What is the importance of church membership?

from the old testament

• While the Old Testament doesn’t mention church membership directly, it provides a strong foundation for the concept of belonging to a covenant community. God called Israel to be His chosen people—a distinct, committed community set apart for His purposes (Exodus 19:5–6; Deuteronomy 7:6).
• The Israelites’ covenant relationship with God involved both individual faithfulness and corporate responsibility. Worship, festivals, and sacrifices were done as a communal group (Leviticus 23).

from the new testament

• Romans 12:5 teaches, "we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." In other words, every believer in Christ is a member of the universal church.
• Each believer is called to be involved with a local community of believers to build up one another in the faith (Hebrews 10:25).

implications for today

In the earliest church, no formal membership existed. Believers typically worshiped in the house church closest to where they lived. Today, many communities include numerous local churches among which people can choose to attend. While there is no biblical command to join a particular local church, many churches include a formal membership process through which a person can commit to involvement in that church and to adherence to its particular statement of faith. Used well, church membership can offer many benefits for individuals and local churches to assist in spiritual growth.

For one thing, church members have the right to vote on church decisions. For example, most churches involve official members in choices related to buying or selling property or selecting its senior pastor.

Church membership also conveys one's allegiance to a set of beliefs, a commitment to live by your local church's core convictions. This would exclude a lifestyle and actions contrary to these beliefs.

Church membership can also increase a congregant’s level of commitment to a particular local church. Once a member, a person may be more likely to invite friends, serve in church ministries, and support church activities than a non-member.

Church membership also provides the context and framework for upholding church discipline following the principles outlined in Matthew 18. For example, it provides a clear basis for removing members living in contradiction to their membership commitment. In other words, a church member whose life consistently goes against his or her membership commitment can have their membership revoked. This is meant to cause the person to want to repent and be restored to his or her church family.