The emphasis of the New Testament is on believers being gathered into a group. The unity of the group is emphasized by several figures of speech which describe the church as a body, temple, new man, vine, flock, and the bride of Christ. Individuals are so closely related and interdependent that they are compared to the various parts of the human body, which cannot function without the others.

Of course you can participate in a local church without joining, and as some people like to point out, the New Testament says nothing about putting your name on a church roll. However, the genuine thrust of Scripture is that true Christians really do belong to a local church. In the hostile Roman world of the first century, becoming a part of a church was a serious and often dangerous matter. Yet it was still expected of believers.

Your decision to be a member of Sellwood Baptist Church will emphasize to you, to the church and the community that you really are committed to this congregation.

Actually, you are always welcome to voice your opinion at Sellwood Baptist, even if you are not a member, because we really do want to know what people think. However, as in any human organization, we must have certain rules to function effectively. One of these rules is that only those with the right to vote can actually transform their opinions into policy.

Sometimes, people will say that they are not interested in church government and business meetings. They only want to worship God. We can understand this kind of thinking, but we cannot agree with it. The Bible teaches that the Lord created the church not just for worship, but as a means to reach a sinful world with His message of forgiveness. This takes organization. It is our hope that you are concerned enough about this mighty task to be willing to be involved in the business of the church.

Next page