A friend recently shared this newspaper clipping with me:
What kind of church member are you?
- Some members are like wheel barrows—no good unless pushed.
- Some are like kites—if a string isn’t kept on them, they fly away.
- Some are like kittens—they are content when petted.
- Some are like footballs—you can’t tell which way they’ll bounce next.
- Some are like trailers—they have to be pulled.
- Some are like balloons—full of wind and ready to blow up.
- Some are like lights—they keep going off and on.
- Many are thankful and are like the North Star—there when you need them, dependable, ever loyal, and a guide to all people.
Like me, you probably smiled when you read these descriptions and could think of someone you know that would fit into each category. Maybe you felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit and recognized yourself as a kitten or a trailer. Maybe you could even come up with a few more descriptions of the various church members that you have encountered.
As I laid the paper aside, I was saddened by the characterizations of people that are members of the Body of Christ. ALL of God’s people should be dependable and loyal and a guide that points people to Christ, not flighty and reluctant and temperamental.
What saddened me more is thinking about when did we exchange following Jesus and being disciples for being good church members? I can think of many clubs and co-ops and organizations that have members, but Jesus clearly did not commission the disciples to make great church members. His specific words are recorded in Matthew 28:18-20. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make DISCIPLES of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”
Now I’m sure there was a variety of commitment levels and understanding among the new disciples in the early church and they didn’t do everything perfectly. In fact, if the first century Christians lived life as Jesus intended, half of the New Testament would never have needed to be written. But where have we gotten the idea that the goal is to be a good church member rather than a disciple? Maybe as a member, it’s easy to focus on the perks and benefits. As a disciple, we are called to focus on who it is that we are following. William Kynes offers an expanded definition of what it means to be a disciple: “A disciple is one who responds to the call of Jesus in faith, resulting in a relationship of absolute allegiance and supreme loyalty through which Jesus shares his own life and the disciple embarks on a lifetime of learning to become like his Master.”
When I shared some of my own spiritual struggles with a friend, they brushed off my concerns and sarcastically replied, “What do you want to be, a disciple?” Actually, yes, I do. And it would be my prayer that all church members would desire to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and a follower of The Way.
Erin Jacobsma