Back in August, 17 men and women became founding members of Grace Harbor Church New Bedford. We took vows of membership together, committing to watch over the spiritual good of one another for as long as we are in covenant membership together.

When you hear the word “membership” what comes to mind? A baseball team? A Costco membership? When you become a member of a healthy, gospel-centered local church, you are not merely signing up for conditional benefits or rewards. You join in with a group of Christ-followers who live in your local context and affirm each other as believers. We protect one another as we seek to live in a fallen world as Christians. We also help one another grow up into full maturity in God.

Why is membership in a local church so crucial for the believer in Christ?

• 1 Thessalonians 5

• Colossians 3

• 1 Peter 2:5

• 1 Peter 5:2

• James 5

• Matthew 5:9

• John 13:34-45

• Romans 16

• 1 Corinthians 3:15

• 1 Corinthians 12:12-26

Why join a church?

• To display the gospel

• Because the Bible requires it (all the “one another’s”)

• To love other Christians and edify the church with your gifts

• To evangelize the world by showing there is a clear distinction between the world and the church (1 Corinthians 5)

• To remind yourself of your own salvation during hard seasons (John 14:21)

• To expose false gospels (John 13)

• To glorify God by committing to His body (1 Peter 2:12)

If we think we can be in Christ and not be in His church, we must recognize that we are not honoring Scripture. By covenanting together in membership, we tell the other members of the church: “We’ve got you. What burdens you, burdens us. What brings you joy, brings us joy. What you soak your pillow over, we do too.” Your spiritual growth is not up to you alone to find your own way, but rather God has given the church body to walk alongside you in it.

Where can you learn more about church membership and what it means?

We host quarterly membership classes where we walk through our Statement of Faith, what membership looks like biblically, and how to be involved in Grace Harbor Church. Attending our membership class does not automatically sign you up to become a member, but it does offer you a safe place to ask questions and learn more as you seek to make a decision on if we are the church family for you. Class dates are announced during our Sunday morning gatherings.

Two books have helped us significantly as we shape what membership looks like for our church. We highly recommend Church Membership by Jonathon Leeman and What is a Healthy Church by Mark Dever.

Not local to New Bedford and the Southern MA/RI area? Search 9marks.org for a local church near you.