For God's Glory

9.17.2023

Meaningful Membership WATC

The first part of the Meaningful Membership and Intentional Relationship class reviews the two weeks of membership class.

One of the first questions in the membership class is, “Why should one join a church?”

While there are multiple answers, here are two answers Pastor Brett shares with potential members.

Membership means something.

True believers have been brought into the family of God.

The Bible does not talk about church membership. However, it does talk about submission. Submission to God and to one another.

In Philippians 2:1-4, Paul writes to the church, not the individual. He tells “all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons” (1:1) how to live.
Be of the same mind, united in spirit, intent on one purpose, do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, humbly consider another as more important than themselves, and don’t look out for your own interests but also for the interests of others.
What a submission list.

We live this way because of who Jesus is and what He has done

In the church, this submission is made...
physically (gathering with church family on Sunday and throughout the week),
geographically (giving members access to me for discipleship and hospitality),
socially (Our strongest relationships should encourage us to grow in Christlikeness. We should have friends outside of our comfort zone.),
financially (voluntary, sacrificially, for God’s glory),
ugliness (We tend only to want to submit to people or organizations if they are perfect or support our desires.)

Most of the N.T. was given to the church to be applied in the community, not individually. Even Paul's letter to Timothy is written "so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God.” (1 Tim. 3:15)

We have brochures on various aspects of life at Trinity Baptist Church. One of these brochures is “What does it mean to be a church member?” brochure. It states that the church is a community of believers committed to growing together in godliness and testifying corporately about Jesus Christ to a fallen world.

This is done by...
- Protecting sound doctrine
- Pursuing unity in the church
- Promoting church purity
- Participating in the church
- Providing for the church

During the class time and hopefully outside of the class time, talk to others about how God has used the church, saved people to help you grow in godliness. Remember, God can and does use specific ministries at specific times in the life of a church. Ultimately membership is about a commitment to be used by God in the lives of others and to allow others to be used by God in your life.

To read more about meaningful membership, check out https://www.9marks.org/answer/what-meaningful-membership/

DISCIPLESHIP & EVANGELISM THREAD:

One part, and the key part, of Meaningful Membership is that members are saved, they understand the importance of salvation, and because of this, they desire to see others saved.

9/24      Intentional Relationships
10/1       Ministries of the Church
10/08   75th Celebration
10/15      Prayer & the Church
10/22      The Bible & the Church
10/29 Preaching & the Church
11/05 Leadership & the Church
11/12 Discipline & the Church
11/19 The Gathering of the Church

Urban Legends of Theology by Michael Wittmer has a section (216-217) very much connected with this week's lesson - "The Bible doesn't teach church membership."

The New Testament does not command Christians to join a local church, probably because it did not need to. What New Testament follower of Jesus would refuse to join his body? On the day the church began, 3,00 people believed and were baptized and added to the church. In the ensuing days, "all the believers were together," and "every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved" (Acts 2:41-47). This pattern of believing and joining the church continued throughout the book of Acts. Is it possible to believe in Jesus and not belong to his local assembly? Maybe, but it never occurred to an apostle that anyone would, If someone refused baptism and membership in a local assembly, they would be counted as a genuine believer. The church assumed everyone who was baptized by the Spirit had by that baptism, become a member of the body of Christ. They belonged (1 Cor 12:12-13).°

We do not know how the New Testament church kept track of its members (did they keep membership rolls?), but there are several Scriptures that assume they had them. Paul tells Christians directly, "Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it" (v. 27). The New Testament church held elections for deacons and to send men to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas (Acts 6:1-4; 15:22). Surely, they knew who had a vote and who did not. Membership is also required for church discipline. Jesus said if our offending brother will not listen to our rebuke, we should "tell the church" (Matt 18:15-17). How do we tell the church if we do not know who belongs to the church? If our erring brother does not repent, Paul said we must "remove the evil person from among [us]" (1 Cor 5:13). How do we remove a person from among us if we do not know who counts as us? Paul said God judges those outside the church and we judge those inside, so when we evict people from membership, we are leaving them to the judgment of God (vv. 12-13). How do we do this without a clear boundary between those inside and outside the church?
Finally, God says the elders of the church are responsible for the people under their care. They must "be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God" (Acts 20:28). They "will give an account" to God for how well they kept "watch over your souls" (Heb 13:17). If they "shepherd God's flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly," they "will receive the unfading crown of glory" when Jesus returns (1 Pet 5:1-4). The elders are not responsible for everyone, or even every Christian. They are responsible for the people in their flock, which assumes they know who is a member of their church and who is not.

New Testament Christians could not imagine uniting with Jesus but not his church. Neither should we.

9.11.2023

Surgery Day Hope Reminder

We have been reminding Josiah, and ourselves, that this senior year injury reminds us of some important, basic truths.

It is not everything. It is not a defining event.

It is not nothing. It is a significant event in his life.

It is something. God is using this for His glory in Josiah’s life.

This is part of a devotional I read to Josiah before his shoulder surgery. While we are disappointed that he will miss sports for a big chunk of his senior year. We are praying that his, and our, hope in God will continue to grow.

“Hope: Living Confidently in God” by John Crotts The verse is Psalm 62:5

“The fact that we have to wait on God is not accidental. It is not a delay. He designs times of waiting, using them to build our patience and to strengthen our hope. When God’s children patiently expect him to bring the help they need, it shows God that they recognize their dependence on him and trust him to come through.”

“God’s timing also has purposes beyond you. Have you considered God may be delaying the answer to your prayer so that your testimony of waiting (prolonging your active hope) on him can help someone else who is watching?”

“Although you don’t have access to God’s calendar, you can know his heart as revealed in his Word. Your hope for God’s good work in future events is just as sure as all God has accomplished in the past. Until God finishes his plan, you must wait for him—but you can know for certain that God’s sovereign plan is good and wise. Waiting upon him is never in vain. He will always come through. He will deliver on every one of his promises. Your godly desires will be satisfied, according to God’s perfect will and in God’s perfect timing.”

9.10.2023

Intro WATC

As we dig even deeper into the Biblical idea of the church in general and what Trinity Baptist Church does and why, let's look at some primary reasons for doing this topic (We Are the Church) this way (in our Deacon Care Groups).

“We Are the Church” is the Adult Christian Education everyone will be doing this fall because we must constantly be reminded of who we are and what we should be about. In the “Theology Matters” study this summer, Zach shared this one-sentence explanation of the church.

The church is the assembly of believers who regularly meet together across the whole world, glorifying God by obeying His Word and discipling one another in the unity that comes through Christ Jesus.

As we begin this study on September 10, two ideas will be repeated throughout the entire series.

The church is a specific group of people – saved people.
This group of people is focused on the glorification of God. Two ways we do this are through helping and equipping believers to grow in the Gospel & sharing the Gospel with those who need to be saved

In the first week of every membership class, Pastor Brett shares some incorrect ideas about the church.

The church is not a club, a voluntary organization, or a service provider
The church is not a meeting time. There are times when the church gathers.
The church is not a building. There may be a designated place where the church meets together.

What does the Bible say the church is? God's word contains several different images to explain what the church is.

In Ephesians 5:22-23, the church is called a bride.

In 1 Timothy 3:14-15 and Romans 8:15-17, 29-30, the church is a family.

In Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13; and Ephesians 4:11-12, the church is a body.

In Ephesians 2:19-22, the church is a building.

In Acts 20:28-32, the church is a flock.

The church of God must live according to God’s plan in dependence upon God’s power for God’s glory.

Ephesians 4:11-16 shows us that God provided apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for equipping the saints. This is a familiar passage about the purpose of the church and church leaders and will be referenced in several different lessons.

Read through this passage and look for result statements.

God's plan for individual believers and his church is spiritual growth.

As you think about this week's lesson and look ahead to next week's lesson, "Meaningful Membership," plan to grow as an individual and as a church.

Additional Resources
https://www.challies.com/articles/whats-the-purpose-of-the-church/

DISCIPLESHIP & EVANGELISM THREAD:

The church's purpose is to glorify God, and the two main ways we do this are through helping and equipping believers to grow in the Gospel & sharing the Gospel with those who need to be saved.

Lesson Schedule

9/10    Introduction
9/17    Meaningful Membership
9/24    Intentional Relationships
10/1       Ministries of the Church
10/08   75th Celebration
10/15      Prayer & the Church
10/22      The Bible & the Church
10/29 Preaching & the Church
11/05 Leadership & the Church
11/12 Discipline & the Church
11/19 The Gathering of the Church

9.03.2023

We Are the Church

On September 10, Trinity Baptist Church will begin its Fall Adult Christian Education (ACE) class. Instead of the three or four different classes, we will have three groups doing the same study, "We are the Church."

This continues to build on our one combined summer study, "Theology Matters." One specific lesson was "What is the Church?" Zac Harmon did a great job of teaching that lesson. Still, as we think about the details of the community that is our church family, it is essential to understand what the church, universal - around the world and local - here at Trinity Baptist Church is.

In our study of "We are the Church," we will be digging even deeper into the Biblical idea of the church in general and what Trinity Baptist Church specifically does and why.

Two ideas that will be emphasized throughout the study will be the following.
The church is a specific group of people - saved people.
The church's focus must be the glorification of God. Two ways we do this are through spiritual growth and sharing the Gospel.

While the main reason for this study is the importance of the church in God's plan. A secondary reason is to get to know your church family as we are reminded of the church. In the groups, people will be sharing testimonies and praying together. The three groups are based on the deacon care groups, and each group will be taught a very similar class. The Red Group will be meeting downstairs in Room #3. The Green Group will be meeting in the Fireplace Room. The Blue and Yellow Groups will be meeting in the chapel.

Plan to join your Deacon Care group starting September 10.

The Red Group will be meeting in Room 3 downstairs.
The Green Group will be meeting in the Fireplace Room.
The Blue and Yellow Groups will be meeting in the Chapel.

Remember the purposes of this study

Grow in an understanding of what the church is - universal and local (Trinity Baptist Church)
Grow in our love for and knowledge of people in our deacon care group
Remember who we are and what we do so we can focus on the main thing.

Lesson Schedule

9/10      Introduction
9/17      Meaningful Membership
9/24      Intentional Relationships
10/1       Ministries of the Church
10/08   75th Celebration
10/15      Prayer & the Church
10/22      The Bible & the Church
10/29 Preaching & the Church
11/05 Leadership & the Church
11/12 Discipline & the Church
11/19 The Gathering of the Church