Members’ Meeting Reminder
by: Eddie Hirst
What are these meetings about? What does it mean to be a member? Why don’t we do all of these things at our Sunday gatherings? Great questions- it all comes down to why we take the time to be members at all. We have covenanted and are covenanting together to spur each other on in faith and good deeds. The things that we talk about at a members meeting are family business. Sunday morning gatherings are a huge part of what we do, but it is, by design, a time that is open to any who would walk in. The emphasis is the corporate worship of the Lord, Jesus and we gladly welcome any believers to worship with us, and we pray that this time would draw in unbelievers as they see Jesus in that time. It is a glorious time.
We also need time, on a regular basis, to have what you might think of as family time. That is member meetings. Sometimes, the family business is the leaky roof. Sometimes, it’s to rejoice in the work of the Lord as we see Him moving in our body- a profession of faith, the Lord’s provision, reconciliation of relationships, victory over addiction. Sometimes, it’s to hear the stories of grace of other believers that are desiring to covenant with us. And what is that they and we are doing when joining a local fellowship? What are we covenanting to do?
We are asking the believers to be a part of our walk. We are agreeing to pray for each other. To exhort, admonish, and encourage one each other. In worldly terms, we are asking the other members to be “in our business.” We are asking them and giving them permission to celebrate engagements. To rejoice in the conversion of our children. And we are asking that when the trials come- cancer, kids getting driver’s license, the bleary eyed season of all nighters with new borns, the loss of aging parents- to be with us then to. Through every season of life, we are agreeing to walk together.
And when things get hard, we don’t shy away. We engage. This is NEVER to be gossip. Clearly, not everyone of us needs to know the details of every situation within our church. In fact, the godly thing is to pray without full knowledge and trust that the Spirit is leading those closest to any given situation to lovingly speak truth into those situations. If we don’t lean in during hard times, then we are not a true church- we’re just a group of people who gather for a holy pep rally on Sundays.
What I’m describing is hard. It’s uncomfortable. It’s vulnerable. But it’s what we are called to. Whatever happens in our member meetings, remember that it is about growing together. It is about protecting each other. It is about sharing burdens. It is about living together. We rejoice for our brothers and sisters. We weep together. We ask the Lord to show us how to be Christ to our fellow church members. We beg the Lord to use our church members to be Christ to us.