Even though I know there are a number of different viewpoints on the topic these days, I remain a fan of Church Membership.

Church Membership, when used properly, is a valuable tool in helping the people in your church grow spiritually.

I’m often asked how we promote the Biblical idea of church membership, so here are a few ideas that will raise the value of membership at your church:

• Encourage membership as a part of your people’s spiritual growth. Their commitment to a spiritual community is part of their commitment to Christ.
• Preach on the value and role of church membership in the life of a believer. Include it in your preaching calendar as you would baptism.
• Make membership a requirement for leading small groups or leading a ministry. At The Journey you can’t lead a group if you’re not a member or aren’t going to be enrolled in the next membership class.
• Make use of a membership covenant. Make sure people know what they’re committing to when they become a member of your church.  A good covenant will draw people toward membership.
• Make sure that church membership is the ultimate goal of your Assimilation System. You want to assimilate people with the goal of them accepting Christ and joining the church.  Membership should be the last block of your Assimilation strategy.  Make sure you don’t overlook the end game as you work on your overall Assimilation System.

What can you do in the next couple of months to raise the value of church membership at your church?

P.S. To learn how we handle membership at The Journey, check out The Maximizing Membership Kit.