So, I was talking with a guy who tells me his congregation has 350 members but they have less than 100 who gather together regularly for worship and service. Obviously, the congregation does not in fact have 350 members. They have 75 or 22 or 60 or 14 members.
The numbers don’t matter as much as the commitment. And there are not 350 committed disciples in that good pastor’s church.
Membership. Smembership. Really – the days are long gone when merely having our names on the rolls of the church meant anything. As I and others have written before, the church is not AMEX (“membership has its privileges“) as if ensuring that we have a place to marry, baptize our babies, and bury our dead is the point of church. As if “being a church member” is about privileges and not service. As if membership will save us.
All of us have members who remain on the church rolls even though their commitment to serve is nonexistant. So, here’s my grand, crazy-making plan: Annual Membership.
What if – each year, perhaps on The Baptism of the Lord Sunday which is usually the second Sunday in January or maybe on the first fall Sunday of the new program year in September, we ask everyone to re-affirm their commitment for the coming year in a renewal of membership. If we choose not to re-affirm our commitment, it’s fine. But it also means that the church will not expect anything from us in terms of participation, financial support, or service. The hope is that this would be a spiritual practice that reminds us all that discipleship is more about daily commitments than names on a piece of parchment.
Potential craziness:
- What if our officers (serving 2-3-year terms) don’t re-commit and we have to replace them mid-term? If they aren’t committed, they should not be serving. It would be better to have fewer officers than have uncommitted officers.
- What if someone is in a coma or can’t be present due to illness, military service, etc.? Obviously concessions could be made. Home visits. Skyping.
- What if people find this too evangelical or overtly religious for their ecclesiastical tastes? Oh well.
Yes, it would alter all the statistical reports, but they need to be tweaked/overhauled anyway. Anybody with me?
A Church for Starving Artists 
I’m with you!
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I definitely see the desire to spur more engagement/involvement from members, as well as constantly remind people of the commitment/reaffirm their commitment; I just don’t know if I’m sold on the idea that the way to fix an over-emphasis on membership is to further emphasize it in an annual fashion. Is the answer to building a stronger community and serving our brothers and sisters requiring an annual renewal of membership? Is it changing our worship methods in ways that are (not really) new, such as bringing a Sunday worship service into the homes of the members with the Elders and Pastor all leading concurrent services at several houses? Is it possibly scrapping the whole membership system altogether and finding a new paradigm to measure the church’s involvement in the community and people it’s serving? I have no freaking idea. I do know, however, that anytime you organize people you will always have workhorses and mules, and if the church can solve this problem it will truly change the world.
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We are having a conversation just now about a covenant of discipleship that will be signed by the session and recommended for the whole congregation. So this fits in with that conversation that I’ve thought about for years (with many pastors). Baptism of the Lord Sunday is particularly a good day for such an annual event. Undoubtedly there will be big push back. As with all change, communicating the rationale including the theological premise requires pastoral skill.
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Well, two things come to mind.
First, I understand that the Church of the Savior (DC) did and does this: each year people are encouraged to become members (sign the book). This marks a commitment to at least tithe, to attend reasonably regularly, and to be active in a mission group. Non-members are always welcome at services . . .
Second, would you undertake to baptize the children of non-members? Join them in marriage? Perform funeral or memorial services for them? That may not be the point of membership, but I’ve seen requests for these services for non-members stick in the craw of pastors. How would the church you envision respond to people who have only a cultural belief in the church?
You do think of interesting topics, Jan
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we are talking about this as well, using the Iona Community model of having people annually declare themselves “with us.” We’re talking about maybe using the day the church was begun (february 6 1839) as the annual re-commitment date.
We’re also discussing the possibility of having a one year grace period–say you don’t sign this year (you forgot, you were out of town for the whole winter, you weren’t sure, whatever)–we wouldn’t remove you from the roll (since Presbytery requires we keep one) until you miss a second commitment day. at that point, you’re no longer a “member” though of course you have the same privileges to worship and serve other than elected office.
Under these circumstances, we probably WOULD do weddings/funerals/baptisms for people who regularly attend but are not “members” because there’s only one opportunity to “join” (using the old language) each year. But those who are part of our community now but who are not members have access to those privileges, so under a new system those who are a part of the community but have not signed the card/book would too.
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My initial response to this is an instant internal bristling. I’ve served the church as a deacon, elder, christian educator, choir member, and church secretary and hope to serve as a teaching elder (if the way be clear).
I like reaffirming baptismal vows. I like covenants. But renewing membership feels too much like a ‘state’ activity.
I’m reminded of a conversation with my mother-in-law. I asked her when she was nearing her 50th wedding anniversary if she was considering renewing her marriage vows. She said, “I renew my marriage vows every day.”
I agree with you, “the numbers don’t matter as much as the commitment.” I suspect a renewal of membership would be another example of “preaching to the choir.”
Personally, I would rather see churches consider completely getting rid of membership language. But that isn’t likely to happen. I am intrigued by the “covenant of discipleship.”
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