Dear BPCWA worshipper, We have thus far understood the importance of ensuring there is a common basis of faith when one joins as a member of the church. I will cover in this pastoral about the mutual duties of the church and her members. Today, some Christians are beginning to feel that attending a church is not essential since online means are available. If so, they would deem it unimportant to have a sense of responsibility and duty to a particular church. The thinking may be that with so many online resources, why “tie yourself down” to a single church in membership and have duties and responsibilities to a church? Hence, Christians must understand what God expects of both the church leadership and the members.

Membership and spiritual growth. The church obligates itself with the duty of care for the individual who has joined because of 1 Peter 5:2. This care involves edification through teaching and instruction (2Ti 4:2). It may also include rebuke, admonition, and discipline when inevitable. For BPCWA to perfect the saints (Eph 4:12) through teaching, the member must commit to grow in and through BPCWA. The member must learn through the church. The members should feel secure in knowing that their children at the Sunday School and fellowship meetings will also be taught the same tenets of faith as their parents’. Growing with a church’s teaching is assuming that the church in question is sound, since the Christian should not have taken up membership nor remained to worship in an unsound church in the first place. Once the Christian has determined the soundness of that church, then he should endeavour to grow with that church’s teachings. If there are areas that he may have some struggles in because he had not learned it previously, he should seek to understand the teachings in that area with a heart ready to obey God even in that which may be difficult for him. In doing so, he grows in sanctification with the church he has become a part of. This enables the church and every member to move in tandem “unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph 4:13). Members also obligate themselves to support the church in service, resources, prayer, promotion, and protection of the church and hence the faith they stand for. When someone joins as a member, he has undertaken an obligation to be part of and to identify with that local church. A member does not join as a member in BPCWA but wants to be more engaged and concerned about increasing other church’s reach by actively supporting and promoting the activities, productions, and materials, even if they think the other church is a “sister” church. After all, it is extremely unlikely that any church would be delighted if their members are more enthusiastic about promoting another church in their own church. Such attitudes do not promote unity, commitment to, and love for the local church one has chosen to be a family member of. It even draws members to other churches instead of focusing their energy and attention on their own church. Every church has had a different history, witnesses in a different location, has a different demographic profile and may have different worship styles and aims. Instead, perhaps our members can learn from members of other churches to demonstrate the same fervency in promoting and attending BPCWA’s activities.

Membership and work of the church. In many churches, leaders are appointed through Synods. However, this is different in BPCWA and many other B-P churches. The Pastor, Board of Elders, and Session are elected triennially by the members. A church that accepts members regardless of their doctrinal positions may be increasing the pool of members whose beliefs are contrary to the church’s faith. But do not forget that leaders are appointed from members. Also, when such a pool grows in numbers and support, they wield an unhealthy influence on the future of the church. Such ones can be appointed to leadership and teaching positions. Teaching changes the thinking and can change the church. Friendship bonds can grow and loyalty to these friendships can cloud judgements regarding what should be done in the church because of “old times’ sake”. In time, the minority can become the majority.  When it comes to elections, leaders who uphold the original faith beliefs of the church can be voted out through groundswell, while those holding contrary beliefs are voted in. Those who don’t understand or don’t believe in the church’s faith beliefs can challenge or even block decisions and directions consistent with the church’s stand because it goes against their personal convictions. All such distractions and hindrances to the church’s work would have been unnecessary if due diligence had been done before acceptance into membership. Some may appoint leaders without much carefulness. They do so thinking that this congenial and helpful person is “harmless” since the differences in their beliefs are “minor”. But we must remember that Absalom was such a congenial person who was out to win hearts with selfish motives. Or he could be seeking with all sincerity to gather support to change the church because he fervently believes the church’s beliefs are wrong. We cannot see man’s hearts and can only act according to what the Bible reveals. Besides, how will we determine what is “minor”? Is believing in TUIP instead of TULIP “minor”? Is biblical separation “minor” since only a “minority” of churches practice it? Just as in a church, beliefs drive choices and actions. The church practices what it does because of its beliefs. Without a stringent membership acceptance and leadership appointment process to ensure alignment for both parties, we foolishly bring upon the church confusion and contentions because we ignore God’s rhetorical question in Amos 3:3 “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”  It will be an unhappy relationship between the member and the church if the beliefs of both parties are not aligned. Instead of fighting shoulder to shoulder to defend God’s Truth, and to protect God’s church to do God’s work, we will find ourselves fighting with one another within the church. Satan can never prevail against God’s universal Church. But we can help Satan win in the local church by careless church administration.

I hope this pastoral helps you understand why we place such great importance on membership in the church. A faithful local church will always be under attack. Every member is responsible for the protection and support of the church if the church does God’s work, acting consistently with the faith and beliefs it stands for according to God’s Word. This should be why you chose to join BPCWA.  For the local church to fulfill God’s purpose, it requires the unity of the faith and for both parties to be of “one mind” (2Co 13:11, Ro 15:6, Php 1:27) and “one accord”. Let us remember that the church is Christ’s. We are entrusted to maintain His charge in BPCWA for the Chief Shepherd to provide green pastures for His sheep. Even the purpose of green pastures and good teaching is not merely to hold on to good doctrines and have sound Creeds and Confessions. Christ’s ultimate purpose for the teaching is the perfect purity of the church. Should BPCWA do any less?

“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph 5:27)

Yours in our Lord’s service,
Pastor