the partaking of the Lord’s Supper be reserved for members of a local church (closed

communion); should it be extended to those who are known by the church but not members of

(close communion); or should it be offered to anyone who desires to partake (open communion)?

It would seem if the partaking of the Lord’s Supper is a benefit of being united to the church and

understood as an aspect of worship,23 perhaps it should not be open to all who would desire. For

this reason, it has traditionally been practiced that one of the first steps in church discipline is to

suspend a member who is in sin from being able to partake of the Lord’s Supper.24 In order for

22
Leeman, pgs. 83-90 The first step in this process is the affirmation of an individual’s faith in Jesus
Christ. The individual’s faith in Jesus will result in repentance of sins and culminate in the public
profession of their faith through believer’s baptism. When we examine Acts 2:37-38 we see the presence
of conviction of sins in the Jewish audience being pierced by the message of Peter. We see the presence
of faith in the pleading question, what must we do to be saved? We see Peters command to repent of sin
and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. This publicly displays faith in Jesus. Luke goes on to record
in Acts 2:41 the 3,000 who were added to the church that day did so through believer’s baptism.
23
John Hammett Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches: A Contemporary Ecclesiology (Grand Rapids, MI:
Kregel Publications, 2005)
24
Hammett pg. 105
 10
something to be a benefit it must be properly ordered within the church. To allow a brother or

sister who is in sin to partake of the Lord’s Supper would be to dilute the significance of what it

represents and go directly against scripture (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).25

Expectations of Members

Having briefly examined some of the benefits of church membership it becomes

important to properly understand the expectations placed on those members. Dever lists five

responsibilities members of his church are taught: attend services regularly, attend communion

particularly, attend member’s meetings consistently, pray regularly, give regularly.26 The first

three responsibilities coincide with the corporate nature of church membership. If corporate

worship is to be understood as a benefit of local church membership, attendance should be taught

to be highly valued and sacrifices should be made to prioritize the corporate assembling of the

congregation. Dever addresses the particular nature of communion and says Capitol Hill Baptist

Church used to have a weekly service where the members would renew their covenant with each

other and check the status of their relationships within the church. This meeting would take place

prior to the observance of the Lord’s Supper the following Sunday.27 While this may seem

extreme in today’s culture, it does seem to display a level of commitment to the local church not

contemporarily seen. The third aspect of the corporate nature of member responsibilities rests in

the individual member participating in the business of the church. Traditionally Baptist churches

have practiced a congregational polity that is lead either by a single elder or a plurality of elders.

While the church is led by the elder(s) it is approved by the membership. In this regard Leeman

25
Cited in the Second London Confession of 1689: 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, 1 Corinthians 11:29, Matthew
7:6.
26
Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, 172-73
27
Ibid., 173
 11
clarifies when he draws a distinction between joining a church and submitting to a church.28

When an individual becomes a citizen of a country, they are willingly submitting to the laws of

that country. When an individual properly understands their heavenly citizenship, they will

properly understand the church exists as an embassy of heaven. This understanding will result in

a submission to the authority of that church, of which Christ is the head. The church consists of

the redeemed who have committed to grow and serve in a specific local congregation. In this

regard the laity and leadership are to submit in the same regard to the head of the church. This

submission is to be approved through members participating in important matters within the

church and the leadership leading effectively. This distinction is important to understand, as it

acknowledges positions of leadership within the church while still places an appropriate level of

accountability upon the leadership through the approval of the church membership. This example

is seen in Acts 6 as the church puts forward men of character to service the widows to the

satisfaction of the apostolic leadership.

The last two components presented by Dever are those that can be done privately. While

prayer is certainly an act of corporate worship, it is a necessary act of private piety (Matthew

6:6). A well-informed church member will understand both the corporate and private aspect of

prayer and actively participate in both. Benjamin Keach places an additional “duty” upon the

church member in regard to prayer. He says,

“’Tis the Duty of every Member to pray for their Pastor and Teachers.
Brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may run and be glorified.
Again, saith Paul, Praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of
utterance, to speak the Mystery of Christ. Prayer was made without ceasing of
the Church unto God for him. They that neglect this Duty seem not to care
either for their Minister, or their own Souls, or whether Sinners be converted,
and the Church edified or not. They pray for their daily Bread, and will they
not pray to have the Bread of Life plentifully broken to them?”29
28
Leeman pg.30
29
Benjamin Keach, The Glory of a Church And it’s Discipline display’d 1697 (Polity 9marks, 2001)
 12
Jesus says much of the same when it comes to giving (Matthew 6:2-4), yet a more corporate

practice of giving is also seen through Acts (Acts 4:36-37).

The five responsibilities of church members presented by Dever can be summarized as

follows: It should be expected that regenerate members will live a life in keeping with their

profession of faith. This is the encouragement the author of Hebrews has for his audience when

he says “…let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.”30 It is also

Paul’s admonition in Titus 2:11-14 to call believers to live sensibly, righteously, and godly. It

should be the goal of every Christian to become more like Christ (Philippians 2:4-5; Romans

8:29; Ephesians 4:11-13), and it should be expected that Christians would do so when living life

in submission to and being held accountable to their commitment to the local church by a local

church.

Biblical Order of Church Discipline

Perhaps the most critiqued aspect of local church membership is the obedience of church

discipline. It can be utterly abused when practiced in an authoritarian way, but it can be a display

of grace and love (Hebrews 12:6-11) when practiced the biblical way. For this reason, church

discipline should be understood as both a blessing of membership as well as an expectation of

membership. Paul says in Galatians 6:1 we are to restore a brother who is in any trespass. He

goes on to say in verse two, we are to bear one another’s burdens. James says we are to confess

our sins to one to another (James 5:16), and as has already been noted, Paul spoke very firmly

about the disciplining of the immoral member of Corinth (1 Corinthians 5). The benefit of

discipline comes when a brother sees another struggling with sin and comes alongside him in the

spirit of Galatians 6:1-2 to help him through his sin. Perhaps Paul had this in mind when he said,

30
Heb 10:24.
 13
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will

not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the

way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”31 Every Christian benefits from being

held accountable in love. This only creates a more unified church that understands the

expectation to conform to the image of Christ.

The expectation is that the church and it’s members, submit to such a biblical practice

laid out by Jesus in Matthew 18:15-17. The spirit of church discipline must be in love, and it

must be with the goal of restoring the individual to fellowship. In this regard you will gain a

brother (Matthew 18:15). The Charleston statement of 1773 says, “Let those look to it who make

the church of Christ a harlot by opening the door of admission so wide as to suffer unbelievers,

unconverted, and graceless persons to crowd into it without control.” These strong words come

amidst a document focused on the proper use of church discipline. When orderly church

membership is practiced, and proper church discipline is implemented the result is a church

membership that is involved in the spiritual growth of its own. Both doctrinal and theological

fidelity is preserved (2 Timothy 1:13) and the character of those who claim the name of Christ is

brought to account. Additionally, the flock is protected from those who want to destroy God’s

people (Acts 20:28-30). This is neither legalistic or severe. Rather, this is strictly biblical and

loving. Local church leadership must be actively involved in the lives of those who have

committed to fellowship within the local assembly this is not only to protect those who have

been entrusted to them, but to preserve the purity of the Bride of Christ.

31
1 Co 10:13.
 14
A Proposed Vehicle for Establishing Order

A lack of commitment to the local church has been observed from the data that has been

presented. This is in part due to the self-centered mentality of society today, but also a product of

ignorance surrounding the definition of the church and the expectations that come with

membership.

What is being proposed is the institution of a church covenant, or the concept of

covenantal church membership. The Hebrew word ‫ ְבּ ִרית‬has the basic understanding of an

agreement. In some cases, this agreement has a contractual application (Job 5:23), but in most

cases ‫ ְבּ ִרית‬is understood as an agreement.32 As it pertains to God, covenant is the vehicle by

which he enters into relationship with his people (Genesis 12:1-3, 15:1-7; Exodus 19-24, 2

Samuel 7:12-16, Jeremiah 31:31-33). Ultimately Jesus is the fulfillment of each one of these

covenants, particularly the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31. It should then be understood that the

church of Christ is covenantal by nature. We are people of the New Covenant. As believers in

Jesus Christ, all Christians submit as δοῦλου to his Lordship. In addition to our submission to

His Lordship, we reap the benefits associated with the New Covenant. We have been sealed by

His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). Likewise, as partakers of the New Covenant Christians are presented

as children of God and joint heirs with Jesus, who have been released from the weakness of the

law through Christ (Romans 8). If the Universal Church is covenanted together through Christ by

submitting to his Lordship, the local church would do well in their commitment to each other to

display this through the truly biblical concept of covenant.33

32
Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill,
1994–2000), 158.
33
Hammett pg. 40
 15
Historically, the practice of covenantal church membership might be considered a

distinctive amongst Baptists. The Second London Confession of 1689 says the following of

membership, “They willingly agree to live together according to Christ’s instructions, giving

themselves to the Lord and to one another…”34 This agreement is practiced through worship and

discipline.35 Benjamin Keach develops this concept further in his explanation of orderly

discipline, having quoted the previously cited quotation Keach goes on to say,

“And when admitted Members, before the Church they must solemnly
enter into a Covenant, to walk in the Fellowship of that particular
Congregation, and submit themselves to the Care and Discipline thereof, and to
walk faithfully with God in all his Holy Ordinances, and there to be fed and
have Communion, and worship God there, when the Church meets (if possible)
and give themselves up to the watch and charge of the Pastor and Ministry
thereof: the Pastor then also signifying in the name of the Church their
acceptance of each Person, and endeavor to take the care of them, and to watch
over them in the Lord, (the Members being first satisfied to receive them, and
to have Communion with them.) And so the Pastor to give them the right Hand
of Fellowship of a Church, or Church Organical.”36

Several purposes exist for covenanting together in local congregations. First, an

adequately explained covenant will result in a membership that properly gives glory to God

through orderly worship and regular participation in the ordinances. Second, a covenanted

membership spurs one another on to Christlikeness. Third, a covenanted membership

understands, expects, and cherishes biblical accountability and discipline. Fourth, a covenanted

membership understands the importance of committing to the local assembling of the people of

God for reasons one through three. While these reasons cannot be biblically refuted, there will

still be those who will resist the notion of covenanting together as a body of believers.

34
Second London Confession of 1689, 26:6
35
Ibid., 26:7
36
The Glory of a Church And it’s Discipline display’d 1697, pg. 65
 16
There will be the inevitable degrading comment regarding “contractual” church

membership. This critique must be addressed swiftly and properly. By explaining covenant as

the way God enters into relationship with his chosen people covenant must be seen as more than

a simple contract. Marriage is a covenantal relationship, one in which marital fidelity is stressed.

I am faithfully committed to my wife. No other woman can fill the relationship role my wife

fills. We have committed ourselves to each other by entering to a covenantal relationship, called

marriage. This same comparison can be seen of the local church, the church is the Bride of Christ

(2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:27; Revelation 19:7). All those who profess faith in Jesus

Christ are part of the church (redemptive church membership). The Bridegroom has committed

himself to his bride, the church. The church has a duty to share in this covenantal commitment.37

Just as marriage has wonderful benefits such as lifelong companionship, parenting, marital

relations; marriage comes with expectations of love, respect, trust, care, etc.…

Proposal for Covenant

In an attempt to be sensitive to those who would resist the notion of physically signing a

church covenant to demonstrate an individual’s commitment to a local congregation, two options

will be presented. First is the preferred method, a well thought out and biblically robust

covenantal agreement that lays out the benefits of local church membership while also

explaining the biblical expectations of membership. One which stresses growth in Christlikeness

as a congregation, encourages regular participation in the ordinances, orderly worship, regular

prayer, and ensures Christian accountability and proper church discipline. A covenant where the

membership submits to the spiritual authority of the local church as led by the elder(s), yet the

elder(s) properly understand their position also as members and submit to the authority of Christ

as the head of the church and the approval of the congregation. This proposed covenant should

37
This concept causes a beautifully robust understanding of the book of Hosea to surface.
 17
be signed only after candidates for membership have properly and thoroughly been taught these

principles from scripture. This should be prayerfully done through a membership class led by the

elder(s) of the church. Upon completion of the membership class, the candidate for membership

commits to the local church through entering into a signed covenant. This relationship should

then be renewed through member meetings at the discretion of the elder(s). The renewal does not

necessitate a re-signing, rather an edifying message from scripture that renews the

congregation’s commitment to each other for the sole purpose of glorifying our Father in heaven.

The second proposal follows exactly with the first, but instead of there being a physical signing

of a covenant there is a verbal affirmation to covenant with the local church. This verbal

affirmation should be done in the presence of the congregation the candidates are covenanting

with, under the approval of the elder(s).

Conclusion

In an attempt to properly define and explain the existence of the local church and

demonstrate a trend away from commitment to the local church, this project has endeavored to

argue for a more orderly practice of church membership. A practice that properly understands the

importance of the church and the great sacrifice that was made on her behalf. Christ so

committed himself to his church that he died for her, it should be that his church commits herself

in return.
 18
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arndt, William, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, and F. Wilbur Gingrich. A Greek-English
Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 2000.

Askew, Thomas A., and Richard V. Pierard. The American Church Experience: A Concise History.
Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2004.

Barnes, William W. The Southern Baptist Convention: 1845-1953. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press,
1954.

Bebbington, David W. Baptists Through the Centuries: A History of a Global People. Waco, TX:
Baylor University Press, 2010.

Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. 19th Edition. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2012.

Chute, Anthony L., Nathan A. Finn, and Michael A.G. Haykin. The Baptist Story: From English Sect
to Global Movement. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2015.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. Third Edition. Wheaton, Il: Crossway, 2013.

———. “Polity: A Collection of Historic Baptist Documents.” Center for Church Reform, 2001.

Duesing, Jason G., Thomas White, and Malcolm B. Yarnell III. Upon This Rock: The Baptist
Understanding of the Church. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2010.

Geisler, Norman. Systematic Theology. Vol. Volume Four. Grand Rapids, MI: Bethany House
Publishers, 2005.

Hammett, John S. Biblical Foundations for Baptist Churches: A Contemporary Ecclesiology. Grand
Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2005.

Hobbs, Herschel H. Fundamentals Of Our Faith. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1960.

———. What Baptists Believe. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1964.

Holmes, Michael. The Apostolic Fathers in English. Third Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker
Academic, 2006.

Humphreys, Fisher. The Way We Were: How Southern Baptist Theology Has Changed And What It
Means To Us All. Macon, GA: Smyth and Helwys Publishing, Inc., 2002.

Kidd, Thomas S, and Barry Hankins. Baptists in America: A History. New York, NY: Oxford
University Press, 2015.

Knoll, Mark. Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI:
Baker Academic, 2012.
 19
Koehler, Ludwig, Walter Baumgartner, M. E. J. Richardson, and Johann Jakob Stamm. The Hebrew
and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000.

Lane, Tony. A Concise History of Christian Thought. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006.

Leeman, Jonathan. Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus. Wheaton, Il:
Crossway, 2012.

McBeth, Leon. Texas Baptists. First. Waco, TX: Baptist Way Press, 1998.

———. The Baptist Heritage: Four Centuries of Baptist Witness. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press,
1987.

Reeves, Stan. The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith In Modern English. Cape Coral, FL: Founders
Press, 2017.

Thiselton, Anthony C. The First Epistle to the Corinthians: A Commentary on the Greek Text. New
International Greek Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2000.

Varner, William. The Way of the Didache: The First Christian Handbook. Lanham, ML: University
Press of America, 2007.

Williams, D.H. Retrieving the Tradition & Renewing Evangelicalism. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans
Publishing, 1999.

Gen Z: The Culture, Beliefs, and Motivations Shaping the Next Generation. Barna Group and Impact
360 Institute, 2018.

Making Space for Millennials: A Blueprint for Your Culture, Ministry, Leadership, and Facilities.
Barna Group, 2014.

Who Runs the Church: Four Views on Church Government. Counterpoints. Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2004.