Church Membership

What the Work of Christ Means for Your Church Membership Directory

By Sam Emadi | 9Marks Journal: Sound Doctrine: The Foundation for Faithful Ministry | 11.16.2021

Your membership directory is more than a list of addresses and phone numbers. Each picture should represent Christ’s work, his priestly service of purification and redemption.

What the Doctrine of Regeneration Means for Church Membership Interviews

By Sam Emadi | 9Marks Journal: Sound Doctrine: The Foundation for Faithful Ministry | 11.16.2021

Conversion is supernatural, and its implications for how you conduct your next church membership interviews are enormous.

Church Membership Among Former Mormons? A 9Marks Mailbag

By Matt Emadi | 04.29.2021

Church membership isn’t a control mechanism, it’s a barrier to authoritarianism.

Forbear with One Another

By Dan Miller | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

Members of the blood-bought church of Jesus Christ have a holy calling to put up with one another.

Be Like Batman: Guard the Gospel

By Sam Emadi | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

You don’t need a seminary education. You don’t have to be an ordained minister or a spiritual superstar. All you need is the Holy Spirit, and you have that! It’s time to suit up and start guarding the gospel.

Speak Only What Is Good to Give Grace

By Josh Manley | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

Our days and our words are numbered, and before long we will have to give an account to God for how we used them.

Don’t Muzzle the Ox

By Ken Mbugua | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

God’s Word languishes in the pulpit because churches have been taught to invest in buildings and projects, not men who have given themselves to the ministry of the Word.

Maintain a Good Relationship with Christians from Other Churches

By Jonathan Worsley | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

When it comes to the Christian life, when it comes to how members of different gospel-preaching churches ought to relate to one another, we need to change our strategy.

Be a Good Witness in the Community

By Marwan Aboul-Zelof | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

When we think of being a good witness, we should do so with other believers in mind so that our witness might be amplified.

Evangelize the Lost

By Eric Bancroft | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

Do you remember what happened in the Garden of Eden after Adam disobeyed? He pursued him—and he’s has been doing that with sinners ever since.

Pray for Other Members

By Ty Gooch | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

We all know how terribly trite it feels to ask God over and over again to help out your fellow church members with their health, safety, or money problems. So how do we pray without just repeating ourselves?

Pursue Wandering Sheep

By Jeff Lacine | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

In Matthew 18:10–20 Jesus isn’t merely calling pastors or church leaders to corral wandering sheep. He’s calling every church member. In other words, he’s calling you.

Put Others’ Interests Above Your Own

By Brian Vickers | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

Coming up with a list of what makes a good church member seems like an easy enough thing to do—until you try it.

Rejoice with Those Who Rejoice; Weep with Those Who Weep

By Paul Martin | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

To really love another is a spiritual exercise. It requires massive internal commitment to kill every visible sin, to resist every temptation, to cling to every good, and to reject every evil.

Associate with the Lowly

By Joel Kurz | 9Marks Journal: How to Build Up Your Church: A Guidebook for Members | 03.30.2021

Who are the outcasts in your community? Who is overlooked? And when are they coming over for dinner?