Membership - A Significant Covenant

This Sunday we, the Papanui Baptist Church whānau, will welcome 18 or so people into membership. Some have been members in the past and find themselves back in this fellowship, some have been here for a long time and have decided that now is a great time to come into membership and others have newly felt the call to plant themselves here for a time.

I was asked on Sunday what I really thought about membership, and whether it was something important. I had to think about that and important isn’t the word I used. The word I used was significant. Membership, to me, is deeply significant as it signifies to God that we are as committed in covenant to His body, the Church, as He is. It signifies to others that we are in purposeful community together and actively seeking to discern God’s will; to paddle together rather than randomly or passively drift with the tide.

It serves to signify or remind us personally that, although we experience a most intimate personal relationship with our Creator God, being ‘made in His image’ means that we are to live out our faith within community; with the help, support, encouragement and continuing revelation of His love that others bring to us. We aren’t meant to walk this faith journey alone.

Membership means belonging to a faith community with intention and with purpose.

So, do I think it’s important?

Yep, because I think it’s deeply significant.

Colleen