What is a Healthy Church Member?

While on vacation this week, among the many books I'm feverishly reading, is Thabiti M. Anyabwile's "What is a healthy church member?" Though I am not finished with the book yet, I have already decided that this is going to be a church-wide study for our congregation at Sovereign Grace. In fact, I would highly recommend this book for all pastors to consider as something either for your church-family to read together, or as a book for new members to be required to read. In this little work (it is only 127 pages), Thabiti gives ten marks that identify the biblical characteristics of a healthy church member. One of these marks (which I was reading about today) is that a healthy church member is a committed church member. The key to this aspect of healthy church membership is what Thabiti calls "committed love." Basing this on John 13:34-35, where Christ plainly says that all men will know that we are His disciples if we "have love for one another" - Thabiti says rightly that this love for one another shows up best in the local church. He writes: "The local church is the place where love is most visibly and compellingly displayed among God's people."

Now following this as the "essence" of church membership, Thabiti goes on to raise an all-important question: What does a committed church member look like? In other words, where do we see the essence of church membership (love for one another) show up? Thabiti answers this question in eight different ways.

First, a committed church member attends regularly. They are not only known to the church because their name is on a roll book. They show up to all the stated meetings of the church. And they do this because they "love the brethren" (I Jn.3:14). Moreover, they attend regularly to stir up fellow believers to love and good works (Heb.10:24,25). Second, a committed church member seeks peace. This is not "peace at any price", but he seeks to be a source of keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph.4:3); rather than being a source of division. Third, a committed church member edifies others. He seeks to build others up in their walk with Christ (Eph.4:11-16) rather than being self-serving and expecting everyone to exist only to meet his needs (Phil.2:3,4). Fourth, a committed church member warns and admonishes others. Concerning this point, Thabiti observes:

"A committed member is committed to speaking the truth in love to his brothers and sisters, to helping them avoid pitfalls, and to encouraging them in holiness and Christian joy. A committed member will not be wrongly intrusive in the lives of others - a busybody - but he also will not be 'hands off' when it comes to caring for and counseling others."

Fifth, a committed church member pursues reconciliation. He does not let things fester between fellow believers. If there has been a breach in his fellowship with a brother or sister in Christ, he will seek forgiveness and reconciliation (Matt.5:23,24; Col.3:13). Sixth, a committed church member bears with others. He shows patience, kindness, meekness, and compassion toward fellow Christians. He strives to esteem them as better than himself, and thus not to think more highly of himself than he should (Phil.2:3; Rom.12:3-8). Seventh, a committed church member prepares for the ordinances. That is, he prepares himself spiritually whenever the church observes either baptism or the Lord's Supper. He does not treat these precious means of grace for the church as something that is merely ritual or "the thing we do". He rejoices when a believer is baptized and looks with anticipation to meeting with his brethren at the Lord's Table to remember why and for what purpose Christ died for His people (I Cor.11:27). Finally, a committed church member supports the work of the ministry. Thabiti explains this point very well:

"A committed member gives resources, time, and talent to the furtherance of the gospel in the local church. He lives out the Bible's call to the body of Christ (see I Cor.12:6-8)...A healthy, committed church member receives and applies the grace of God by working to support the ministry of the local church and excels in giving what he has already received from God to gospel work. He should follow the example of the Macedonians, who committed to a financial giving strategy that was sacrificial, generous, increasing over time, and fueled by faith in God despite present circumstances (II Cor.8-9).

In light of these characteristics which bespeak of what it means biblically to be a "committed" church member, how do we measure up? Where do we need to be more sanctified as those who have committed to one another as the body of Christ in a gathered local assembly? There is certainly no such thing as a "perfect" church member. But neither can we say that our commitment as church members is at a place where we need no more growth. So, let us examine ourselves carefully here, and pray that God will give us grace to increase in the measure of our love for one another as believers in Christ - committed to each other as His people for His glory.