From my comment on http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/church/features/27229-breaking-down-church-membership


This is not aimed at anyone specifically, but I believe that it is pertinent to this discussion. What we need, that is everyone, is humility. Our faith is full of the most wonderful contradictions. The greatness of a leader is measured by how much he serves his people. We, ourselves, should serve and submit to one another. Our opinions, ambitions, plans are all irrelevant because of their fallible human origin. We need to put aside everything of our selves (dying to self, carrying our cross, offering ourselves as a living sacrifice), and submit ourselves to God's will. In other words, we lose our lives in order to gain it. We say to God "we are your creations, all we are and all we have belong to You. Do with us as You please, because we trust You. May Christ be glorified in all we say and do." Humbling ourselves before God and one another creates a community. More than that, it creates unity. We cannot be one with God without being one with each other. We see the needs of other people as greater than our own needs.

The result of this, a heart commitment to one another, is identical to what a covenant or membership would seek to do in a more formal way. Whatever you decide with regard to church membership, your responsibility as a Christian is to serve other believers, to care for their needs, in a way which is sacrificial in time, money and property. Your status, wealth, knowledge, training, education are worthless in God's Kingdom. Your independence is spiritually cancerous. Our sole aim is to bring glory to Jesus Christ. We do this by being a community that serves and loves one another. This is the sign that Jesus spoke of that we would be known as His disciples. This is how we become the city on a hill. There is no place for lone rangers.

*** ADDITIONAL ***

When talking about commitment, whether it is marriage, covenant, church membership, or anything else, the key is heart commitment. The person has to assent to the relationship from his innermost being. If not, then whatever words are spoken, whatever oaths are sworn, whatever papers are signed, no matter how many or how few witnesses, such things are utterly worthless.

On the other hand, where there is a true commitment from the heart, none of these things are necessary. The person's desires, their will, is galvanized to that which they have committed themselves to. No paper or words could make this person more committed, although they may employ these to bear witness to their heart commitment.