<transcy>Church Membership (Être membre d'une Église locale ) </transcy>

WHY JOIN A CHURCH?

Becoming a member of a Church is an important step in the Christian life that is often overlooked. Instead, the current trend is to shy away from the practice of organized religion and show disgust (or apprehension) of commitment, especially to institutions.

Jonathan Leeman takes up this topic by making it clear what it means to "be a member of a local church" and then shows why church membership is vital for Christians. By giving the Church its true value, the author presents strong arguments to convince us to engage with our local assembly.

Browse the first pages

Author

JONATHAN LEEMAN (M. Div., Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is a fellow of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. He is Editorial Director for 9Marks, as well as their online journal.

Recommendations

“Here is a little book filled with practical ideas and good arguments that will help us not only to mentor Christians today in their quest for personal freedom, but also to eliminate their apprehensions about joining a community. Church, pastoral authority and accountability. »
- TIM KELLER, Senior Pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian Church

"To frequent a Church, to pursue sanctification in community, not to" abandon the gathering of ourselves "(Heb 10:25): here are some principles to which Christians attached to the Scriptures willingly submit. But what about formal membership? Does the Bible require Christians to officially become members of their local assembly? This book by Jonathan Leeman not only provides a wise look at the question, but it highlights the importance of an official portrayal of Jesus in the eyes of the world. This little book should be read by all Christians concerned with manifesting the greatness of Christ and his work for the Church. "
- GUILLAUME BOURIN, director of the Biblical Institute #Transmettre; founder of the blog LeBonCombat.fr

“This excellent book by Jonathan Leeman is both brief and easy to read. The author takes us to rethink and deepen our understanding of formal membership in the local Church. He reminds us that we are called to represent Jesus Christ in this world through his body, which is the Church. This book is rooted deeply in the Word of God and it presents structures and tools useful for building healthy churches. We have seen many Quebec churches benefit from these ideas and I am happy to see the growing influence they have around us. All Christians should take the time to read this book. I highly recommend it. »
- FRANÇOIS TURCOTTE, Director General, Séminaire Baptiste Évangélique du Québec (SEMBEQ), Montreal

“Short, novel, entertaining and, above all, biblical. This is the explanation and the apology for the Church membership you were looking for. "
- MARK DEVER, Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.

"Practical book. Convincing. True to the Bible. Jonathan Leeman reminds us that joining the Church is not a choice, but a requirement. The book is impactful and provocative, while being imbued with the gospel of grace. "
- THOMAS SCHREINER, Professor of New Testament Interpretation, James Buchanan Harrison Chair, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"We live in a time when the relationship people have with the Church is like the one they have with a restaurant, in that they want to choose their 'menu'. We absolutely must wake up from our consumer lethargy. This book is the wake-up call needed to turn “consumers” of churches into participants of the gospel.
- DARRIN PATRICK, Senior Pastor, The Journey, St. Louis, Missouri; author of the book Church Planter.

"I am grateful for this welcome book which will stimulate reflection among Christians and church leaders alike on how they see and live the local church. Based on a strictly congregationalist reading of Scripture, written with refreshing verve, daring to go against the grain of fashionable ideas, the work will fuel the necessary debate on the place of the Church in Christian life. A small effort of contextualization will allow the French-speaking reader to get the best out of this book. »
- JACQUES NUSSBAUMER, assistant professor of systematic theology, Free Faculty of Evangelical Theology (FLTE), Vaux-sur-Seine

Table of contents

Preface to the series
Preface to the original edition
Preface to the French edition
Introduction - A much more critical subject than you might think
1. A BAD APPROACH
2. NEW TESTAMENT ACCESSION
3. WHAT IS A CHURCH? WHAT IS A CHURCH MEMBER?
4. WHAT DO A CHURCH AND ITS MEMBERS LOOK LIKE?
5. WHAT ARE THE "STANDARDS" FOR MEMBERSHIP? (BECOME A MEMBER)
6. HOW DOES A CHRISTIAN SUBMIT TO A CHURCH? (BE A MEMBER)
7. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MEMBERS DO NOT REPRESENT CHRIST?
8. SHOULD CHURCH MEMBERSHIP ALWAYS BE THE SAME FORM?
Conclusion - How Local Church Membership Defines Love
Additional Resources
Acknowledgments
Notes
Biblical references index

Details

Original title : Church Membership
Author : Jonathan Leeman
Publisher : Cruciforme
Pages : 174
ISBN : 978-2-924595-34-3
Publication : February 2018
Dimensions : 5 "x 7"
Format : paperback
Weight : 164 g

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