I have been reading a powerful book “I Am A Church Member” by Thomas S. Rainer. We actually purchased and gave each family in our church this book at our first Launch Team Gathering. I simply wanted to blog and bring out key points and quotes from each chapter over the next couple of weeks. These points and quotes can be challenging and almost sound negative. They are not intended to do so, but to challenge us to change and draw wisdom and knowledge to be what God called us to be.

The overall theme of this great book is to bring out that our churches will only be as healthy as our members! Membership in a church is not “paying dues” to receive “perks”. It’s about being a family and body of Christ, not a social club. It’s not about “me” and what I can “get”. Its about “us & them” and what I can “give, serve, & contribute.”

If we can renew our mind to the true power of church membership, we will be healthy, strong, lives will be impacted, and Jesus’ mission for the church will be accomplished.

Here are a few CHALLENGING points & quotes from the Introduction Chapter:

“Based on research of 557 churches from 2004-2010, nine out of ten churches in America are declining or growing at a rate that is slower than that of their communities. Simply stated, churches are losing ground in their own backyards.” – Thomas Rainer

“Only 15% of the Millennials are Christians in the US. The Millennials are the largest generation in American history with almost eighty million members. They were born between 1980-2000.” -Thomas Rainer

“I am suggesting that congregations across America are weak because many of us church members have lost the Biblical understanding of what it means to be part of the body of Christ.” – Thomas Rainer

“We join our churches expecting others to serve us, to feed us (Bible), and to care for us.” – Thomas Rainer

“God did not give us churches to become Country Clubs where membership means we have privileges and perks.” – Thomas Rainer

He placed us in churches to serve, to care for others, to pray for leaders, to learn, to teach, to give, and in some cases die for the sake of the Gospel” – Thomas Rainer

“Many churches are weak because we have members who have turned the meaning of membership upside down. It’s time to get it right. It’s time to become a church member as God intended. It’s time to give instead of being entitled.” – Thomas Rainer