Matthew713.com

Providing additional resources for The Narrow Path Ministries | "Showing how to think, not what to think - about the Bible."

  Navigate Go to The Narrow Path Ministry Login Sign Up Contact Matthew713 About



Topic: Church Membership

Episode Topic Audio

2023-09-11
Church Membership: How should I handle my Reformed church expecting me to check a box saying that I agree with their doctrine (Calvinism), especially in light of my wife's commitment to the church already?



2023-08-25
Calvinism's "Total Depravity": How do we refute Romans 1 and the claim that minds are depraved when speaking with Calvinists? [Romans 1, Romans 1:17].
Attending a Calvinist Church: Should I join a Calvinist church if they don't seem to hammer their Calvinism?


2023-08-01
Church Membership & Accountability: Would you talk about church membership and accountability? [1 Corinthians 12:13, 2 Corinthians 4:2].



2022-11-17
Church Membership: What do you think of claims that church membership is required by scripture? [Matthew 18, Hebrews 13:17, I Corinthians 12:13, Acts 2:41-47, Ephesians 4:25].



2022-11-01
Church Membership: What do you think of a pastor who says that people have to become members of a church, and that the early church was not really all the Christians in one town? [Ephesians 4:1-4].



2022-10-05
Church Membership: Can you respond with some scripture that supports the idea of becoming a member of a local church? [I Corinthians 1:12-17].



2022-09-06
Joining a Church: Is it biblical to formally join a church?



2022-05-19
Church Membership: Could you share your thoughts on church membership and some of the expectations, like tithing, that come with that? [I Corinthians 1:12].



2022-04-12
Marriage Vows: If a couple has taken marriage vows with each other, but have not been licensed by the state, would you allow them in your church?



2022-04-08
Church Membership, Co-habitating Unmarried Couple & Baptism: What do we do about a committed couple, living together, but not married, who want to be baptized and become church members? Do we get them baptized first? [I Corinthians 6:9].



2022-02-04
Background Checks in Church: Caller shares his experience with this church requiring a background check.



2022-02-03
Church Requiring Background Check: Could you counsel me regarding my church requiring a background check?



2021-11-01
Early Church & Church Membership: What do you think of the numbers mentioned in scripture about how many were converting being evidence that they had a formal membership in the early church? [Acts 2, I Corinthians 3:4].



2021-07-05
Sinful to Vote Contrary to the Pastor's Wishes: What would you say to a pastor who thinks voting contrary to his vote to change the church constitution would be sinful? [3 John 1:9, Mark 9:35, Mark 10:44].



2021-04-14
Church Membership: Could you elaborate on your view of when a church won't accept certain people with particular views into their membership? [Acts 10:15, Romans 14:5, I Corinthians 3:1, Proverbs 27:17, Romans 16:17, Romans 15:7].



2021-04-13
Church Membership: Could you clarify what you think about what the Bible teaches about church membership? [Romans 16, I Corinthians 1:12, Matthew 20:26, Mark 10:43].



2021-03-22
Those That "Rule Over" Us: Could you talk about those in authority and how they are to "rule over" us-those in government, institutional church, home church, and how it relates to our own souls? [Hebrews 13:17, Hebrews 13:7, Hebrews 13:24].



2021-03-05
Church Membership Requirements: Is it normal for churches to require an interview and signed paperwork to become a member of the church? [I Corinthians 1:12, Matthew 5:37].



2020-11-17
Church in the Gospels: If you say that the word "church" was only found two times in the gospels, how did we come up with our liturgy and how did they conduct church in the early church [Matthew 16, Matthew 18, Acts 2:42-49, I Corinthians 14, I Corinthians 11, I Timothy 3, Titus 1, 2 Corinthians 3:17].



2020-09-17
Former Membership in Cults: Should one who once belonged to a cultic group, should they have their name taken off the rolls?
War in Heaven: How can there be war in heaven? [Revelation 12:7, Daniel 10].


2020-08-05
Work Out Your Own Salvation: What do you think of the claim that "working out one's own salvation" is an excuse not to attend church? [Philippians 2:12].
Working Out One's Own Salvation: Are the verbs in Greek in plural, in the verse about working out one's salvation? [Philippians 2:12].


2020-07-10
Parable of the Mustard Seed: Is the parable of the mustard seed not what it first appears, but about something bad developing in the church? [Luke 13:18-20, Ezekiel 17:22, Ezekiel 31:6, Daniel 4:1-18, Luke 8:5, Revelation 2:28, Revelation 22:16, Isaiah 14:12].



2020-07-07
Finding Fellowship: Can you help me find a way to get connected and into a local fellowship?



2020-06-19
Elders & Deacons: What is the difference between an elder and a deacon? [I Timothy 3].
Elder-Husband of One Wife: What does it mean in the qualifications for elders when it says "husband of one wife"? [I Timothy 3].
Male as Generic Descriptor in Scripture: Does the Bible use "he", the male gender descriptor, in a generic and inclusive way rather than really indicating a male is being discussed?

2020-06-11
Small Church Meetings: What do you think about smaller church gatherings, attempting to emulate the early church. Is there enough time and attention on the sermon, rather than eating and visiting?



2018-11-20
Steve's Church: Where does Steve go to church?



2018-07-20
Institutional Church: If the institutional church is not important then why does Paul emphasize deacons & elders so much?



2018-07-17
Church Organization What is the role of leaders and the general hierarchy of organized church? I know you don't believe in Church Membership. [1 Timothy 3, Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12]



2018-07-10
The Calvinist & Arminianist Debate: What is the best book of the Bible to go through to debate Calvinism & arminianism? [Romans]
Church Membership: So you are against Church Membership? Do you have anything in your lectures about that?


2017-10-19
Closed Communion: Hos is closed communion in churches that you visit even biblical?



2017-08-23
Bad Religion by Ross Douthat: Have you heard of a book by the name of "Bad Religion" by a Ross Doulthat?
Church Flourishing: From after World War 2 to 1960, was the church flourishing?


2017-07-26
Not Needing a Teacher: You don't need a teacher, is this what does that means? [1 John 2:27]
Spiritual Adultery: Have you ever heard of the term "spiritual adultery", where churches get annoyed that you are fellowshipping with another group even though you "belong" to them?


2017-07-07
Open or Closed Communion: I was visiting a church & they said no communion unless you are an actual member of that church, is that biblical?



2017-02-15
Reformed Faith: What is your view of the reformed faith?
Closed Communion: What is your view of churches that won't let you take communion unless a member?


2017-01-27
Attending a Church: do I need to attend church? Do I need to attend a particular church?



2016-12-19
Seeker-friendly churches: Churches that play loud, rock & roll type music it would seem would lose a whole bunch of older people, so counterproductive.



2016-02-25
Church Wants Its Members to Comply with New Theology: my church was arminianism for over 35 yrs but have switched over to a more Calvinistic approach & they are passing out membership cards you have to sign that says you will submit to how the elders interpret the Bible



2016-02-25
Church Membership for Church Discipline: A church requires church membership because of church discipline so they don't get sued for slander.



2016-02-11
The Importance & Expediency of Baptism: Why isn't baptism emphasized as much as it should be? Why such tarrying in getting baptized verses immediately?
Probation Period before Baptism: In some churches you have to go through a 30-day program before you can be baptized.
Baptism for Church Membership: Most churches seem to think you are getting baptized into their church & becoming a member, learning & accepting their doctrines, rather than just being a disciple of Christ.

2015-11-30
Membership - Church of Christ: Is it okay to jump around from congregation to congregation in the same town even though different churches or should you stick to one?
Elders overseeing others: What about holding people accountable?


2015-07-21
Making a Covenant to God: If signing membership w/ a church requires making a covenant to God (or the church), is this biblical?



2015-07-20
Connecting w/ New Believer: Caller is concerned about why it would take 9 months for caller right before her to connect w/ this person he's concerned about, waiting until he was baptized?



2015-07-02
Church Membership: What's the argument that pastors come up w/ why church membership is biblical?



2015-05-08
Church Membership: Pastor thinks that if they are going to participate in leadership roles of groups of missions, that they need actually join the church membership, & to do this, they want these people to go through a 2 month membership course instead of going to the regular church service.



2013-10-07
Never Water Baptized: I haven't been water baptized yet, & I heard that it's not necessary for salvation, but i should still do it?
Origins of Satan: What do we know about the origins of Satan?


2013-09-26
Devil Tormented Forever: Is the Devil tormented forever or will he eventually be burned into non-existence? I've been reading Edward William Fudge's book, "The Fire that Consumes" that says that he'll be burned. [Revelation 20:10]
Church Membership: Having to believe a church's distinctive doctrines in order to be a member of that church, what do you think about that? Just on the doctrine of eternal torment which they believe in, but I don't, I'd have a problem signing the membership card.


2013-07-26
Church Membership: Is it for tax reasons (501c3)that they want you to join the church?
"Our Father in Heaven": For some people, praying to the Father is emotionally awkard and can't relate to it.


2013-07-26
Church Membership: Is Church Membership-being forced to sign a piece of paper-biblical? [1 Corinthians 1]



2013-07-17
Church Membership: Is Church Membership Biblical?
Consciousness in Hell: If the traditional view of hell, eternal torment, is true, is it possible that you'd drift in & out of consciousness to be able to alleviate some of the pain?


2013-01-17
Understanding Romans: I don't understand these verse in Romans 5. Can you please help understand them? [Romans 5:13-14]
Purpose Driven Life: Our church is going through the book, "Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, & they want all the members to go through the classes & then sign a piece of paper for membership. I don't like the idea.

Back to Matthew713.com