"But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." -(1 Corinthians 12:24b-26)

THE BASIS FOR CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

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In a day when commitment is rare, it should come as no surprise that church membership is such a low priority to so many believers. To fail to join a church as a formal member, however, reflects a misunderstanding of the believer’s responsibility to the body of Christ. And it also cuts one off from the many blessings and opportunities that flow from this commitment. It's essential for every Christian to understand what church membership is and why it matters. Although Scripture does not contain an explicit command to formally join a local church, the biblical foundation for church membership permeates the New Testament. When an individual is saved, he becomes a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). Because he is united to Christ and the other members of the body in this way, he is therefore qualified to become a member of a local expression of that body.