What does your church require of church members?

Published: Tue, 11/30/10









What does your church require of church members?

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It is always surprising to me when people accuse Rick Warren of teaching an easy believism. I have to conclude they just don't know what he requires of church members. See how this compares with your church:

The Purpose Driven- Church: Growth Without Compormising Your Message and Mission (Rick Warren)

On the other hand, we require a major commitment from those who want to join our church. I'll share these details in chapter 17. All prospective members must complete a membership class and are required to sign a membership covenant. By signing the covenant, members agree to give financially, serve in a ministry, share their faith, follow the leadership, avoid gossip, and maintain a godly lifestyle, among other things. Saddleback practices church discipline--something rarely heard of today. If you do not fulfill the membership covenant, you are dropped from our membership. We remove hundreds of names from our roll every year.

New members also agree to take additional classes where they will sign growth covenants that include tithing, having a daily quiet time, and participating weekly in a small group. One of the reasons Saddleback has not had a lot of transfer growth is because we expect so much more from our members than most other churches do.

I've discovered that challenging people to a serious commitment actually attracts people rather than repels them. The greater the commitment we ask for, the greater the response we get. Many unbelievers are fed up and bored with what the world offers. They are looking for something greater than themselves, something worth giving their lives to.

Asking for commitment doesn't turn people off; it is the way many churches ask for it. Too often, churches fail to explain the purpose, value, and benefits of commitment, and they have no process to help people take gradual steps in their commitment.