Why You Should Consider Becoming a Member

Church Membership

Every Christian is called by God to be passionately committed to a specific local church. Yet, when it comes to the Christian life, the church’s importance is often overlooked, minimized or misunderstood. Have you ever stopped to ask, “What is the church? What is God’s purpose for the church? What is church membership all about? Is that some sort of legalism or power-grab by the leadership? Is it essential or optional? Is membership a matter of obedience to Jesus Christ or a matter of personal preference?” We will have a church membership class that will address these questions and much more – sort of a Christianity 101 meets DCC 101.

» REGISTER HERE!

If you would like to learn more about the biblical rationale for church membership, and I hope you do, I encourage you to continue reading:

Q: How does Jesus feel about the church?

The truth is that the local church is central to God’s glorious purposes in the world – and we get to be part of that. The church is not one option among many options for followers of Jesus; it is the option. Jesus died and gave himself up, for the church (Eph 5:25; Jn 3:16-17). Jesus is the head of the church (Eph 1:22-23; 5:23; Col 1:8). Jesus cleanses, nourishes and cherishes the church (Eph 5:27,29). Jesus promises to build his church (Mt 16:18). Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest of the church (Heb 3:1). Jesus lives to make intercession for the church (Heb 7:25). All of history is marching toward the day when Jesus will be with His church (Rev 19:6ff). Clearly, Jesus loves the church. If we love what Jesus loves, we too will love His church. But, you might ask, “Can’t I be part of Jesus’ church without being committed to a specific local church?” That’s a good question.

Q: Can I be part of Jesus’ church without being committed to a specific local church?

Jesus’s church is both visible (as we see it imperfectly) and invisible (as God sees it perfectly), universal (worldwide) and local (particular context). Many Christians wrongly believe the only thing that matters is belonging to the invisible and universal church (i.e. the worldwide body of true believers). Therefore, being intentionally committed to a local church is often viewed as being of little importance.  This goes against the emphasis that the Bible places on the local church. The term “church” is used 109 times in the NT and 93 of those are clear references to the local church. Only 16 signify the universal church. In other words, the overwhelming majority of references to the church in the NT refer to a specific, local, living and loving group of people who are committed to Christ and one another. The local church is the outward manifestation of the universal church in a specific local context. We demonstrate that we are committed part of the universal church through our commitment to the local church.

Q: What are some biblical evidences of church membership?

#1 Metaphors for the church.

There are a host of metaphors the Bible uses to explain the relationship of Jesus to his people, and Jesus’ people to Jesus – bride, flock, branches, building, crops, harvest, priesthood, house and more. The majority of these metaphors highlight that our relationship to Jesus is not merely individual, but corporate. Four metaphors seem to be central: citizens, body, temple and family. These images couldn’t merely be used to describe the universal church as it is impossible to be “family” or part of the same “body” with people you’re not in direct proximity to. Nor could these metaphors be used to describe a loose collection of isolated individuals that happen to gather once a week. God chose these particular metaphors to describe a brand new people that are vitally and organically committed to one another by nature of their faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, church membership represents the commitment to live out our corporate identity in Christ as citizens, the body of Christ, the living temple of God, and the adopted family of God, with other followers of Jesus, in a local context.

#2 Jesus loves the church. So should we. (Eph 5:25-27)

Church membership is a way to say, “I love the local church (i.e. people) and I’m going to demonstrate that by committing myself to these people for whom Jesus died and rose from the grave.” Church membership is a way of saying with our lives, “I’m committed to what Jesus is committed to – his people.”

#3 The first Christians corporately identify themselves as “churches”. (Acts 8:1; 11:22,26; 12:1,5; 14:27; 15:3,4)

If you look closely, there are no examples of Christians in the Bible that lived separately from the local church. Church membership is a way of saying with our lives “I understand that essential to following Jesus is belonging to a specific, local family (or church) of Jesus.”

#4 The first Christians were “added” to the church. (Acts 2:14,47)

In other words, these new Christians did not merely become isolated Jesus-followers or choose a small group of fellow Christians to hang out with, but they were added to a people – the church. Church membership represents being “added” to a particular local church.

#5 An intentional record was kept. (Acts 1;15; 2:41; 4:4)

The early church seemed to be keeping track of those that demonstrated faith in Jesus Christ – likely for the purposes of planning and care (cf Acts 6). There is biblical evidence that the early church kept a list of widows (1Tim 5:9). If there were lists of widows it is very reasonable to conclude there were also lists of those who belonged to the church. Church membership is counting yourselves among those that belong to God’s people, in Christ, in a local context.

#6 Common commitment and mutual dependence. (Acts 2:42-47)

From the beginning those in the church were committed to and mutually dependent on one another. It is evident that the church was not just a random collection of isolated individuals who happened to gather once or twice a week. Church membership is demonstrating your common commitment to and mutual dependence on other followers of Christ in the context of a local church.

#7 Pastors/leaders are responsible for specific “sheep”. (1 Peter 5:2; Acts 20:28)

These verses tell us that the pastors/leaders knew who they were responsible for (i.e. the “flock”) and who they were to give an account for before Jesus Christ (Heb 13:17). In order to give an account, the pastors must know who they are accountable for. Clearly, this cannot mean that pastors/leaders are responsible for everyone, but only those who are part of their “flock”. Church membership allows the pastors to know who they are ultimately responsible for.

#8 Christians are responsible to follow specific pastors/leaders. (Heb 13:17; 1 Tim 5:17)

Just as pastors and leaders must know who they are responsible for, the church must know who they are to follow, emulate and who honor to. By becoming a member of a local church you are placing yourself under the watch and care of specific leaders who have been given the task of shepherding your soul. Without becoming a member of a local church it is impossible to actually obey these verses.

#9 Church discipline infers church membership. (1Cor 5:13; Titus 3:10; 1 Jn 2:19; Mt 18:15-20)

In each of the passages above, an individual living and persisting in stubborn, unrepentant sin is removed from among God’s people. The question this raises is “How can someone be removed from the church who has not first belonged to it?” Answer: they can’t. You can’t put someone out of the church if they have never officially been part of the church.

#10 The Apostle Paul planted churches not isolated Christians. (Acts 14:23; 15:41; 16:5)

Throughout the book of Acts the Apostle Paul’s aim was to plant churches, not merely convert isolated, independent individuals. We see this not only during his three missionary journeys, but also in his epistles which comprise the bulk of our New Testament – written in church (Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Corinthians, Thessalonians, etc). Church membership is an acknowledgement that God’s primary plan for the spread of the gospel is through the planting of local church-planting-churches.

#11 God gives spiritual gifts to followers of Jesus for the upbuilding of the church. (Rom 12:3-8; 1Cor 12:4-31)

On two occasions the Apostle Paul addresses the great reality that God gifts individual followers of Jesus in order to build up the church. Now some of these gifts benefit the universal church (e.g. apostleship), but the vast majority are given by God to be used for the benefit of the local churches (e.g. serving, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, mercy, etc). “For the body does not consist of one member but of many…if all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” (1Cor 12:14,19-20). Church membership is a way of saying, “I belong to this particular body and commit to exercising my God-given gifts here for its up-building and flourishing, alongside others who are doing the same.”

Summary

When you take all of this together, it becomes very clear that we are saved, in Christ, to be a living, loving, local people who are committed to Christ and one another. When you choose Jesus, you choose Jesus’ people too. If we’re to love what Jesus loves, we must love the church (universal and local), which he loved to the point of death on a cross. If we’re to be committed to what Jesus is committed to, we must be committed to the church – not merely in an abstract I’m-part-of-the-universal-church-sense, but in the sense that I belong to a real, flesh-and-blood, imperfect, local community of fellow believers. We demonstrate our common allegiance to Jesus and his people by becoming members of a specific local church, thus church membership.

Christ is all!
Pastor Adam

Reconsidering Lent: How to make the most out of the next six weeks

Discipleship, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. The term “lent” originally meant “spring” but was adopted by the early church for the name of the six weeks (or, 40 days plus Sundays) leading up to Good Friday and Easter. It has been celebrated by Christians, in some form, for over seventeen centuries. It is intended to be a season of preparation, filled with prayer, heartfelt repentance, humble sacrifice, healthy introspection and turning afresh to Jesus. While this season is perhaps most commonly associated with Roman Catholicism, it is also widely celebrated by many Protestants including Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Reformed churches.

No Meat Fridays

If you’re like me, growing up Roman Catholic, all I understood about Lent was that (1) I had to give up something that I liked for six weeks and (2) I was not able to eat meat on Fridays. In hindsight, this had more to do with my own heart than anything else. But, even after I began to follow Jesus I virtually ignored Lent, chalking it up as an irrelevant religious exercise. It wasn’t until later that I better grasped its meaning and ongoing function for Jesus’ people today. That is, in part, why I am writing here.

Lent is Not Magic

There is nothing ‘magical’ about Lent. It is not commanded in the scriptures. Christians are free to participate or not. Many traditions celebrate differently. You don’t have to give up meat on Fridays. There is no one right way to go about it. Lent serves the same purpose for Good Friday and Easter as Advent does for Christmas. My encouragement, for us all, is to consider utilizing these next six weeks to intentionally prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate Jesus’ victory over death and sin on that first Easter morning.

Four Suggestions

First, make Lent primarily about Jesus, not just ‘giving up’ something. Too often this season becomes more about what we’re giving up, than who it is about. Lent is a ‘means of grace’ to draw us closer to Jesus. Make growing in relationship with him your goal. What would that look like for you? Maybe carve out extra time on Saturday mornings for reading a book on the cross, such as John Stott’s classic, The Cross of Christ or CJ Mahaney’s, Living the Cross Centered Life. Or, re-boot your Bible reading by taking in Jesus’ life through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Or, meet with a group every week to talk about the gospel and its implications in our lives. Or, you could follow along with this excellent devotional called, Journey to the Cross: Reading and Devotions for Lent. Each daily devotion includes a call to worship, confession, contemplation and closing prayer.

Second, a significant aspect of Lent is heartfelt repentance over sin. Take time to consider what is keeping you from him. Don’t rush this. Find a comfortable space where you won’t be interrupted. Keep a journal. Ask the Spirit to highlight areas of sinful unbelief and then bring them to Jesus for forgiveness and renewed faith. If you have little joy or interest in the things of God, consider why that is. Are there areas of your life that are off-limits to Him? What is it that you treasure more than Him? What aspects of the world are more attractive to you than He is? Are you struggling in the dark? Don’t be afraid to go there. He already knows, but loves you too much to let you stay there. His ocean of grace awaits. Involve others too. And remember, as the Scottish pastor Robert Murray McCheyne said, “For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.”

Third, Lent is traditionally a time when fasting is common and helpful, provided that stoking your affections for Jesus is your primary goal. Letting go of things that are dear to us for a season often reveals much about ourselves that we never knew was there. Fasting highlights our mortality and our absolute dependency. Ultimately, it points us to God who alone can satisfy all of the deepest longings of our hearts. Fasting, or ‘giving things up’, for Lent may look like a lot of things. You could give up food for one, two, three days or more. I have a friend who does a juice fast (fasting from everything but hearty juices) for the entirety of Lent. Or, you could fast from social media, technology, or tv. Or, you could fast from certain spending habits and use that money to serve others. Talk to others and see what they’re doing. John Piper’s book on fasting called, A Hunger for God, is an excellent resource.

Lastly, keep in mind that Lent is not about earning the approval of God nor impressing others. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus lived, died and rose to forgive our sin, give us his righteousness and bring us home to God forever. In Christ, your righteousness is spotless and secure. You can’t add to it, which means nothing you do during Lent can make you more acceptable to God. In Christ, you are fully accepted, approved and loved by God. Rather, Lent is about pursuing Him afresh, renewing your affections and re-asserting him as your greatest treasure. Let’s do that, together. I’m already looking forward to hearing stories of how He moves among us.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25

Because the tomb is empty,
Pastor Adam

New Community in North Queen Anne

Community, News

Downtown Cornerstone is a community of communities scattered throughout the city, declaring and displaying the gospel of Jesus Christ in relationship to each other and the city. These are communities of diverse, imperfect people that are committed to living out the implications of the gospel in every sphere of life. These are communities of radical grace, sacrificial service, and joy. These are communities that eat together, pray together, laugh together, and study the Bible together – in essence, share life. These are communities that build up the church by encouraging people to faith in Jesus Christ and build up the city through deeds of justice and mercy. These are communities where you can be who God created you to be, yourself. It’s our hope and prayer that everyone who calls Downtown Cornerstone home will find a community like this.

This week, we launched a new community in North Queen Anne! By God’s grace, this is the third community living life together in Queen Anne. Tyler Ashby, who previously led the Uptown community, is now leading North Queen Anne. We asked him to answer a few questions about the people, vision, and prayer requests for the newly forming community.

What are you excited about for this North Queen Anne launch?

It’s clear that God is growing his church on Queen Anne!  It’s exciting to be part of this unique replication of two communities becoming a third. Also, since the location is right next to the SPU campus, we’re really looking forward to serving the campus and their students as a community.

Any specific ways we can be praying?

Please pray that our affections for Jesus would grow and we would trust him more deeply than ever. Pray that the Gospel would be the foundation of what we build together as a family and that we would grow as disciple-making disciples. Pray for relationships to form  (not everyone knows each other yet). Lastly, pray for more leaders to be trained and equipped to lead even more communities!

If you are not currently participating with a DCC Community and would like to be involved with North Queen Anne or another community, email .

5 Books for New and Renewed Followers of Jesus

Discipleship, Uncategorized

In light of Throwback Thursday, we’re going to the archives to bring back a favorite post from the past.  “5 Books for New and Renewed Followers of Jesus” was originally posted in March of 2014 by Pastor Adam. Hope you are encouraged and refreshed in your love for Jesus today! 

Recently, I took up the challenge of considering the top five books that I would recommend for new, and renewed, followers of Jesus. If you’ve recently begun to follow Jesus, or are coming back to him, where do you start? What are the best books to get you “up-and-running” and heading in solid, well-rounded direction? Here are my suggestions.

ESV Study Bible

I’m not counting this among my top five, but this particular bible is a must-have. Put simply, the ESV Study Bible is the best study bible currently available. You can also access it online and with apps on your phone. It has commentary from the best scholarship of our day, massive cross-referencing, extensive introductions to every book of the Bible, and over 50 articles on important topics in theology and biblical teaching. If you’re new to the Bible it can be hard to understand how everything fits together, let alone grasp new terms and tackle difficult passages. You need help. That’s where a study bible comes in. I wish this was around when I first began to follow Jesus.

#1 The Walk, by Stephen Smallman

This is a super accessible and important book for those just starting out or looking to start afresh. Walking through books of the bible (e.g. Gospel of Mark, Romans, Acts and more), Smallman covers the basics. In Part I he walks through, “What is a disciple?”, “Do I have to go to church?” and “Learning to Read the Bible and Pray”. In Part II he unpacks the gospel and its implications in our every day lives. Along the way he introduces important theological terms and influential thinkers throughout church history, all through a solidly gospel-grounded framework.

#2 The Reason for God, by Tim Keller

This is the best modern day apologetic for the general populace, much like how CS Lewis’ Mere Christianity and GK Chesterton’s Everlasting Man served in their day. This is an important read for new followers of Jesus because Keller addresses many of the big questions you likely have and don’t know how to answer, such as “How could a good God allow suffering?” or “How can a loving God send people to hell?” In the second half, Keller builds a compelling argument for God’s existence by examining an array of evidences or, as he calls them, “clues”.

#3 A Praying Life, by Paul Miller

As you begin to follow Jesus, you’ll likely experience questions and frustrations when it comes to prayer (i.e. talking to God). What is prayer? Why is it so hard? Is this normal? Do I have to do this? Should I pray even when I don’t feel like it? Given the essential nature of prayer to your ongoing relationship with Jesus, this should go in the top five. Miller has written the best book on prayer currently available – humble, helpful and hopeful. You’ll actually want to pray after you’ve read this book.

#4 God’s Big Picture, by Vaughan Roberts

In this book, Roberts, traces the story-line of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. I know this may not immediately sound compelling. However, understanding the overall flow of the Bible will grow your understanding of God’s unfolding story and enrich your reading of the Bible. Even more, you will come to better grasp your place within God’s story today. You should read this book with a friend or two because it’s mind-blowing – and you want your mind to be blown with others. And, its super short.

#5 You Can Change, by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

This book is important because it will introduce you to dynamics of personal change. Jesus not only came to forgive us (justification) but to make us new people (sanctification). So, what does that process look like? Do people have problems like me? How do I go about changing? What’s my role and what’s God’s role? Why do certain sins seem to have such a hold on me? This book addresses these and many more by pointing us back to the biblical truths that God is good, great, gracious and glorious – and how Jesus is the supreme demonstration of each. While there are a number of solid books available that deal with this topic, this is the most accessible. By the time you’re done working through it, you’ll think, “I can change”. You’ll get the most out of this book, and your personal change project, if you work through it with others.

Runners-up:

What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert
Gilbert helpfully and articulately clarifies the gospel – what it is and isn’t – and why it matters.

The Prodigal God, by Tim Keller
Using the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), Keller insightfully demonstrates how we can run from God by being really bad (like the younger brother) and by being really good (like the elder brother).

Counterfeit Gods, by Tim Keller
Keller devotes this book to unpacking the topic of idolatry, particularly when it comes to money, sex and power (three of the biggest idols in our culture). Even better, he walks through how Jesus supplants these, and other, idols in our life.

Living the Cross-Centered Life, by CJ Mahaney
Mahaney’s big idea in this book is how to keep the gospel the main thing in our life and how subjectivism, legalism and condemnation all threaten our experience of God’s grace.

Love you, all. Would love to hear how your reading goes if you decide to pick up any of these. You won’t regret it.

Christ is all,
Pastor Adam