Membership

“You are citizens together with those who belong to God. You belong in God’s family” Ephesians 2:19

At Beth Ariel we believe in formal membership at a local congregation. We have designed our “Level One Seminar” (“Discovering Beth Ariel”) as a comprehensive introduction to our congregation that explains in detail who we are, what we’re about, and what is expected of members. We strongly encourage all those who desire membership to attend this seminar which is several times a year.

Why Membership in a Local Body is Important:

As an infant is born into the human race at a hospital, there comes a time when the infant is brought home to be cared for and nurtured by a specific family. Many believers have never been properly cared for and nurtured by a local body. This has resulted in there being too many “spiritual orphans” and “Lone Ranger” believers wandering from congregation to congregation without ever having experienced substantive growth and connection in their lives. We all need to stake a claim at a local body where we can minister and be ministered to.

Just as a public marriage ceremony demonstrates a private commitment, membership demonstrates a commitment that says: “This is my congregation — where I will work, serve and give of my time and resources. I will not ‘uproot’ myself at the first sign of difficulty.”

Other reasons why we emphasize membership:

A Cultural Reason: It is an antidote to our society. We live in an age when very few people want to be committed to anything  … a job … a marriage … even a country. This attitude has produced a generation of congregational “shoppers and hoppers.” Membership in a local body goes against the current of America’s “consumer religion,” i.e., the idea of “What’s in it for me at no or little cost.” Becoming a member is an unselfish decision; and true commitment always builds character.

A Practical Reason: It defines who can be counted on. Every team must have a roster. Every school must have an enrollment. Every business has a payroll. Every army has an enlistment. Even our country takes a census and requires voter registration. Membership identifies our family.

A Personal Reason: It produces spiritual growth. The Scriptures places a major emphasis on the need for believers to be accountable to each other for spiritual growth. One cannot be accountable when one is not committed to a specific local body. (The famous French philosopher, Stendhal, wisely observed: “A man can gain anything in solitude … except character.”)