Joining the Church

By Steve Higginbotham

Question: Why do those who are members of the “church of Christ” object to the phrase, “joining the church?”

Answer: First, let’s make a distinction between joining the “universal church” and the “local church.” After Saul of Tarsus became a Christian, he sought to “join” the church in Jerusalem, but this was only after the Lord had “added” him to the universal body of believers/the church (Acts 2:47). So, while the Lord adds one to the church (universal) upon his conversion, Christians join themselves to local churches for fellowship and accountability (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-4).

Second, the following true story may help us to understand and appreciate why inclusion to the universal church is determined by God and not by men.

Several years ago, a man had attended a revival at a local charismatic church and when the invitation was offered, this man asked to be recognized and be given permission to give his testimony. The church agreed and he told how an angel had appeared to him in his barn, and he wrestled with him until he prevailed over the angel. That testimony was good enough for the charismatic church, and they let him “join” the church. However, on the way home, his wife asked him why he had lied? She knew he had fabricated the entire story. Therefore, she demanded that he return the following night and tell the truth. (He had a better wife than Ananias had (Acts 5:1-11). The next night, he confessed his sin before the church and admitted his testimony was a lie. The church then promptly voted him out as a member.

Do you find it interesting that this man was accepted as a member of the church upon the testimony of a lie, but rejected as a member of the church upon the testimony of truth? That is precisely why our inclusion in the church is not dependent upon being voted upon as worthy or unworthy by men. Men make mistakes, but God does not.

In order to be saved, one must be a member of the church (Ephesians 5:23-27) to which the Lord adds you, but we may not be able to join ourselves to a local church that may have a “Diotrephes” among them (3 John 9).