Dearly Beloved Members of Tabernacle BP Church,
Thank God that we are brought together in the local Church called Tabernacle BP Church. God has raised this Church and we are all members of one Body in Christ who is the Head of our Church. As members, let us understand the Biblical teachings of Church membership. I will list it as A to Z of Church membership for our easy learning.
All true Christians are duty bound to join a local Church that is faithful to Jesus Christ and His Word.
Bible: The decision to join a Church should be based on how closely the Church follows the Bible.
Christ: Joining a Church is about joining a group of believers to grow and serve together as part of the Body of Christ.
Discipline: Faithful discipline to correct and guide members is important in a Church.
Eldership: The oversight of the Church is by Christ-appointed Elders.
Fellowship: The Church must build strong fellowship among her members.
Gossip: Members must refrain from gossip as this is not showing love one for another.
Holiness: Every member must strive to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15).
Instruction: The Church must instruct her members in the Word of God. The Church is the pillar and ground of the truth.
Judgment: “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged” (Luke 6:37a). Members are to avoid making any unkind judgment against each other. Seek to clarify.
Knowledge: Each member is to cultivate the knowledge in Jesus Christ and His Word.
Loyalty: The Church’s primary loyalty is to Jesus Christ. A healthy loyalty to one’s Church is important too to stand by her in times of difficulty.
Means: The means of spiritual grace of the 2 sacraments in baptism and Holy Communion must avail to all members.
Notify: To be accountable to each other, members should notify the Church if they are unable to attend Sunday worship or other important Church events.
Opportunity: Members should make use of every opportunity to serve and fellowship with each other in the Church.
Pray: Members are to pray one for another and to pray for the Church. Church Prayer meeting is an important meeting that members should strive to attend.
Questions: It is proper for members to ask questions and seek clarifications for any Church matters especially in doctrinal matters.
Respect: Respect for one another is a very important virtue to enjoy good fellowship in the Church.
Service: Members are to serve the Lord in the Church with the gifts that are given to them by the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to serve with joy.
Thanksgiving: A thankful spirit with godly contentment in every member will strengthen the spiritual growth of the Church.
Unity: The Church is to be united in the truth of God’s Word and in love.
Visitation: James 1:27 reminds us to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction. Church members ought to visit members in afflictions to encourage and comfort them.
Witness: The Church is God’s appointed instrument for evangelism and the Church is to fulfill the Great Commission given by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20.
Xerox: Members are not Xeroxed copies of each other but rather God has made us differently and with different gifts too. We have to learn to accept our differences and to thank God that each one is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).
Yield: When differences and conflicts may arise between members, let us all yield first to Christ and then in honour preferring one another. (Romans 12:10b).
Zeal: Every member ought to be zealous in the work of the Lord and in the care for each other.
Tabernacle BP Church is not a perfect Church and indeed, we have many areas to improve for the Lord. May every member of Tabernacle BP Church strive to fulfill our biblical membership duty to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.
Elder John Leong
Why People Do Not Win Souls
1. They have no burden for souls (Jonah 4:10,11)
Some people really don’t care that others are going to hell (Luke 12:16-21).
2. Many people have the wrong sense of values.
They put material things ahead of God (Matthew 6:33; Philippians 2:21).
3. Many people are just plain worldly.
Their minds are cluttered up with the things of the world that they never get around spiritual matters such as winning people to Christ (James 4:4; 2 Timothy 2:4).
4. Some people are indifferent to the command of God (Ezekiel 3:18).
5. It is a true fact that many people have never seen the harvest.
It is obvious that some have their eyes glued on something other than the harvest (John 4:35). It is a face that some who do not win souls are pre-occupied with other things such as making money, enjoying the pleasures of the world. Simply stated, they are not following Jesus (Matthew 4:19).
6. Some people love themselves so much that they never get around to putting Jesus Christ in the first place.
These people live a wasted life (Mark 8:36).
7. Some who love something else more than Jesus obviously don’t win souls.
Demas forsook Jesus Christ for the things of the world (2 Timothy 4:10).
8. Some people are so lazy that they never get started doing any thing towards soul-winning.
They’d rather sit idly around the house and watch TV (Proverbs 22:13; 26:13).
9. Discouragement often leave people fruitless.
Discouragement has never won a soul to Jesus Christ. Apostle Paul’s encouraged Timothy by saying that “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7-9).
10. Sometimes lack of Bible knowledge will keep a person from winning souls.
It is true that one does not have to have a lot of Bible knowledge to win souls but a person should know the basic doctrines of the Bible. Christians are told to desire the sincere milk of the word of God (1 Peter 2:2). Every Christian must be committed to learn God’s Word to grow in the Lord.
May we examine ourselves, and make sure that we are putting in the effort to evangelize and win souls for Christ, to please and glorify God.
(Notes taken by brother Bo Hao from the FEBC night class on The Gospel of John, Rev. Das Koshy.)
