Why You Should Consider Becoming a Member

Church Membership | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

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?”

Starting on Sunday, March 30th, we are going to begin an eight week long membership class (with breaks for Easter and Mother’s Day) 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 behind 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 so 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 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 case above, an individual is living in stubborn, unrepentant sin and thus removed from among God’s people. The question this raises, “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 church (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 be becoming members of a specific local church, thus church membership.

Christ is all!
Pastor Adam

5 Books for New and Renewed Followers of Jesus

Discipleship, Uncategorized | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

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

8 Encouragements to Single Men

Community, Discipleship, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

This is for the single men. However, I’m throwing it out to everyone because I want the single ladies, in particular, to see what I’m calling you up to. I’ve been married for twelve years, but I too was single at one point. I, for one, know the pro’s and con’s of singleness intimately. I made my share of honest mistakes and outright stupid moves. I also, by the sheer grace of God, made some good, godly, wise decisions that I am thankful for to this day. I know that the season of singleness, like marriage, comes with its own unique set of fears, temptations and idolatry. So, I want to help. Our study through the Gospel of Mark hasn’t opened up many opportunities to speak about this and I haven’t gone there because the text hasn’t. I did however address this about a year ago in our study through Proverbs in a sermon called, Understanding Singleness, which I encourage you to check out.

Over the years I have seen some men handle singleness well, but I have seen more men handle it poorly. My goal here is not to heap shame on you but to encourage you. In Christ, your sins are forgiven and you are radically loved by the Father. He wants life for you, not death; hope, not despair; sanctified optimism, not disgruntled cynicism. If you are a genuine follower of Jesus every season is an instrument of transformation in the hands of our good and gracious God, as he forms you into the image of his Son (Rom 8:29). He will help you, strengthen you and uphold you (Isa 40:10). He has given you all that you need for life and godliness (2Pet 1:3). So, I encourage you to consider the eight following areas and, moved and motivated by the love and grace of God, make adjustments as needed. These tend to be the greatest areas of weakness for single men.

#1 Prioritize your personal pursuit of God.

Leverage your singleness to run hard after God. Get to know him – well. Jesus is the prize, not marriage. Marriage is a gift, but not the prize. Seek to personally understand what King David was saying when he said, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Ps 16:11) Pursue God for the sake of God. Make him your rock. Prioritize him above and before all other things. Be intentional about spending time with him and growing in community. Get good at repenting humbly and quickly when you sin against others (that will come in handy).

If you do this, you will find that your sense of satisfaction in Him increases while your dissatisfaction in your singleness decreases. Over time, everything in your life will change – age, job, relationships, homes, etc – with one exception: God. Make the primary investment of your life, starting when you are single, in the one unchanging variable of your life. Jesus says it this way, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Mt 7:33) He’s not promising you a spouse, but he is promising you something better than a spouse: himself. Also, one side effect of this is that you will invariably become attractive to godly single women – because, after all, Christlikeness is attractive. However, if you pursue God to be attractive, it won’t work. Pursue God for the sake of God and he will work out the details.

#2 Pray for your future wife.

I find that most single men think, talk, tweet and dream about their future wife more than they pray for her. How about every time you think about her you consider that a trigger to pray for her? Go to battle for her in prayer. Pray for her protection, spiritual vitality and purity. Statistically speaking, she’s out there. She might even be in a relationship with another guy, which you need to ask God to end immediately. Praying for your future wife does a number of things. First, praying for your wife is one way to prioritize God in your relationship with your future wife before you even meet her. Second, praying for your future wife will remind you that she is a gift of grace and not something you deserve or earned. Third, praying for your future wife will remind you that she is a real person and keep you grounded in reality (more on this below). Fourth, praying for your future wife will make you more spiritually discerning when it comes to pursuing someone. I prayed for Jen for four years, almost every day, before I met her. I already felt invested in that relationship way before we met and it made me exercise additional caution with any other potential relationship along the way. Fifth, and this is just bonus, your future wife will feel incredibly loved knowing you’ve been praying for her all along.

#3 Have realistic expectations regarding your future wife.

Today, more than ever, in large part due to the proliferation of social media, many single men get caught in analysis-paralysis when it comes to the qualities they desire in their future wife. One of the most common things I hear from single men is, “How do I know whether there’s not someone better out there?” This is largely cultural. We live in a consumeristic culture and we bring that same sense of consumerism into relationships. Often single guys want a Victoria Secret super model that serves like Mother Teresa, manages a home like Martha Stewart, performs like an Olympic athlete and dances like Beyonce. That woman does not exist – and if she did it would only be because she has been incredibly loved and cultivated by a godly husband (who can dance). Who your future wife becomes will, in large part, be dependent upon your love, sacrifice, and cultivation of her. Are your expectations realistic? What you’re looking for is a woman who you’re attracted to that cherishes Christ, who you can see being your best friend and who you’d want your own daughters to be like. That’s great soil for any marriage.

#4 Tackle any issues with lust and pornography sooner than later.

The time to tackle any issues you have with lust and pornography is when you’re single, not when you’re married. Of course, if you are married and you have issues in those areas, now is the best time to take care of that. Any married man who has gone through this with their wife will tell you to address it sooner than later. You can imagine how these conversations go with your fiance or spouse. Not fun. Though your fiance or spouse will likely be incredibly gracious and understanding, you will be thinking, “Man, I really wish I began to tackle this earlier.” I promise you. You are not alone. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. (1Cor 10:13) Start by bringing it into the light with some friends. We can help too, but not if you keep it in the dark.

#5 Don’t wait, initiate.

Most movies and television shows have women doing the initiating when it comes to relationships and not men. In real life what happens in those cases is that the women get hurt and not the men. That’s the opposite of what should happen. Men are like thermoses that can take a beating and keep going. Women are more like crystal wine glasses – incredibly valuable and meant to be handled with care. If anyone gets hurt it should be the guy, not the girl. If she says, “No”, you’ll bounce back. You were created by God to handle it. Godly women like to be pursued by godly men. So, don’t wait for her to initiate. In general, the rule-of-thumb is ladies first – except here. But, before you go off and start initiating, be sure you don’t isolate this point from the others, especially the next.

#6 Protect any girl you may be interested in. 

Here I’m talking about emotional and spiritual protection. Generally, guys tend to bond over activities and doing things together. Generally, gals tend to bond over talking and sharing life. So, it’s not as big of a deal for a guy to share his life story but it can be, and often is, for a girl. After that conversation the guy thinks, “That was good talk” and the girl thinks, “He wants to marry me” and she’s already naming your future children. Of course I’m speaking in generalities here, but in my experience this is generally true. Don’t be a knucklehead. If you’re not sure what you think about a girl don’t have long walks on the beach alone, avoid extended times alone, don’t be texting or Facebook-ing her all the time, don’t talk about your sexual pasts right out of the gate. This is what it means to guard her heart. You, as the dude, are primarily responsible for the speed at which the relationship develops. Go slow and build a friendship before anything else. Remember she may not be your future wife, but someone else’s. Treat her like you want some other guy to treat your future wife.

#7 Start getting your house in order now.

The time to start thinking about your budget, saving for a wedding ring, career, etc is not when you find a girl you’re interested in – but long before. Of course, it’s never too late, but the sooner the better. Do you have a budget? Are you saving anything? Are you putting money aside for a ring? Do you have debt? Are you on a career trajectory where you could support a family in the future? Do have any personal issues that you need to get a handle on before even thinking about getting into a relationship? Have you talked with older men that are further down the road? Are you leading yourself in such a way that a girl would actually want to follow? Start getting your house in order now.

#8 Seek wisdom in community.

Actively seek the wisdom, counsel and prayer of others as you consider pursuing someone – and as the relationship develops. Most relationships begin and end poorly because there is little external input sought out. It should not be a surprise to those around you when you begin a relationship. You should involve those closest to you, and some that are a little further along, well beforehand. We need the prayers and counsel of others in our lives to help us recognize our blind spots. Ask them: “Do you think I’m in a good place to pursue a relationship? Am I being stupid? Do you think it is wise for me to pursue [insert name]? If not, why? Do you have any counsel on how I can lead and protect her well at this stage?” You will not regret these conversations and any gal you’re pursuing will respect you, and feel loved and protected by you, because of your due diligence. Remember, per above, the gal you’re pursuing may not be your future wife and therefore you should be just as cautious and careful with her as you’d want another guy to be cautious and careful with your future wife.

I love you, men. Our good and gracious God wants us to flourish in our singleness and in our marriages. Many of us did not grow up with good examples and so we have no idea what we’re doing. But, this is one of many areas that the church can help us in life-shaping ways. We have many good men and great marriages among us to learn from, so let’s leverage those resources. I’d love for there to be reputation in the city that the best men and best marriages come out of Downtown Cornerstone because we seek to trust Jesus in all areas of life – even in our singleness.

Newton, Rembrandt, Storms and Following Jesus

Discipleship, Teaching | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

On Sunday, January 26th, we walked through Mark 4:35-41 (“The Lord of the Storm”) and discussed, in part, the role of life’s storms as instruments in the hands of God. During my preparation I came across a poem by John Newton (most famously known for writing Amazing Grace) called Prayers Answered by Crosses. What he calls “crosses” we spoke of as “storms”. I didn’t have time to read it on that Sunday, but I still wanted to share it as an encouragement. If you’re currently in the middle of a storm or you’re praying to know God more deeply, you should read this and take heart. In God’s hands, no storm is in vain.

Prayer Answered by Crosses

By John Newton

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and every grace,
Might more of his salvation know,
And seek more earnestly his face.

‘Twas he who taught me thus to pray;
And he, I trust, has answered prayer;
But it has been in such a way
As almost drove me to despair.

I hoped that, in some favoured hour,
At once he’d answer my request,
And by his love’s constraining power
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, he made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea, more, with his own hand he seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe,
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this? I trembling cried;
Wilt thou pursue this worm to death?
This is the way, the Lord replied
I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I now employ
From self and pride to set thee free,
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st seek thy all in me.

Also, I love history and art, particularly when they come together. The image above is a famous painting by Rembrandt, “Christ in the Storm on the Lake of Galilee”. If you look closely, you can see that Rembrandt painted himself into the scene. He’s in the middle of the boat looking out at you. That, of course, is fitting because the reality is we’re all in the boat with Christ at the helm. So, hang tight. He’s with you in the storm.

Christ is all!
Pastor Adam