We welcome all visitors to join us in worship. We hope you find us to be a friendly, God-focused group of people.
Whether Christian or non-Christian, all visitors are welcome. However, certain privileges are reserved for recognized members of the local congregation.
If a man desires to lead prayers, lead songs, teach, or lead the church in other acts of worship, he must be a member of the church (either a recognized local member or a visiting member who has been approved by the church’s leadership).
Any input regarding church business, finances, evangelism, and similar matters is reserved for members of the church.
The Universal Church
In the New Testament (NT), you find the concept of the universal church, or the church at large. The NT says the following about Jesus:
And he is the head of the body, the church … (Colossians 1:18, KJV)
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:22–23, KJV)
The NT teaches that Jesus is the head of the body, and that He is head over all things to the church. Thus, the terms body and church are synonymous. In Ephesians 4:4, it is written that there is “one body.” How can this be? Paul wrote to the church at Rome, the church at Corinth, the churches of Galatia, and others. If multiple churches exist, how can there be one body (one church)?
The one body is made of all churches.
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. (Romans 12:4–5, KJV)
Just as the human body is made up of trillions of cells, so the one body of Christ is made up of many members. The NT explicitly teaches that there is “one body.” There are not two, or three, or four, etc.
The process by which a person becomes a Christian is the same process by which he or she is added to the church. In Acts 2, Peter preached the gospel. Those who received his word “were added unto them” (Acts 2:41). To whom were they added? They were added to the other believers. The church is saved people, and saved people are the church.
The Local Church
The NT also speaks of local churches. You can read about the church of God at Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:2), the church of the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:1), and the church that met in Philemon’s house (Philemon 1:1–2). These churches existed in different locations.
A faithful brother or sister living in another city, state, or country belongs to the universal church, but he or she is not a member of the Chestnut Mountain church of Christ. When Peter instructed elders concerning their work, he told them to feed the flock of God which was among them (1 Peter 5:2). The authority of elders is limited to the local church where they serve; it does not extend to churches in other locations.
Therefore, each local church is autonomous—it governs itself according to the Scriptures. No individual has the authority to visit a congregation and insist that it does what he says. The recognition of local church autonomy protects the church at large from corruption and false doctrine.
When you read the NT, you find Christians worshipped together, evangelized together, and fellowshipped together. There are no lone-wolf Christians. If we are to worship together and labor together for the Lord, then it is necessary to belong to a local church.
The early Christians were there for one another. They supported one another. They were family (Acts 2:44, 46). Phone calls, video calls, and other forms of communication are helpful, but they cannot replace the face-to-face interaction that takes place within a local church.
Suppose a sister in Christ wants to prepare two dozen meals for people in need. Whom will she ask for help? Christians in a different state or country? No. She will ask members of her local church.
Suppose a brother in Christ is preparing the duty roster for worship services. Will he contact various congregations and ask for volunteers? No. He will ask men in the local church.
These are just a few reasons why officially joining a local congregation is vital. If you choose not to become a member, you are missing out.
The NT commands Christians to congregate. If you consult a scholarly NT dictionary, you will find that the word church is defined as “congregation.” Every time you read about the church in Scripture, you are reading about a group of people who congregate. Because most translations use the word church, the meaning congregation is not always obvious. Nevertheless, this is the meaning of the term. If the Holy Spirit calls us a congregation, then it stands to reason we must congregate. Consider the following passage:
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24–25, KJV)
The writer of Hebrews instructs Christians not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together.” To assemble is a Biblical command. How wonderful it would be if all Christians throughout the world could assemble in one place to praise God! However, that is not possible in this present world. Therefore, we must meet locally, and belong to local churches, to obey this command.
We welcome all visitors. If you would like to fully participate in everything the church does, we encourage you to officially join us so that we may labor together in the gospel of Christ.
Minister,
S. J. Michael