Is there going to be any accountability for people once they become members?This is an issue that we've talk about since starting the church. If we are going to be a church focused on mission then our membership should be part of that. Currently we list expectations between what we expect of members and what they should expect from us. I am in favor of setting up an annual membership review. Since our vision is developing followers of Jesus through Large Group, Small Group, and Prayer Group. I think it would be appropriate to hold people to account for whether they're part of our vision path. If they're not, then how can they really make informed decisions on the future of the church? It is not unprecedented. Some of the most successful churches in America do this.
Another option is a tiered system where we have members and partners. In such case we can hold different levels of accountability and responsibility. I have never been interested in having membership to exclude people from a sense of belonging in the ministry of SRC. But I do believe that having a mutual commitment is of great benefit.
To put it in perspective, there are times I'm tempted to preach a sermon called, "Stop Dating The Church."
As we lay out the matters of our governance structure, we need to look at this issue as well. What are your thoughts?
--Ben
1 comment:
I like the idea of being "committed" to the church, but not necessarily a member. I think that it gives an opportunity for people to feel more connected, and have more of a stake in the church, without the trappings of being a "member".
It was mentioned at the members meeting that there are many different types of religions that seem to converge as attendees at our church, which is a great thing. I think that having an option other than "member" would help those people to feel/become more connected and have a greater sense of ownership.
In addition to all of this, comes the question of how can we reach out to those, members or regular attenders that have fallen away? Ben?
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