Main Idea: Covenant church membership is an essential practice of a healthy local church and a vital component of the Christian life.

The Overwhelming Case for Covenant Church Membership

• All New Testament authors assumed followers of Christ would engage in meaningful membership in a local church
• The descriptions of and prescriptions for the New Testament churches demonstrate a commitment to a distinct gathering of covenant church members
  • Acts 2:41
  • Acts 6:3
  • 1 Corinthians 5:12, 13
  • 1 Corinthians 6:5
  • Matthew 18:17
  • 2 Corinthians 2:6–8
  • 1 Timothy 5:9, 10
  • Revelation 7:9, 10
• The practice of covenant church membership is a continuation of the Old Testament example of God’s people being distinct from those around them

The Extraordinary Benefits of Covenant Church Membership

• Covenant church membership allows Christians to display the biblical metaphors for God’s people most clearly
  • 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17
  • 1 Corinthians 12:12, 20
  • Galatians 6:10
• Covenant church membership is the context in which Christians can live out the “one another” commands of Scripture most faithfully
  • Romans 12:10, 16
• Covenant church membership helps elders to shepherd the flock of God most intently
  • 1 Peter 5:1-4
• Covenant church membership provides the exclusive avenue for Christians to rightly exercise their God-given authority
  • Galatians 1:9
  • Matthew 16:15–20
  • Matthew 18:18–20
  • Matthew 28:18–20

So What?

• We must be diligent in our personal and corporate pursuit of covenant church membership because through it we display the glory and gospel of God.
  • John 17:20–23