[Matt Schmucker & Andy Johnson 9:30am Friday morning 9/14/07]There were many things discussed. I’m just going to share generally some points of what was discussed in order to protect confidential matters. The main point was that we as the church should be working to make a clear line between the church and the world. One way they try to draw this line at CHBC is to practice membership very deliberately. You cannot be involved in the ministry of the church without first being a member. This practice swims upstream against what many churches practice in getting people involved…then they come to believe. They practice the order of involvement in the local church: first, for people to believe in Christ; second, to submit; third, to repent; and then to belong.
This is their attempt to practice and model that there are 2 ways to live in a biblical manner (alive to Christ, or dead in sin). Matt said, “You can’t even serve cookies if you’re not a member.” This process of involvement in the ministry of the local church is a way that individuals can know the church and that the individuals can be known by the church as a part of the body of Christ in a local community.
This practice sets the expectation of being known (or more specifically accountability). Matt said, “If you have secret sin, you probably won’t be comfortable in this church.” The way the body works here is such that the members and elders probe into lives with Christian love and care. It’s very refreshing! Also, the elders seek to pastor each other before they pastor the flock. This model emanates throughout the rest of the congregation.
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