HEALTH WATCH #6 A MOTIVATED CHURCH MEMBER 6 th Sign of Healthy Church Members February 14, 2016 AM Thanks to IX Marks Ministries

Are You a Healthy Church Member? ■#1 That means you are a “Ready Listener!” –An EXPOSitional Listener – Exposing the main thought. ■#2 That means you are a “Doctrine Digger!” –Looking for major themes and developments as you read and study. ■#3 That means you are a “Gospel Gobbler.” –Gripping, grasping, overwhelmed by God’s good news ■#4 That means you are “Completely (genuinely) Converted.” ■#5 That means you are “Eager to Evangelize.” –willing to share the Good News

#6 A Motivated Church Member ■Some have seen Biblical Church Membership as old-fashioned and as something that stifles their freedom and contemporary Christian view. ■Maybe they are: –Indifferent – It doesn’t matter to them –Ignorant – They haven’t considered the viewpoint of God’s Word –Indecisive – They don’t make decisions well –Independent – To them unattachment is simple and safe –Inverted - Their priorities and affections are in another place ■People don’t commit because they don’t understand that the local church IS exactly where God intends His people to live out their faith and experience Christian love, growth, and service. Or maybe they do!?!

Is Church Membership Biblical? If church membership were not Biblical these things would lose their meaning. ■Church Leadership –I Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9 – no CM, then who do leaders to lead? –I Peter 5 – no CM, then who is the flock to feed or oversee? –Hebrews 13:17 – no CM, then whose souls do we “agonize” over? ■Church Discipline –I Corinthians 5:9-13; II Cor. 2:5-11; Matt. 18:15-17; II Cor. 6:14-18 –“putting out of a fellowship would be impossible” and visa versa. –Discipline is so that a clear distinction can be maintained between the Church and the World. ■Keeping Lists and Voting –I Tim. 5:9, - a list of widows; II Cor. 2:6 - a vote by many; Acts 6:1-7 – called…appointed…chose…; Acts 2:41,47 – added…

What Does a Committed Member of Grace Baptist Church Look Like? ■He Attends Regularly. It is a priority – Heb. 10:24,25 ■He Edifies Others – I Cor. 12; 14; Eph. 4:11-16 ■He Loves – John 13:34,35 ■He Seeks Peace – James 3:18; Rom. 14:19 ■He Warns and Admonishes – Heb. 3:12,13; I Tim. 3:16,17; Eph. 4:29 ■He Pursues Reconciliation – II Cor. 5:18-21; Matt. 5:23,24; Eph. 4:31; Rom. 12: ■He Bears With Others (with, for, under) – Matt. 5:5; Matt. 18:21,22; Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2 ■He Prepares for the Ordinances – I Cor. 11 ■He Supports the Work of the Ministry – Serving and Giving – Matt. 28:19-20; II Cor. 8,9. ■He Prays For and With His Church – Eph. 6:10:18,19; I Thess. 5:17

Want to do more work on the Biblical Activity of a Church Member? ■Examine the “Together” passages. –Acts 14:27; 20:7,8; Rom. 1:12……… ■Try to find and study the “Let Us” passages. –II Cor. 7:1; Gal. 5:26; I Tim. 6:8………. ■List and inspect the “One Another” passages. –Romans 12:10,16; 15:5,7,14; Eph. 4:2,32 Hebrews 10:19-25 has all three – read with me, Church!

■Hebrews 10: ¶ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

■Health Watch #6 A Motivated Church Member