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.

The Pillar and Buttress of Truth
There is a description of the church in God's Word, which I believe is a rare characteristic to be found in most local churches today. In fact, it is an attribute of the church which has been laid aside (unintentionally or not) because it may be viewed as irrelevant to so-called "church growth". In I Timothy 3:15, we are told that "the church of the living God" is a "pillar and buttress of truth." Now of all things that could have been said to capture an essential distinctive and quality about the church as it is seen in the world, God breathes in his biblical writer these words: "a pillar and buttress of truth."
This means that wherever the gathered church of Christ is visibly found in the world, it is to be a living, vibrant, and immovable testimony to God's truth. As a pillar...of truth, the church is to be the support of the truth; however, as the buttress of truth, the church is actually being pictured as a foundation to the superstructure of the truth. Thus, the church should never be seen as upholding anything that is false and opposed to the truth of God's written revelation. In fact, any so-called church which openly denies God's Word in any part, or treats it as anything less than being God's infallible Word - cannot be identified with integrity as a true church.
The reason I say this is because without the Word of God, the church has no authority nor legitimate basis for even being the church. For the church is not man's idea but the very creation of God (see I Cor.12:12-27; Eph.1:3-14; 2:11-22). Furthermore, the message and mission of the church in the world does not originate with the cleverness or imagination of man, but is given to the church by God as a stewardship (see Matt.28:18-20; I Cor.4:1-2). Yet the framework and knowledge of all these things come from God's Word. Henceforth, it is only by the truth of God's Word that a local church can be identified as the body of Jesus Christ, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, entrusted with the gospel of salvation; and is able to believe and teach with certainty and assurance the true character of God, the creation and fall of man, justification by grace alone, holiness of life, heaven & hell, and many other great doctrines which distinguish the church from the world. So then, if a church is going to be true and faithful to God's calling on who and what they are in Christ - they must therefore be a visible body of people who are a pillar and buttress of truth. Moreover, the church and the truth have a symbiotic relationship, in which each is always affecting the other. Messing with any part of one will always have adverse effects on the other (see Tit.2:5b, 10b).
In the most practical terms then, as the pillar and buttress of truth the church must, first of all, be digesting the truth. When the world sees the church, they should see a people who are memorizing, meditating, and studying the Word of God (Psa.1:1-2; 119:11; Rev.10:9). If pricked by anyone, the church should bleed bibline! Second of all, to be the pillar and buttress of truth, the church should be defending it. God's Word is always under attack, we must then be ready and willing to lay down our lives (whatever that may cost) to preserve and proclaim it in the face of any opposition (Phil.1:16; II Tim.4:1-4). Finally, as the pillar and buttress of truth, the church must be disseminating the truth & demonstrating its power in holy living. From the pulpit to the pew, from the homeplace to the workplace - the church should always be expounding God's Word without shame or apology to the glory of God, in word and in deed (see Matt.28:18-20; Acts 20:20-27; Eph.4:11-5:21; Col.3:12-17).

King Saul, Ourselves, and the Authority of God's Word

One of the most tragic figures in the history of Israel was King Saul. What he might have been as Israel's first king, one can only imagine. But he certainly had all the appearances for a great king, at least in the beginning: he had charisma, courage, a seeming humility, good looks, and he was handpicked by God Himself to be king (see I Samuel 9-11). What a package deal! However, there would prove to be one great outstanding problem in Saul. A problem that would cost him both his family dynasty and kingdom altogether (see I Samuel 13 & 15). King Saul hated authority. Specifically, he hated the authority of God via His Word.

Whatever God commanded Saul to do, he would not fully comply and submit to God's Word. He was simply unwilling for God to rule over him. Rather, Saul wanted to live and do as he pleased, without having to be responsible for his actions and thereby held accountable for his conduct. Moreover, his refusal to honor God's authority was characterized by an overarching attitude that was unteachable, unrepentant, and blind to his own disobedience (I Samuel 15:13,20). Is it any wonder that God described Saul's rebellion as the equivalent to a wicked abomination (I Samuel 15:22,23)?

When I think about King Saul's disdain for the authority of God's Word, I cannot help but to see in Saul's example a vivid and sobering picture of the modern church. On a large scale, there are those movements like "the seeker-sensitive" and "the emerging-church" - which have openly defied the authority of God's Word by redefining the church and its purpose by the standards of secular culture. Churches which follow the philosophies of these movements quite literally take their cues from the world rather than God's Word. An action which seems to scream at God: "We will not honor nor recognize Your authority over us!"

But on a much smaller scale, though no less important, there are simply many of us who claim to believe the Bible as God's Word, but do not submit ourselves in obedience to its divine authority. In certain areas, there is that Saul-like attitude in each of us for being stubborn, self-willed, unteachable, and blind to our disobedience! This can be seen, for example, in Christian husbands who have either abdicated or abused their God-given headship over their families; rather than leading by a loving Christ-like, selfless, sacrificial example (Ephesians 5:25-33). Christian wives can also be seen in rebellion to God's authority, by refusing submission and respect to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24,33); but instead, they argue against, bicker, nag, undermine, and ridicule the authority God has placed over them in their husbands.

Another example is in church relations. For instance, there is the relationship between the church and pastoral leaders. God commands believers to respect, honor, esteem, obey, and submit to the elders of the church (see I Thessalonians 5:12,13; I Timothy 5:17; Hebrews 13:7,17) - but sadly, many church members have no regard for such God-given authority in their pastors; and would rather treat them like "hired-help" or indentured servants. Then there is the manifold commands of God to love, encourage, admonish, and build up one another in the body of Christ (see John 13:34; Ephesians 4:29; I Thessalonians 5:14; Hebrews 10:24,25). But do we see these commands obeyed? Self-seeking, backbiting, and bitterness seem to be more characteristic. At root in all of this, is a problem with authority - God's authority. And it is a problem of the heart. We treasure our wants more than God's will. Self-examination is needed here. Do I love the idea of God's authority, or do I love God's authority? Partial obedience is disobedience. Remember King Saul.