Church Membership is a Key Path of Discipleship

A powerful aspect of discipleship is commitment to a local church body. The New Testament churches were filled with people who deliberately joined their midst. Those committed Christians were overseen by equally committed local leaders (pastors/ teachers/ elders/ shepherds).

Church membership is a foundation for a life of intentional relationships centered on Jesus. Devotion to one another inside a church, combined witha give-and-take devotion to careful leaders, provides a relational context for the Christian life.

In an era where it's assumed that people are autonomous, where it's easy to cut and run whenever things get tense or difficult, where conflicts are rarely dealt with honestly... church membership is a sign of the profound work of grace in a Christian's life.

This Sunday, a great group of people will publicly commit to vows of church membership. They are revolutionaries of committed grace-filled relationships.

From our Seven Pathways of Discipleship:

"Discipleship is facilitated at Grace Silicon Valley through membership, worship services, community groups, prayer, service opportunities, Christian education, and deliberate relationships.

1) Through Membership. This is the most basic way for the leaders of the church to know you and fulfill their call to equip and encourage you. Take advantage of this opportunity to be in relationship with the leaders by communicating with them."