Big Day in the Life of The Journey

Today was a HUGE day in the life of The Journey Church. For years now we have had no membership in our church. It has taken a lot of study and a lot of listening from leaders far smarter than me to realize that it is biblical and necessary. The elders and I engaged in a lengthy process of studying this subject and walking through what a healthy membership would look like in our church. We begin offering membership classes next week and will continue to offer them quarterly. I am excited about what this means for us as a church.

What benefits are there in membership? Why should we do this?

1. It allows for the elders and staff to more effectively shepherd the flock God has brought to The Journey. 

2. It sets out clear expectations as to how leaders in the church will serve and pastor the flock, while also providing clear expectations as to what it means to be a member of a church. 

3. It allows for people to know what we are about as a church, as we have the opportunity to teach and talk about it in the membership format. 

4. It creates a definable group at The Journey that we can call "the church." 

Some time early this week the message from Sunday will be on the website under the "Stand Alone" messages category. You can listen to the sermon I gave about why church membership is a biblical expectation. In the message, I lay out why this subject is so important.

If you do not go through the membership process at the church, we are not going to ask you to leave or treat you like a second-class citizen. That is not the aim of installing membership. But I must add to that promise, a second promise, which is we will not stop pushing you and challenging you as to what it means to be a Christian, to be connected and committed to a local body of believers.

This was a BIG day in the life of The Journey. We have a long ways to go before we are able to say we have arrived, but I can honestly say that I have never been more excited about where we are as a church. The things I see our church growing in go far beyond numbers of people in the seats. I see us growing in our desire to be biblically faithful. I see us growing in our desire to live out what it means to be the church. I pray this continues. May we continue to remain connected and committed to one another, under the banner of Christ, as we the bride follow him in covenant together.

It is my joy to be your pastor.

Why do you think it is becoming harder in our culture to have people covenant with the church in membership? What can be done to help with this?

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