Formal church membership

Is formal church membership (as in voted in, on a roster) a necessity? I see the benefit in it, as it generally brings with it commitment as opposed to church-hopping and/or only sporadic involvement.

When someone becomes a Christian, they automatically become a member of the body of Christ, which is the church (Colossians 1:18), or the ekklesia (in the Greek), or the called-out congregation or assembly of believers.

God is the one who chooses what each member's place is in the body.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

If God places you in a specific assembly or gathering of saints, then there is nothing wrong with becoming a formal member there, but you are not ultimately confined to that assembly. In other words, you could "church hop" and still be a member of Christ's body or the church anywhere in the world where believers are gathered together.

Also, even if you were in isolation for some reason, like for being imprisoned for your faith, you would still be a member of the church because Christ is the head of the church, and the church is his body which is made up of individual members.

It is interesting to see how a person's answer to this changes as a person gets older... And needs the pastor to provide a ride to a doctor appointment.

My church is more than just a place I go and see familiar faces once or twice a week. It is a group of people who have different skills and help each other. It is a group of people I have grown up with and watched how their lives turn out. My best friends are in that group.

We have an official roster so other people legally cannot come in, suddenly outnumber us and then start voting the pastor out and banning us from our own church. As such, and because I care about this group, it behooves me to be on that roster so I can take part in decisions that affect this group.

TLDR - Yeah it sure matters a lot.

There is some very practical wisdom there. Thanks for sharing.

Did the church in Acts have membership rolls? I don't remember reading of any. When a person was baptized into Christ they became a member of the body of Christ; that was it.

Absence of proof is not proof of absence. By your logic a certain church organization is right in claiming we shouldn't use musical instruments in church, because there was no record of them being used in the church in Acts.

There's also no record of them using toothbrushes... or their equivalent.

We DO know they used letters of recommendation when people moved from place to place. They did have some form of organization. You couldn't just move to a new city and lie to them about being part of the church where you came from if you weren't really part of that church.

Necessity?
No...especially when you are a schmuck and a leech on the community.

Formal church membership is a real action about stating that you like, love, and care about the group of people that constitute the church you are attending.

You can say anything....but it doesn't make it true. Putting actions to your words makes them a lot more believable. That you believe in them...

Joining a group of people formally is not a bad thing. Clubs usually have memberships...which essentially is what you are doing...joining a club of your Christian friends.

You don't have to participate in everything and membership does nothing towards providing salvation...but it does make things easier for the church's secretaries and other people contact you or inform you of various activities.

Like. "Too much snow so we are closing the church today"
OR
Pastor got smacked by a bus...substitute pastor today but there's going to be a funeral and potluck immediately following the service.

Eloquently put, old chap. But I swear I wasn't driving that bus.

I was framed! I swear it! Someone else paid for that decal!

And no I haven't forgotten John has me on ignore. Doesn't change anything. He still made a well stated point.

Yeah, that. I think that's the cat what framed me.

I believe membership is good, but commitment and love should always accompany that membership. I know of at least one family in our church that are not “official” members, yet they are always first in line to help with things like AWANA and VBS and are also very loving and giving people. But to vote on matters or to be deacon or elder, membership is required, so non-members miss out on that aspect of our church.