Here at Kindred Community Church we offer membership for several reasons, here are a few:
Assurance: In committing to the local church we use membership as a sign of our membership in the universal body of Christ. We are committing to live out our Christianity with others, being encouraged and, if necessary, reproved for our walk with the Lord. In this we use membership as a means to assure ourselves and others of our salvation.
Evangelism: In committing to the local church we can better evangelize the lost. We can use the gifts of others paired with our own to reach the nations. The church is really a missions organization, and the most effective way to reach the lost is through joining hands with other believers in speaking and living out the truths of the gospel.
Exposing false gospels: It is the way we live that truly shows what gospel we believe and this can be seen specifically in the body life of the church. What Paul says regarding elders in 1 Timothy 5:24-25 is true of all believers, in that some sins are very obvious and so are some good works but “even those that are not cannot remain hidden.” Sin and false beliefs will eventually come on to the center stage. So in membership we commit to opening our lives and beliefs to others in the local body.
To edify the church: Most of the exhortations in the New Testament are plural, John would say to “love one another” and the writer of Hebrews would say “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope.” Beyond this Paul takes pains in many of his letters to show that edification, or building up, of ourselves is done together. Growing in godliness is not a lonely process. Our gifts will be used to bless others and other believers will use their gifts to bless us and we will continue in this “…until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” as Paul puts it in Ephesians 4:12-13.
To glorify God: Jesus said in John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” The way that we live together as the body of Christ is ultimately for the Glory of our God. So we make a commitment in membership to glorify God together in our local body.
Here at Kindred we hold a membership class every two months or so. It is a 4 hour class on biblical membership and our doctrinal statement that is taught by a couple of our elders. After the class a personal interview with one of our elders or deacons will be set up, after you are approved for membership we will bring the class up in front of the congregation to be welcomed to Kindred as new members. If you have any questions please call Janice in the office at 714.282.9941 or e-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
*These points are adapted from Mark Devers book ‘9 Marks of a Healthy Church’