What is

CHRISTIAN CHURCH
PARTICIPATION OR
MEMBERSHIP?

By Venerable Dr. I. U. Ibeme

What did Jesus mean by My Church and the
Church when He said “… I will build MY
CHURCH; and the gates of hades shall not
prevail against it …” (Mat 16:18), and “… tell
it to the CHURCH but if he neglect to hear
the CHURCH ...” (Mat 18:17)?
What did the Apostles mean when they
made use of the words CHURCHES for local
meetings of Christians in cities and houses
or the CHURCH for universally united
spiritual Body of Christ?
 LOCAL CHURCHES
Acts 15:41
(41) And he went through Syria and Cilicia,
strengthening the CHURCHES.
1 Corinthians 1:2
(2) Unto the CHURCH of God which is at
Corinth, to them that are sanctified in
Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all
that in every place call upon the name of
Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
 LOCAL CHURCHES
Romans 16:16
(16) Greet one another with a holy
kiss. The CHURCHES of Christ greet you.
Philippians 1:1
(1) Paul and Timothy, the servants of
Jesus Christ, to all the SAINTS in Christ
Jesus who are at Philippi, with the
BISHOPS and DEACONS:
 THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH OF ALL-AGES
Ephesians 1:22
(22) And has put all things under his feet,
and gave him to be the head over all
things to the CHURCH,

Ephesians 3:21
(21) Unto him be glory in the CHURCH by
Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world
without end. Amen.
 THE UNIVERSAL/GENERAL CHURCH
Hebrews 12:22-24
(22) But you are come unto mount Zion, and
unto the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of
angels,
(23) To the general assembly and CHURCH of the
firstborn, who are written in heaven, and to God
the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect,
(24) And to Jesus the mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that
speaks better things than that of Abel.
The Greek word EKKLESIA translated “Church” in
English means a lawfully “CALLED OUT
ASSEMBLY” of duly summoned citizenry in a
city, to discuss State matters (Act 19:39), but
also refers to an illegal spontaneously gathered
multitude of a city (Act 19:40-41).
Christ and His Apostles used the word, “Church”
to refer to the UNIVERSALLY ETERNAL Church of
Christ assembled from both heaven and earth
(Heb 12:23) as spiritual ORGANISM, as well as
the LOCALLY TEMPORAL Churches of Christ
territorially ORGANISED for apostolic fellowship
in various places on earth (Act 15:41).
 A Local Christian CHURCH refers to any
locally GATHERED (Heb 10:25) and
properly ORDERED (Phil 1:1; Tit 1:5)
visible local ASSEMBLY of SAVED disciples
who answer the CALL to be SANCTIFIED
with the Word IN CHRIST (Act 20:32;
26:18; 1Cor 1:2; Eph 5:26) and enlist to
be ORGANIZED together for SERVICE as
the Lord’s harvest LABOURERS (Mat 9:38)
in any given locality.
 The ONE, SANCTIFIED, UNIVERSAL/GENERAL
CHURCH (Heb 2:10-11; 12:22-24) is the invisible
ONE BODY of Christ (1Cor 11:27) and ONE
HOUSEHOLD of God (Eph 2:19) united in ONE
FELLOWSHIP of the Holy Spirit, which Christ has
Commissioned for Evangelisation and
Discipleship in all the world till the end of the
age (Mat 28:18-20), and to MEET (Heb 10:25)
locally as MANY Ordered LOCAL ASSEMBLIES of
the Saints (Act 14:21-23; Tit 1:5-7; Heb 13:7,
17), holding ORDERLY Worship and Fellowship,
LOCALLY and DAILY (Act 2:41-47; 1Cor 14:40).
 Reliable participation and responsible
ministry in the VISIBLE LOCAL CHURCHES
are the signs of true commitment to the
INVISIBLE UNIVERSAL CHURCH.
Unreliable and irresponsible truancy
towards the ORGANIZED Local Churches
are signs of unfaithfulness to the
ORGANISMIC Universal Church.
A Local CHURCH should not result from
DIVISION OF COMMUNION, but serve for
DISTRIBUTION TO LOCATIONS.
⌂ A CHURCH (Grk=EKKLESIA) does not
mean a DENOMINATION.
⌂ A Church Denomination is a network of
Local Churches under a specific leadership.
⌂ CHURCH does not mean a worship
LOCATION or AUDITORIUM, but a worship
ASSEMBLY or COMMUNITY of Christians
who participate in a local CONGREGATION.
⌂ The CHURCH also means all the local
CHURCHES of ALL CHRISTIANS that
universally belong to Christ as His BODY.
 The UNIVERSAL Church is the ONE BODY
OF CHRIST in eternal union under CHRIST’S
ORGANISMIC HEADSHIP independent of
temporal organisation and human
leadership; yet the LOCAL Churches are the
FELLOWSHIPS OF CHRIST’S DISCIPLES for
temporal mission to the world in the forms
of local assemblies coordinated under
HUMAN ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP –
as practiced in the Apostolic Church and
instituted by Christ and His Apostles.
 Souls are added into the ONE invisible
UNIVERSAL BODY OF CHRIST by Christ
Himself, through REGENERATION and
SPIRIT BAPTISM (Act 11:16; 1Cor 12:13);
while Souls are added into the MANY
visible LOCAL FELLOWSHIPS OF CHRIST’S
DISCIPLES by Local Church Ministers,
through REGISTRATION/RECEPTION and
WATER BAPTISM (Act 2:38-41).
 DISCIPLES are those who through
Grace BELIEVE that eternal salvation
is ONLY IN CHRIST (Act 2:41; 4:12) by
the New Covenant in His Blood (Luk
22:20; Heb 12:24), who also SUBMIT
TO CHRIST’S LORDSHIP only
ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH FROM
THE SCRIPTURES (2Tim 3:15-17) by
the power of the Holy Spirit (Eph
5:18).
 Believers are Baptised and received into
Church participation to LEARN to BE
disciples and LABOUR to go MAKE disciples
from the world (Mat 28:18-20); so that they
could fully please God (Col 1:10) and bring
glory to Him (Col 3:15-17).
Church Participation is therefore a true
believer’s expected response in answer to
the call into the Lord’s vineyard (Mat 20:1-
10) to LEARN and LABOUR together for the
Lord’s harvest (Mat 9:36-38; Luk 10:1-3).
 As our claim to God’s Universal
Household does not excuse us
from our duty to the Local
Household (1Tim 5:8), so also our
claim to the Christ’s Universal
Church does not excuse us from
our duty to the Local Church (Heb
10:24-25).
 We are not only called to personally
BELIEVE as individual DISCIPLES, but we
are also called to corporately LABOUR
as a team of baptised HARVESTERS who
are being Sanctified corporately.
WE ARE HARVESTED TO BE
HARVESTERS.
We are saved to serve for the saving of
others, not to seek our self-satisfaction.
The Church is God’s Rescue Agency.
 All believers in Christ who are called and
RESCUED or SAVED on their RESPONSE of
faith and CONVICTION in a locality should
GATHER as ORDERLY congregation
members of the Local Church, RECRUITED
by baptism into various
RESPONSIBILITIES, so they learn to jointly
obey (Mat 28:20) the call to SERVE as
COMMITTED labourers for the Lord’s
harvest (Mat 20:1-10).
The Church as assembly of BAPTISED
Believers is likened to a Household or
Brotherhood of brethren (Gal 6:10;
Eph 2:19; 1Pet 2:17; 1John 3:13-19),
and holy House or Building of living
stones (1Tim 3:15; 1Pet 2:5), and a
living Body of many functional or
participating members
(1Cor 12:12-27).
 Fulfilling the purpose of the
GATHERED Church requires DAILY
(NOT weekly or monthly) assembly
by Disciples of Christ in a locality,
ORDERED for daily and orderly
fellowship, discipleship, worship,
witness, prayer and ministry as it was
from the Pentecost (Act 2:41-47;
5:42; 6:1; 17:11, 17; 19:9; 20:6-8;
1Cor 14:40; 1Tim 5:10).
 NOTICE that the Apostolic Church did not
meet weekly on Saturdays like the Jews or
on Sundays, but met EVERY DAY for various
activities, usually in the evenings (Act 2:46;
17:11, 17). They used Sundays for The
Lord’s Supper in the evenings (Act 20:7-8).
It was later historical advantage of Sunday
holiday that gave Sunday morning worship
to the Church. This worthy advantage must
not overthrow DAILY Church meetings.
 Acts 2:41-47
(41) So those who welcomed his message
were BAPTIZED, and that day about 3,000
persons were added to them.
(42) They continually devoted themselves
to the TEACHING of the apostles, to
FELLOWSHIP, to the BREAKING OF BREAD,
and to times of PRAYER.
(43) A sense of fear came over everyone,
and many wonders and signs were being
done by the apostles.
 (44) All the believers were TOGETHER, and
they SHARED everything with one another.
(45) They made it their practice to sell their
possessions and goods and to distribute the
proceeds to anyone who was in need.
(46) They had a SINGLE PURPOSE and went to
the temple EVERY DAY. They ate at each
other's homes and shared their food with glad
and humble hearts.
(47) They kept praising God and enjoying the
good will of all the people. And every day THE
LORD WAS ADDING TO THEM PEOPLE who
were being saved.
 NEIGHBOURLY CHARITY
All people in any locality receive NEIGHBOURLY
charity from Christians and Churches but all
Christians in a locality may receive CHARITABLE
relations as well as enjoy spiritual fellowship
and spiritual ministrations from Christians and
Churches in that locality (Gal 6:10).
This is not the same as DESERVING rights and
privileges based on proper ORDER of
congregational participatory agreements,
commitments and assignments for
RESPONSIBLE and ORDERLY membership.
 MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS & DUTIES
Church membership is when you enter into
ORDERED agreement with a locally GATHERED
assembly of Christians which demands specific
RESPONSIBILITIES and commitments from you
(such as financial, participatory and ministerial
assignments), and owes you specific rights and
PRIVILEGES from that local congregation. Such
rights and privileges of membership include
Identity documentations, Administrative
covers, Testimonial commendations, Welfare
benefits (Act 18:27; 2Cor 3:1; 1Tim 5:9-11).
In order for Local Church members to fulfil the
work of the Church by being ordered to LEARN
discipleship and LABOUR of stewardship in the
Lord’s Vineyard, they should engage in:
@Attendance to regular Worship-Prayer-
Teaching Meetings (Act 2:42-47),
@Contribution to Church fund (Act 2:45;
1Cor 16:1-3; 2Cor 8 and 9),
@Participation in Discipleship activities (Eph
4:11-14),
 To fulfil the orderly learning and labouring
ministry, Church members also require to:
@Participate in Welfare activities (Act 20:35;
Rom 12:13; Eph 4:28b; 1Tim 6:18),
@Participate in maintaining Order and
ensuring Discipline (1Co 5:1-7; 14:40; 2Cor 2:6-
11; 2Tim 1:13; 3:10-11),
@Participate in maintaining Unity (Eph 4:3; Col
3:13-15),
Fulfilling the orderly learning and labouring ministry
of the Church requires we further:
@Participate in Evangelism and Outreach activities
(Act 1:8; 2:17-18),
@Guard the good Name of the Church (Mat 11:11;
Eph 2:10-16),
@Get actively involved with some branch of the
Church’s harvest labours (Luk 10:2-3; Eph 4:16),
@Support their Pastors and Leaders morally and
materially (Act 28:10; Gal 6:6; Php 2:9; 1Tim 5:17),
@Respect Directives/Discipline (instruction, rebuke,
correction, reproof) from their Pastors and Leaders
(1Thes 5:12-15; 1Tim 4:11-12; 5:19-21; 2Tim 3:16-
4:2).
 To prevent the “prophet is not respectable in
his own country” phenomenon (John 4:44), the
Bible teaches and enjoins participants of a
Church CONGREGATION to remember to
@support/honour the LEADERS (1Tim 5:17-18),
@submit to/obey the LEADERS (Heb 13:17),
@imitate/attend to the LEADERS (Heb 13:7),
@respect/esteem the LEADERS (1Thes 5:12-13)
OF THEIR LOCAL CONGREGATION for the sake of
the leaders’ ministry and for the growth and
good of congregation members (Act 20:28; Eph
4:11-16).
 GOOD CHURCH LEADERSHIP WORKS
By Rule of the Word, NOT By Rule of wills
By Servanthood, NOT By Supremacy
Systematically, NOT Symptomatically
By Discipline, NOT By Disputes
GOOD CHURCH PARTICIPATION IS BY
Cooperation NOT Confrontation
Information NOT Opposition
Concord NOT Conflict
Confidence NOT Suspicion
Suggestion NOT Coercion
 ORDERLY ADMINISTRATION
Although transportation and telecom
advancements have changed the
environment, but how should they be used?
Hitech does not overrule the fact that all the
above duties are PRIMARILY toward your
local congregation and leadership with
whom you should interact personally
BEFORE seeking such duties toward faraway
ministers you hardly know?
 Obviously, it would be hardly possible in NT
times to personally send financial support
directly to other local churches/pastors except
by delegation and correspondence through
your local leadership, but support, attention
and submission (1Tim 5:17-18; Heb 13:17) to
the local leadership/fellowship remains primary
obligational responsibility of local Church
membership. The Scriptures discourage
individual independence and neglect of
congregational unity (Eph 4:1-4; Heb 10:25).
 Philippians 1:27
(27) Only let your manner of life be as it
becomes the gospel of Christ: that whether I
come and see you, or else be absent, I may
hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in
ONE SPIRIT, with ONE MIND striving
TOGETHER for the faith of the gospel;
 Of course, those leaders who MINISTER the
Word (Teachers, Prophets, Preachers) or
ADMINISTER the affairs (serve the Table,
Treasuries, Tasks) in the Church congregations
owe God a duty to uphold the Truth of the
Gospel above all things (partisan/private
interests and intents, perquisites and
penchants) to make the whole counsel of
God known to the assembly (Act 20:27)
through their ministry and manners.
 Ordained MINISTERS of Word and Prayer
and elected/appointed ADMINISTRATORS of
Table and Treasuries (Act 6:1-7; 1Tim 3)
should never dare to mislead or exploit
GOD’S OWN BLOOD-BOUGHT FLOCK (Act
20:28-31) using another “gospel” lest they
be accursed (Gal 1:6-9; Jas 3:1)!
They should persevere intensely in their
divine mandate even when it is inconvenient
for them to preach the Truth or when people
rebel against the Truth (2Tim 4:1-5).
 Spiritual Leaders in the Church are those who are
duly authorized for the official responsibility to
order the affairs of the Churches they lead,
according to God’s Word and leading of the Holy
Spirit in …
@ giving overall direction for all members to follow,
@ making overall decision for all members to
implement,
@ ensuring overall discipline for all members to
conform, and
@ upholding overall doctrine for all members to
receive.
 James 3:1
(1) My brethren, be not many teachers, knowing
that we shall receive the SEVERER JUDGMENT.

Galatians 1:8-9
(8) But though we, or an angel from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto you than that which
we have preached unto you, let him be
ACCURSED.
(9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any
man preach any other gospel unto you than that
you have received, let him be ACCURSED.
 STRUCTURE OF A LOCAL CHURCH
Philippians 1:1
(1) Paul and Timothy, the servants of
Jesus Christ, to all the SAINTS in Christ
Jesus who are at Philippi, with the
BISHOPS and DEACONS:
Notice that designations for Church offices
used today do not exactly fit those in the
Scriptures due to traditional and trendy
adaptations and modifications
 BEYOND THE LOCAL CHURCH
under Apostles’ leadership, there were:

1. Itinerant ordained (apostolic)

SUPERVISORS (or episcopacy)

2. Itinerant delegated (NOT self-

appointed) REPRESENTATIVES and
MESSENGERS (either Ordained or
Charismatic)
 Acts 15:30-32
(30) So when they were dismissed, they came to
Antioch: and when they had gathered the
multitude together, THEY DELIVERED THE EPISTLE:
(31) Which when they had read, they rejoiced for
the exhortation.
(32) And Judas and Silas, BEING PROPHETS ALSO
THEMSELVES, EXHORTED the brethren with many
words, and strengthened them.
(33) And after they had tarried there awhile, they
were let go in peace from the brethren unto the
apostles.
 Philippians 2:19-23
(19) But I trust in the Lord Jesus TO SEND
TIMOTHY shortly unto you, that I also may be of
good comfort, when I KNOW YOUR STATE.
(20) For I have no man like minded, who will
naturally care for your state.
(21) For all seek their own, not the things which
are Jesus Christ's.
(22) But you know the proof of him, that, as a son
with the father, he has served with me in the
gospel.
(23) Him therefore I hope TO SEND PRESENTLY, as
soon as I shall see how it will go with me.