A Growing Church Family
By Ps Vernon Quek
Today, we at Zion Bishan have the great joy of receiving 66 people across our eight congregations to be members in our church family.
This is the largest reception of members that we’ve had in recent years, and we thank God for each and every new member who has been baptised, reaffirmed their faith or transferred their membership today – it is certainly God working through His Spirit that has brought each of them.
Membership in a local church like Zion Bishan is meant to be a tangible reflection that we are members of the wider Church, the Body of Christ. So, as we receive new members into Zion Bishan, it is a good time for both the new members and those of us who are receiving them to remember what it means to be fellow members of Jesus’ Body.
The Apostle Paul helps us with this in Ephesians Chapter 4:
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love…
Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.[1]
The apostle here shows us twice what fellow members of the Body do: they speak the truth in love to one another. Notice that this is the way that Christ grows and matures His Body, by saints showing His love and lordship to each other.
This should change the way we view each reception of members at Zion Bishan. Here is real cause for celebration: more saints to share the goodness of Jesus with, and more fellow members to point us to how good He is with their words and lives. What a blessing to have more fellow members of the body to grow and mature with!
As we witness so many joining us as members today, I wonder if there are one or two new members whom we can commit to growing in such healthy relationship with? To speak to them the truth that is Jesus and likewise, to be encouraged in return.
Let me leave you with the words that are said on behalf of the Zion Bishan family to those transferring membership:
‘I hereby receive you into our fellowship, to worship God with us, to grow in Christ with us, to serve through the power of the Holy Spirit with us.’
May the Lord continue to mature and build us to be the church He desires us to be!
[1] Ephesians 4:15-16, 25 (ESV)
