What It Means To Be a Church Member

The prayer of Paul, is: For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,  of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,  that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;  that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:14-19

A Church Of Opportunity---Sugar Plain Friends Church---Thorntown IN 

 

If you become a member, it is our hope and prayer that this family of believers will provide you with opportunities to discover the fullness of God's love in your life. Here are four general areas of opportunity within God's family:

An Opportunity to Grow As a Christian

We're here as a church " so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ " ( Ephesians 4:12-13). As you grow in Jesus, consider the following opportunities:

• A Time of Personal Devotion and Quietness. Perhaps the most important source of personal growth is a time of personal quiet and devotion.
• The Encouragement of Public Worship. We believe in public worship. Music, the preaching of the Word, and meeting with one another on the Lord's Day, are vital to the growth of every Christian. The early church “continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people "(Acts 2:46-47).
• The Possibilities of Christian Education. We also learn in the early church that " they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship" (Acts 2:42). There are many ways to get involved in Christian education. We would recommend our Sunday School. There are classes for every age and interest
• Possibilities of a Positive Lifestyle. We want to “be mutually encouraged by each others faith "   ( Romans 1:12). In a world filled with many negatives we want to offer a positive lifestyle in God's love. We become like the people with whom we associate with. We pray that we will all be people with high standards of conduct and attitudes as we lift one another.

An Opportunity to Serve As a Christian

One of the key verses in the New Testament concerning the church is: " It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be profits, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service " ( Ephesians 4:11-12). It is our firm belief that you are called to serve.

• Everyone Is A Minister. The pastor ministers from a vocal ministry . Others minister as they teach Sunday School. Some share their ministry in opening their homes to friends and neighbors. Others minister in teaching the love of God to their own children---homeschooling. Some are involved in visiting the sick or those imprisoned, feeding the hungry, or giving to the cause of world missions, some are involved with our Boy and Cub Scout program. The list is as long as our imaginations. The possibilities are as great as human need. To be a minister means to fill a need and to fill it with the love of God.

• You Are Called To Minister. God could have chosen to advance his kingdom without our help. God could have chosen a select few to give the task of ministry. However, in His great wisdom and love God has given all of this an opportunity to serve. If we are born of God, we are born to minister.

• You Are Created To Serve. The Bible teaches that " to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good " ( Corinthians 12:7). God has given certain graces, talents and gifts to each of us. In addition to this, we must work hard at training, developing discipline, and learning to commit ourselves to serving others in the name of Christ. We know that he “has made us to be kings and priests to serve" (Revelation 1:6).

• You Are Commissioned To Witness. Jesus began the sending process when he said, " as the Father has sent me, I am sending you "( John 20:21 ). This Church believes in setting people free to serve. We want you to find fulfillment in your service to Christ and his people. We want to support your ministry in the cause of God's kingdom.

An Opportunity to Give As a Christian

The Bible says, " but just as you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in the grace of giving " ( 2 Corinthians 8:7 ). Our church wants to provide an opportunity to give to the work of God's kingdom, here and around the world.

• Consistent Giving. We want to provide members with an opportunity to give consistently to God's work. We believe  "on the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income "( 1 Corinthians 16:2 ). We are a giving church.

• Mission Giving. We place in high priority our commitment to world missions. We believe it provides us with an opportunity to expand our vision, share in the needs of others, and experience giving that is a sacrifice. " They gave not only what they could afford, but far more; and I can testify that they did it because they wanted to " ( 2 Corinthians 8:3, TLB). Each year we have opportunities to give to the cause of local, national and world missions.

• Special Giving. We also have opportunities to give to special projects. From time to time you may feel a desire to do so. “They faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts " ( 2 Chronicles 31:12 ). You may see a need in the church to which you would like to contribute. You may see a ministry that you would like to develop through extra financial support.

An Opportunity to Share Your Faith as a Christian

Many soul winners love the verse of Scripture that says, " the first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ' we have found the Messiah ' " ( John 1:41 ). One of the greatest opportunities we have as Christians is to share our faith with others. May we encourage you  to do so. There are several principles of sharing the faith:

• We have the opportunity and responsibility to share our faith in Christ with others.

• The way we share Christ as a church (through the preaching, singing, and activities) is basic to the way we share Christ individually and our homes and neighborhoods.

• Remember, most people hear of Jesus Christ for the first time outside of the church.

• We share the love of Christ and our faith in Him by meeting the needs of the whole person, including members of the family.

• There are some who are especially gifted and able to share their faith in a personal way; yet we are all encouraged to tell others of Jesus.

• New believers and new members of the Church are often the ones who have more opportunity than anyone else to share their faith.

• Each person must develop a method of sharing his faith that is fulfilling and meaningful.

It is our desire to be a New Testament Church of which it was said, " I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world" ( Romans 1:8 ). We proclaim our faith in Christ when:

• We invite family or friends to attend church with us.

• We share the good things that are happening in our church and our lives with others.

• We take a plate of cookies to a neighbor or listen to a lonely individual.

• We help a friend paint his garage on Saturday afternoon or help in remodeling a kitchen.

• We pray with someone who is going through a time of difficulty or sickness.

• We share with others how they can turn and trust in Jesus.

 A Church Of Responsibility

As you become a member, there are four areas of responsibility that we present to you. We pray that they will lift and encourage you  in your Christian walk. We pray that you will join us as we lift up Christ and He draws others to Himself.

• A Commitment to Personal Growth. We ask our members to commit themselves to personal growth as they attend the worship services, take part in educational opportunities, and develop a positive lifestyle in Jesus Christ.

• A Commitment to Ministry. We ask each of our members to find a place of ministry and service in the church. This may be a formal ministries such as music, teaching, and visiting, or an informal ministry of inviting neighbors, showing concern, writing notes of appreciation, and encouraging others. Open your life for God's use wherever you are.

• A Commitment to Consistent Giving. We ask our members to give consistently to the work of the church. We are completely dependent upon gifts of members and friends. When we hear someone say, " we are the Church, " this includes each of us.

• A Commitment to Share Your Faith. We ask our members to share the faith, hope, and love of Christ with others. There are many ways to do this. The best way is through your own enthusiasm and joy. Let me encourage each of you to invite a friend.

These responsibilities are great. And they are something we do together. They are something we do through mutual encouragement. They are something we do through the love and power of Jesus Christ who said " For my yoke is easy and my burden is light " ( Matthew 11:30 ). In Jesus, the burden becomes a blessing and a journey is a joy. 

If you are in the area please stop in and visit us.