Church Membership

“At Church Answers, we’ve researched membership classes for over two decades. Every one of our projects reveals the value of these classes. Here are some research highlights from our findings.” - Sam Rainer

“The 2022 State of Theology study found most Americans (56%) don’t believe every Christian has an obligation to join a local church. Only relatively small majorities of evangelicals (51%) and churchgoers themselves (62%) believe all Christians have that responsibility.” - Lifeway

“… the members know one another. … I know every member. I’ve learned where he grew up, her vocation, his joys and sorrows, which of her kids has wandered from the Lord. So when we break for a time of fellowship, we’re actually having fellowship.” - TGC

“Perhaps the most potent passage I sometimes take people to when discussing the need for church membership is Hebrews 13:17 which reads: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls…” - Ref21

“Churches sometimes face legal exposure. Even a well-functioning, gospel-preaching, Scripture-affirming church can find itself facing a lawsuit.” - 9 Marks

“Isn’t it ironic that a high commitment like church membership can bring about a sense of freedom? I’m not exactly sure how that works but I do have some clarity on what I think it’s not. It’s not because I feel I can do whatever I want, or that I am free to be uniquely ‘me’ ”… 9 Marks

“…some church leaders—especially cult leaders of false churches—abuse their power and take advantage of others. That’s what ex-Mormons experienced. But a biblical understanding of church membership actually inhibits such authoritarian abuses from ever happening.” - 9 Marks

Churches without Members, Christians without Churches

“The decline in church membership appears to be primarily a result of more Americans expressing no religious preference….Most of the rest of the drop can be attributed to a decline in formal church membership among Americans who do have a religious preference….

“This kind of training seems to have started very early in church history, even during the apostolic age. So it is worth asking the questions: what did the apostolic church teach new believers? What were the fundamentals of the faith? What did early Christian catechism look like?” - Wyatt Graham