There is a “membership epidemic” in the church today that must be addressed and solved. The idea of meaningful membership in the local church nearly went extinct during the past 30 years as churches became more focused on seeker-driven models, getting people to come back and fill the seats, and voting with their feet (the idea that you are a member by attending) based on how “fun” the youth center was; disregarding concern for the lack of biblical content.

It’s 30 minutes before the guests arrive. Dishes are piled high in the sink from the meal you just spent 3 hours preparing. You give your husband a glance that pleads for his assistance, but he misses the cue. Your son walks through the door and gives you a hug while gently insinuating that you don’t smell guest-worthy. You rush to take a quick shower and throw on some clothes only to find the kids have destroyed the house that you just spent hours cleaning.

If you asked a large group of Christians what “church membership” is, you’d likely get an answer that sounds a bit like this: Church membership is being a part of a church. If you asked that same group what their role is as a member of Christ’s church you may hear: I am supposed to show up at church.

Throughout the prophetic books in the Old Testament, we see a pattern in which Israel continuously disobeys the commands God has given to them, is threatened with divine judgment, then repents and cycles into the same pattern again and again. God then uses His prophets to warn His people, and makes promises of future restoration despite their obstinate ways.

When it comes to leadership, how do you measure greatness? The mother of James and John thought it was having the best seats in Christ’s Kingdom (Matthew 20:20-21). There are those today who would certainly say that executive titles, church size, book deals, Twitter followers, podcast rankings, and global influence are sure signs of high status.

There is nothing on earth like the local Christian church. Hundreds of conferences offer life-changing experiences for several days but can’t come close to the life-long impact of a local church. Evangelistic crusades may draw tens of thousands to hear the gospel, but the crusade team can’t possibly facilitate the spiritual growth of those converts the way the local church can.