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Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus
Why should you join a church?
Becoming a member of a church is an important, and often neglected, part of the Christian life. Yet the trend these days is one of shunning the practice of organized religion and showing a distaste or fear of commitment, especially of institutions.
Jonathan Leeman addresses these issues with a straightforward explanation of what church membership is and why it's important. Giving the local church its proper due, Leeman has built a compelling case for committing to the local body.
Becoming a member of a church is an important, and often neglected, part of the Christian life. Yet the trend these days is one of shunning the practice of organized religion and showing a distaste or fear of commitment, especially of institutions.
Jonathan Leeman addresses these issues with a straightforward explanation of what church membership is and why it's important. Giving the local church its proper due, Leeman has built a compelling case for committing to the local body.
142 pages, Hardcover
Published April 28, 2012
194 people are currently reading
1575 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Leeman
80 books152 followersJONATHAN LEEMAN is the editorial director of 9Marks, which involves him in editing the 9Marks series of books as well as the 9Marks Journal. He has written a number of books on the church, including Reverberation, and he teaches theology at several seminaries. Jonathan lives with his wife and four daughters in a suburb of Washington, DC and serves as an elder at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington. You can learn more about him and his writing at www.9Marks.org.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 368 reviews
August 29, 2014
Face it, everything the Bible says about what it means to BE a true Christian is impractical unless done in the context of a healthy and biblical church.
A church is not just a club we sign up for, but a community we submit to.
Are you a member of a church? Do you know what it means to be one? Is church membership necessary? Is it commanded by God? Is regular attendance equal to membership? How is it modeled in the Bible? Is membership even in the New Testament?
Leeman sets out to (very persuasively) respond to these and related questions with the Bible as his blueprint.
Yes, this book radically transformed some of the stereotypes I have long held about church membership. Grab it. It is worth your few hours.
A church is not just a club we sign up for, but a community we submit to.
Are you a member of a church? Do you know what it means to be one? Is church membership necessary? Is it commanded by God? Is regular attendance equal to membership? How is it modeled in the Bible? Is membership even in the New Testament?
Leeman sets out to (very persuasively) respond to these and related questions with the Bible as his blueprint.
Yes, this book radically transformed some of the stereotypes I have long held about church membership. Grab it. It is worth your few hours.
August 8, 2019
The good:
- I absolutely agree with the author about Christians needing to be accountable, in fellowship, and disciplined by fellow believers (there are plenty of scriptures to that effect).
- Good reminder that we need to be more connected to fellow believers, and consider decisions in our lives that don't seem "pertinent" our church which does in fact impact them (like how much time we'll have to offer our fellow believers).
The bad:
- I felt like the majority of the arguments for a "membership" institute were taken from human systems instead of scriptural ones. In fact, I felt like the scriptural argument for the institute of membership was weaker than I even anticipated (or felt I could argue for myself, which...I'm not even a fan of the membership institute).
- I still very much feel like the institute of "membership" is something that gets tacked on to churches trying to solve a deeper root issue - that they don't feel they know those who come into their doors, don't feel that their fellow believers are taking part in serving or accepting feedback. The most "membership" I've ever experienced in a church didn't have that as an institute because it came out of fellowship naturally.
Overall: still very much on the fence about churches having an official "membership" program, but I recognize the intent for it is often good.
- I absolutely agree with the author about Christians needing to be accountable, in fellowship, and disciplined by fellow believers (there are plenty of scriptures to that effect).
- Good reminder that we need to be more connected to fellow believers, and consider decisions in our lives that don't seem "pertinent" our church which does in fact impact them (like how much time we'll have to offer our fellow believers).
The bad:
- I felt like the majority of the arguments for a "membership" institute were taken from human systems instead of scriptural ones. In fact, I felt like the scriptural argument for the institute of membership was weaker than I even anticipated (or felt I could argue for myself, which...I'm not even a fan of the membership institute).
- I still very much feel like the institute of "membership" is something that gets tacked on to churches trying to solve a deeper root issue - that they don't feel they know those who come into their doors, don't feel that their fellow believers are taking part in serving or accepting feedback. The most "membership" I've ever experienced in a church didn't have that as an institute because it came out of fellowship naturally.
Overall: still very much on the fence about churches having an official "membership" program, but I recognize the intent for it is often good.
May 14, 2023
LOVED!!!
scripture reference is insane & it’s written so simply without compromise of depth or boldness. Every professing believer NEEDS to read
The Lord used this book to DEEPEN A BURNING PASSION FOR THE CHURCH
Like, man the entire time reading this I was just praising the Lord for the intricacies & intentionality that is the Church.
To be a Christian is to belong to a church!!!!!!!!
scripture reference is insane & it’s written so simply without compromise of depth or boldness. Every professing believer NEEDS to read
The Lord used this book to DEEPEN A BURNING PASSION FOR THE CHURCH
Like, man the entire time reading this I was just praising the Lord for the intricacies & intentionality that is the Church.
To be a Christian is to belong to a church!!!!!!!!
May 14, 2024
Succinct and pastoral
December 3, 2024
Had the pleasure of recording an audio version with the author himself! Thankful for this book.
August 2, 2024
The 9Marks series are just great. I really appreciated the relevant Scripture and examples the author provided that gave a clear picture of what membership looks like. I also liked that he explained the fundamentals of membership that are the same across the world but then went into depth about some appropriate distinctions given cultural differences in different countries. Another great read in the series!
April 12, 2020
Un livre a lire surtout dans notre génération.
February 15, 2025
Een mooi en leerzaam boek over het belang van de kerk en het lidmaatschap van de kerk. Het roept ons op om het grote belang van de kerk in te zien en onze taak voor de kerk serieus te nemen.
December 31, 2017
Brief but heavy read. This honestly challenged my own views of church membership, but for the better. If we're all honest, this is something that isn't talked about or emphasized near as much as it should in American culture. And Leeman does a great job addressing that and making you, the reader, see why church membership is not only important but also Biblical. I may not have agreed in every chapter (such as his example buying a more expensive house if it means being closer to your local church; I don’t think that being a wise Biblical steward) but perhaps those are areas that through further study, I'll find myself agreeing.
Excellent read that's worth the 2+ hours it will take to read.
Excellent read that's worth the 2+ hours it will take to read.
March 14, 2025
Powerful and compelling.
September 6, 2025
Quick read. Good read. So foundational for so many who don’t have a developed ecclesiology.
September 16, 2025
Praise God! Christ has won for himself the Church! A book that has reminded me of the blessedness of the Bride of Christ, and has challenged me in how this practically works out in the local church. May the Lord give more grace, and may our affections be turned more and more to Him
March 9, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. He lays out a Biblical model for Church membership. I was challenged by his thoughts on Christians being representatives for Christ. We recognize how large of a task it would be to represent the President--how much more to represent the King of the President. He makes a strong point that we do not join Churches, but we submit to them. Overall this work was very well done, and I highly recommend it.
January 24, 2017
This is faithful, clear, and compelling explanation of the biblical significance of church membership. What is the church? Is membership biblical? What does it mean to join a church? What does it mean to be a member of a church? Jonathan Leeman covers all of these important subjects in this brief but robust work. I intend to give away copies to our new members going forward.
January 31, 2020
This book wasn’t amazing for me but it did have some good analogies and clarified somethings about church discipline and speaking into the lives of others. I didn’t agree with all of his thoughts but overall it was helpful in seeing the purpose of the being committed to a local body of believers through membership.
March 20, 2024
Awesome. Short, readable, practical, convincing. Best of the 9Marks series so far
March 12, 2025
The comparing and contrasting of healthy church membership in urban Western churches vs. underground, persecuted churches was especially helpful and clarifying. Though they may look different in application, God’s priorities and principles for His church extend to each and every outpost of His Kingdom!
February 17, 2025
A must read for Christians of this generation, whose general trend of church hopping and not committing and submitting to a local church creates a host of issues.
Simple and easy to read, well backed up in scripture.
Simple and easy to read, well backed up in scripture.
October 24, 2024
Read for pastoral cohort. The last chapter or 2 were the most helpful. Lots of metaphor and imagery that I thought could’ve been condensed some. Good overall and helpful in highlight what church membership is and the necessity of it for the believer.
September 15, 2018
Every Christian MUST read something substantial about Church Membership and Church Discipline - preferably early on in their Christian walk... however, Church Membership is one of those topics that (unfortunately) a large majority of church-goers have no significant understanding of it, and far less have an informed conviction of it. Many think either, what's the big deal? What difference does it make? And some even may say they don't see it in the Bible.
However, all of those notions are wrongfully assumed and the matter of Church Membership is by no means inconsequential. This little book helps to bring some clarity to many misunderstandings or ignorances. It is a refreshing title on an often little-spoken-of topic.
Leeman does a great job of clearly articulating what Church Membership is and is not (from within his own theological tradition), and provides Biblical exegesis of the relevant texts to show its basis in God's Word. While this is written from a Baptist Congregationalist's view of church governance, many of the principles and important points he brings out would stand for Christians among many other Protestant denominations. Leeman points out why Church Membership is not an inconsequential matter, and shows from a Gospel-standpoint how important it is and the role it plays in the life of a Christian. In fact, his Gospel-lens in this book is probably one of the most helpful things about it!
Christ has made us all part of His Body - the Church - and we all must find ourselves in a local expression of that universal Church. It gives visible and tangible representation to the spiritual reality which we have become a part of. We are all (as Christians) members - one of another - and thus, all the "one-another-commands" in scripture must find their expression in our local congregations and fellowship. Not only that, meaningful Church Membership helps to set the right environment for meaningful Church Discipline (another of Leeman's books in this 9Marks series).
Is this the be-all, end-all book on Church Membership? NO. Is this a book which I agreed with on all points 100%? No. Leeman and I are from separate and distinct Christian traditions and understandings of Church governance. Many will have their disagreements at various points on how Leeman sees Church Membership being worked out in a local congregation. But what I can rejoice in is that this book does in a very short space what few have dared to touch on - and it can be useful even to those who are not of his particular church tradition, even for the mere benefit of having poignant questions asked of you in regards to your functional and theological understanding of church membership. Also, few would have any serious objections to his theological basis for why Church Membership is important and how it is important in the life of a Christian. To that, I rejoice that this book exists and would recommend it to people to read to grow in their understanding of church membership and ecclesiology (theology of the church).
However, all of those notions are wrongfully assumed and the matter of Church Membership is by no means inconsequential. This little book helps to bring some clarity to many misunderstandings or ignorances. It is a refreshing title on an often little-spoken-of topic.
Leeman does a great job of clearly articulating what Church Membership is and is not (from within his own theological tradition), and provides Biblical exegesis of the relevant texts to show its basis in God's Word. While this is written from a Baptist Congregationalist's view of church governance, many of the principles and important points he brings out would stand for Christians among many other Protestant denominations. Leeman points out why Church Membership is not an inconsequential matter, and shows from a Gospel-standpoint how important it is and the role it plays in the life of a Christian. In fact, his Gospel-lens in this book is probably one of the most helpful things about it!
Christ has made us all part of His Body - the Church - and we all must find ourselves in a local expression of that universal Church. It gives visible and tangible representation to the spiritual reality which we have become a part of. We are all (as Christians) members - one of another - and thus, all the "one-another-commands" in scripture must find their expression in our local congregations and fellowship. Not only that, meaningful Church Membership helps to set the right environment for meaningful Church Discipline (another of Leeman's books in this 9Marks series).
Is this the be-all, end-all book on Church Membership? NO. Is this a book which I agreed with on all points 100%? No. Leeman and I are from separate and distinct Christian traditions and understandings of Church governance. Many will have their disagreements at various points on how Leeman sees Church Membership being worked out in a local congregation. But what I can rejoice in is that this book does in a very short space what few have dared to touch on - and it can be useful even to those who are not of his particular church tradition, even for the mere benefit of having poignant questions asked of you in regards to your functional and theological understanding of church membership. Also, few would have any serious objections to his theological basis for why Church Membership is important and how it is important in the life of a Christian. To that, I rejoice that this book exists and would recommend it to people to read to grow in their understanding of church membership and ecclesiology (theology of the church).
January 21, 2021
Un bon petit livre en faveur de l'adhésion à l'église locale, dont le contenu est pertinent, accessible et important, pour nous expliquer autant ce qu'est une église locale que l'importance d'en faire partie. C'est une lecture que je recommanderai sans problème à ceux s'interrogeant sur la question.
J'ai quelques remarques sur des questions touchant plutôt à la forme qu'au fond. J'ai trouvé que le livre accentue beaucoup l'importance de se soumettre à l'église locale et l'autorité que celle-ci a sur le fait de valider la profession de foi des croyants, mais la façon dont il le fait m'a dérangé. J'ai eu l'impression que les choses étaient présentées dans le mauvais ordre, surtout à une époque ou l'autorité est souvent associée à l'oppression. Plutôt que de commencer par montrer le cadre voulu par Dieu pour son Église, Leeman, établit d'abord l'autorité de l'église, sans bien bien définir, à mon avis, des termes connotés négativement aujourd'hui.
L'élément m'ayant le plus dérangé dans la présentation se trouve pp 89-90, où Leeman explique que les structures de responsabilisation de l'église est ce qui nous permet de bien vivre les richesses de l'église.
Cependant, il me semble fondamental de souligner que ce lien va dans les deux sens : les structures de responsabilisation de l'église sont saines et bonnes car elles s'ancrent dans la façon de vivre que Christ veut pour nous : une soumission mutuelle qui s'exprime notamment en cherchant à imiter Christ et en cherchant à placer les intérêts des autres au dessus des nôtres (Philippiens 2.1-11). C'est parce que l'église cherche à vivre ce cadre-là, voulu par Dieu, que la soumission mutuelle est une bonne chose. Leeman aurait pu, et peut-être dû, insister davantage sur cela.
Cependant, ce livre reste tout de même une ressource très bonne et utile !
J'ai quelques remarques sur des questions touchant plutôt à la forme qu'au fond. J'ai trouvé que le livre accentue beaucoup l'importance de se soumettre à l'église locale et l'autorité que celle-ci a sur le fait de valider la profession de foi des croyants, mais la façon dont il le fait m'a dérangé. J'ai eu l'impression que les choses étaient présentées dans le mauvais ordre, surtout à une époque ou l'autorité est souvent associée à l'oppression. Plutôt que de commencer par montrer le cadre voulu par Dieu pour son Église, Leeman, établit d'abord l'autorité de l'église, sans bien bien définir, à mon avis, des termes connotés négativement aujourd'hui.
L'élément m'ayant le plus dérangé dans la présentation se trouve pp 89-90, où Leeman explique que les structures de responsabilisation de l'église est ce qui nous permet de bien vivre les richesses de l'église.
On vit en tant que corps, épouse, temple et famille grâce aux structures de responsabilisation de l'église, à savoir l'authentification des membres, la supervision et la discipline.
Cependant, il me semble fondamental de souligner que ce lien va dans les deux sens : les structures de responsabilisation de l'église sont saines et bonnes car elles s'ancrent dans la façon de vivre que Christ veut pour nous : une soumission mutuelle qui s'exprime notamment en cherchant à imiter Christ et en cherchant à placer les intérêts des autres au dessus des nôtres (Philippiens 2.1-11). C'est parce que l'église cherche à vivre ce cadre-là, voulu par Dieu, que la soumission mutuelle est une bonne chose. Leeman aurait pu, et peut-être dû, insister davantage sur cela.
Cependant, ce livre reste tout de même une ressource très bonne et utile !
December 23, 2017
I love the word picture/analogy that Leeman pictures the church as in this short book when he speaks of the church and church membership:
"Just as the Bible establishes the government of your nation as your highest authority on earth when it comes to your citizenship in that nation, so the Bible establishes the local church as your highest authority on earth when it comes to your discipleship to Christ and your citizenship in Christ's present and promised nation."
His metaphor of that of an outpost or embassy resonated with me as I believe it lines up with Scriptural principles:
"A church is not the kingdom; it's an outpost or embassy of that kingdom. What is an embassy? It's an institution that represents one nation inside another nation. It declares its home nations interests to the host nation, and it protects the citizens of the home nation living in the host nation."
In this day & age of lackadaisical Christianity and apathetic views of church membership & commitment, the author states a sound case supporting the importance of local church membership and how it plays out practically.
Although a short book, Leeman covers the following ground:
Chapter 1 - We've Been Approaching It All Wrong
Chapter 2 - Membership Sightings in the New Testament
Chapter 3 - What is a Church? What is a Church Member?
Chapter 4 - What Are a Church and Its Members Like?
Chapter 5 - What Are the "Standards" of Membership? (Becoming a Member)
Chapter 6 - How Does a Christian Submit to a Church? (Being a Member)
Chapter 7 - What Happens When Members Don't Represent Jesus?
Chapter 8 - Must Membership Look the Same Everywhere?
I found chapter 7 quite interesting as I don't personally know many churches who practice church discipline. Leeman lays out a convincing argument as to the purpose for and the method of church discipline.
I will continue to refer to the sound doctrine taught in this book re: local churches and church membership.
"Just as the Bible establishes the government of your nation as your highest authority on earth when it comes to your citizenship in that nation, so the Bible establishes the local church as your highest authority on earth when it comes to your discipleship to Christ and your citizenship in Christ's present and promised nation."
His metaphor of that of an outpost or embassy resonated with me as I believe it lines up with Scriptural principles:
"A church is not the kingdom; it's an outpost or embassy of that kingdom. What is an embassy? It's an institution that represents one nation inside another nation. It declares its home nations interests to the host nation, and it protects the citizens of the home nation living in the host nation."
In this day & age of lackadaisical Christianity and apathetic views of church membership & commitment, the author states a sound case supporting the importance of local church membership and how it plays out practically.
Although a short book, Leeman covers the following ground:
Chapter 1 - We've Been Approaching It All Wrong
Chapter 2 - Membership Sightings in the New Testament
Chapter 3 - What is a Church? What is a Church Member?
Chapter 4 - What Are a Church and Its Members Like?
Chapter 5 - What Are the "Standards" of Membership? (Becoming a Member)
Chapter 6 - How Does a Christian Submit to a Church? (Being a Member)
Chapter 7 - What Happens When Members Don't Represent Jesus?
Chapter 8 - Must Membership Look the Same Everywhere?
I found chapter 7 quite interesting as I don't personally know many churches who practice church discipline. Leeman lays out a convincing argument as to the purpose for and the method of church discipline.
I will continue to refer to the sound doctrine taught in this book re: local churches and church membership.
January 21, 2016
This was a short and quick, but very insightful and helpful book. As a church leader who is constantly faced with the task of discipling believers in the context of an American church, church membership is a very debatable topic. Many folks in our congregation - especially younger people - see church membership as optional. In fact, they see the Church as optional. I appreciate Leeman's focus first on Christ's authority, and as the church as the extension and practice of that Kingdom authority on the earth. He likens the nature of the Church to an embassy of the Kingdom of Heaven in a foreign land. He defines the local church as "the authority on earth that Jesus has instituted to officially affirm and give shape to my Christian life and yours" (p. 24) and as "a real-life embassy, set in the present, that represents Christ's future kingdom and his coming universal church." But Leeman doesn't leave with lofty theological ideas - as foundational as these are to our understanding of the church - he gives practical help for understanding the role of the local church.
For such a short book - it took me a few hours to read, grapple with and digest - it is jam-packed with important truth that, though biblical, is very foreign to many of the folks who come to our church.
For such a short book - it took me a few hours to read, grapple with and digest - it is jam-packed with important truth that, though biblical, is very foreign to many of the folks who come to our church.
March 21, 2019
Helpful book for clarifying membership although I'd prefer it written in a more clearly defined way. I like clear categories and memorable bullet points. Although maybe that says more about me than the book! I think what IS really helpful is the way he shows how church membership cannot be "one size fits all". For example, a house church in say Tehran will still have a clearly known (to themselves) membership but how they do that will look very different to a large Evangelical church in the UK. That's not wrong. It's just necessarily different.
The author writes for a reformed baptist context but on the issue of baptism it would be useful if he'd recognised and explained that there are Bible believing Presbyterian churches for example that practice paedobaptism - especially as he rightly emphasises that the only requirement for membership is to be a real Christian ie the gospel. Baptism though important, is not a gospel issue. Also he makes a big assumption in stating that Romans 6 is about water baptism - Dr. Lloyd-Jones disagreed with that... And I'm with the doctor on that. So there! Yes it's a useful read apart from those very small caveats. Warmly recommended.
The author writes for a reformed baptist context but on the issue of baptism it would be useful if he'd recognised and explained that there are Bible believing Presbyterian churches for example that practice paedobaptism - especially as he rightly emphasises that the only requirement for membership is to be a real Christian ie the gospel. Baptism though important, is not a gospel issue. Also he makes a big assumption in stating that Romans 6 is about water baptism - Dr. Lloyd-Jones disagreed with that... And I'm with the doctor on that. So there! Yes it's a useful read apart from those very small caveats. Warmly recommended.
February 19, 2017
This is a great little introduction to the concept of church membership from a Baptist perspective. It is simple and easy to read and would be a great book to hand to a deacon or church member who is seeking answers to basic questions regarding the topic.
On p. 18, Leeman says that his purpose is not to defend church membership, but "to present a vision for it." And that is exactly what he does. He presents a way of viewing the church that is as radical as it is biblical. Churches (which are composed of their members) are the embassies of Christ's kingdom in this age; and as such, they wield His authority. Thus, "Christians don't join churches; they submit to them" (p. 30).
Even though I've been to seminary and thought about many of these concepts before, Leeman still clarified the way I think about church membership in many ways. And he only took 132 pages to do it! I will keep this book as a reference, and I also look forward to reading Leeman's little book on church discipline and his (fuller?) treatment of these themes in "The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love."
On p. 18, Leeman says that his purpose is not to defend church membership, but "to present a vision for it." And that is exactly what he does. He presents a way of viewing the church that is as radical as it is biblical. Churches (which are composed of their members) are the embassies of Christ's kingdom in this age; and as such, they wield His authority. Thus, "Christians don't join churches; they submit to them" (p. 30).
Even though I've been to seminary and thought about many of these concepts before, Leeman still clarified the way I think about church membership in many ways. And he only took 132 pages to do it! I will keep this book as a reference, and I also look forward to reading Leeman's little book on church discipline and his (fuller?) treatment of these themes in "The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love."
January 25, 2023
This was an interesting read. As a believer for less than a handful of years, I've had exposure to various churches and a myriad of perspectives on what it means to be a "member". I enjoyed the utilization of scripture as the foundation and backing for each claim made throughout. The tone of the discussion is centered around taking a look at the majesty that is Christ's church with reverence. This stance is a direct opposition to the sometimes flippant showcase of social club cultural Christianity that is pervading our modern landscape. We're talking about Christ's Kingdom, as a church and body of believers. If we don't operate any different than the world...it's likely that we're not exercising biblical truth.
December 19, 2019
Really helpful and biblical, and also quite practical in a number of ways. Really helped me to refine my thinking in a number of ways and answered a few questions that I'd never thought of, but are important. This is one that I'll be coming back to regularly.
Highly recommended for every Christian. It will help you to understand what church is and why it is incredibly important for you to go along to one if you say you follow Jesus; and also how you can love your church, which is something that pretty much all of us want to do well.
Highly recommended for every Christian. It will help you to understand what church is and why it is incredibly important for you to go along to one if you say you follow Jesus; and also how you can love your church, which is something that pretty much all of us want to do well.
January 5, 2019
This is a simple and short narrative of church membership. This book does not contain in-depth arguments or defenses for his position. Rather than exegeting scripture, Jonathan Leeman uses scripture to artistically paint a compelling picture of church membership. For a book this size, I am perfectly okay with his approach. I'd guess that I agree with 90% or more of his position on church membership and would definitely recommend this book as a resource to anyone interested in church membership.
January 28, 2019
Não posso concordar com todos os pontos do livro, uma vez que ele retrata a eclesiologia Batista. Porém, a discussão sobre a natureza da igreja como expressão do domínio absoluto de Jesus, e não como um simples clube ao qual as pessoas se associam, junto da apresentação sobre a disciplina eclesiástica, fazem com que este livro receba 4 de 5 estrelas.
November 13, 2023
A very good and convicting book. I wished it had dived into more advice for those who struggle with church membership. This book focused on the purpose behind church membership. I know far more Christian who struggle with participating in membership than they do understanding it. Other than that, I thought it was a good book that helped my own understanding of why church membership is important.
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