Sermon Tone Analysis

Membership

A. This morning we have the pleasure of receiving and welcoming a new member.

1.

We are going to publicly welcome our newest member, Carol Abel…

B. I have had opportunity to welcome many members over the almost 12 years that I have been pastor here.

1. Praise God!

C. I wish I could tell you all who have joined over the years are still here.

a. Obviously not — or we would have multiple every-chair-filled services

b.

Church membership, like life in this fallen world, is full of ups and downs.

D.Even with all its seeming flaws, church membership is important to our spiritual growth in the same way that our natural family is important to our emotional and civic development.

The world has devalued the Biblically-defined family children being raised in the secure, nurturing environment of one man married to one woman for life.

I watched a news program Thursday night that talked about groups and professors who say there is no need for the nuclear family — that it should be abolished and children raised by the “extended community.”

Whatever that means.

I think that means children should be raised by the government like the old Soviet Union and communist China raise and brainwash their children

But study after study tells us there is no better predictor of success for any child, brown, black or white than that they are raised in a Bible-based family of: one woman married to one man for life.

There is simply no better environment!

E. I would say the same thing is true of those who would follow Jesus as His disciple.

I firmly believe what is true for the natural family is just as true for spiritual family.

We cannot attempt to live outside of relationship with other believers and expect to be successful in fulfilling God’s will for us.

It is simply NOT possible.

1. Church membership is God’s design for the Christian life.

2. Anyone who would tell you they are a Christian but are NOT part of a local church whether formally or informally is NOT living out BIBLICAL Christianity.

I challenge you in this.

If you are watching online, or if you are here this morning, I would love to have a discussion with you about the necessity of being in a church — not based on your opinions — but based on the Word of God.

E. Biblical Christians understand that God has placed us in the Body of Christ.

1. Whether or not you make the formal commitment of membership, like Sister Carol you recognize the truth of:

2. 1 Corinthians 12:18, 27 (NASB95) But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

F.

Over the past several years I have repeatedly mentioned a 2009 book by Joseph Hellerman entitled: When the church was a family.

In his book Hellerman says:

1. Spiritual formation occurs primarily in the context of community.

(Repeat)

i.

People who remain connected with their brothers and sisters in the local church almost invariably grow in self-understanding, and they mature in their ability to relate in healthy ways to God and to their fellow human beings.

2. Hellerman goes on to say:

i.

Long-term interpersonal relationships are the crucible of genuine progress in the Christian life.

ii.

People who stay … grow.

iii.

People who leave do NOT grow.

3.

All words to ponder and pray about!

G.

This morning New Life Family Church has the privilege of welcoming and COVENENTING WITH Carol Abel

1. 1 ADULT and 0 Junior member.

2. A woman who has elected to put down roots not only in Christ, but also in this local expression of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

H. Sister Carol Abel, would come forward?

1. Please face the congregation.

2. Board, would you come and join Sister Carol — standing behind her?

L. As New Life Family Church welcomes Carol Abel as our newest member, I want to remind us that we are not an orphanage but rather a Family.

1. Jesus said in John 14:18 (NIV) I will not leave you as orphans; …

M. In an orphanage:

1. Orphans are not related.

2. Their common bond is merely that they all reside at one location — the orphanage.

N. But, in A Family:

1. It’s NOT that way!

2. The family is BLOOD-related.

The BLOOD of Jesus.

3.

And here at New Life we don’t merely meet at a physical location, we are united by the blood of Jesus.

O.

So it is our privilege to receive into the membership of this church family, __1__Adult and 0 Junior members who have…

1. … made proper application and have been approved by the Official Board of the church and are now ready to receive the fellowship of this congregation.

P. Sister Carol, as I mentioned in our New Member class a few weeks ago:

1.

You as our new members, and we as a church are going to remind each other of our responsibilities and privileges.

2. Our FAMILY COVENANT together.

Q.

I will begin with our newest member:

1.Sister Carol, I am going to read a statement and ask that if you agree with it that you say, “I do.”

R.

Here goes:

Having been led by the Holy Spirit to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, and desiring fellowship with people of like precious faith, and now in the presence of God and this assembly you are entering into a covenant relationship with these members of the Body of Christ.

So, do you promise that with the help of the Holy Spirit you will:

1. walk together with the other members of this church in Christian love?

2. work for the advancement of this church?

3. help it pursue holiness and a deeper knowledge of Jesus?

4. promote its prosperity and spirituality?

5. sustain its worship, doctrines and disciplines?

6. contribute regularly and cheerfully to the support of its ministries and activities?

7. If so answer: I do.

U. Do you promise to:

1. maintain your personal devotions?

2. seek the salvation of the lost?

3. avoid sin by avoiding the very appearance of evil?

4. seek that love which thinks no evil?

5.

If so answer: I do.

V. Do you further promise to:

1. watch over the other members of this church in Christian love?

2. to remember each other in prayer?

3. to aid each other in distress and sickness

4. to be courteous and forgiving to one another even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you?

5.

If so answer: I do.

W. Church, please stand.

Do you promise to:

1. watch over Sister Carol Abel in Christian love?

2. to remember her in prayer?

3. to aid her in distress and sickness?

4. to be courteous and forgiving to her even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you?

5.

If so answer: I do.

X.