Reflections on New Members Exploration Process

I have to be up front about this — I am not a very institutional person.  I mean this in a general sense (I would prefer to shop a smaller, local store rather than a retail giant), but I also mean this in relation to the church.  While I understand the need for structure and organization in the life of the church, I become tired quickly of those things we do simply because we “should” or because “we always have” or because “they” (whomever “they” might be) expect it.  I am much more invested in developing relationships and connections … with a gracious, loving, personal God revealed in Christ and with others.  So, while I attempt to maintain necessary institutional structures, I don’t have a lot of time or energy to stand around polishing the metaphorical knobs and buttons of the machinery.

Which leads me to these reflections on church membership.  In my life as a pastor I have historically not spent much time emphasizing “membership.”  I have discovered too many times that “membership” is equated with “privilege,” while my reading of the Scriptures and understanding of the history of God’s people leads me to believe that “membership” in the Body of Christ has more to do with service and commitment than it does with privilege.  So, I have been reluctant to encourage people to become “members” because I am much more interested in seeing individuals experience the personal joys of walking with God and a deepening sense of discipleship in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.  However, and this is a big transition, I am attempting to rework my own mental understanding of membership and urging myself to see that “membership” and “discipleship” do not have to be mutually exclusive.

To that end, four weeks ago we launched our first New Members Exploration process for those interested in becoming more connected to the ministry and life of Belgrade Avenue UMC.  I was pleased that nine individuals joined me on that first Monday night, and even more pleased that the same nine were with me last night, the final session in the series.  During our four weeks together we had the opportunity to develop more personal relationships with another, and we discussed a number of important issues.  Here is some of what we talked about during the exploration process:

• What is the history and heritage of the United Methodist Church, from its origins as a renewal movement within the established Church of England, to its migration to the American colonies (and the globe), to its relatively recent mergers between the Evangelical United Brethren and Methodist Episcopal traditions?

• In what ways do United Methodist Christians understand their relationship with God and the world God has created?

• For Christians in the United Methodist tradition, how does one discover spiritual life and continue to grow (spiritual formation)

• What does it mean to be a “member”?

• What are the expectations of membership … in terms of worship participation, stewardship, spiritual life, ministry?

• How does one discover his or her own spiritual gifts and find ways to use them to the glory of God and the good of the world?

While I cannot speak for the others in the exploration process, I have to say that I found our four weeks together enjoyable, engrossing and productive.  The ten individuals who will stand before the congregation on February 25 to take the “vows of membership” are diverse, interesting, spiritually alive and growing, individuals.

Our next exploration process will begin Monday, March 5.  I invite you to join us!