How Membership Ceases in A Church

Prayer: Pray for the life and the preservation of the church.





Membership in a church terminates in three ways.

1. By Death. The dead can have no place in any earthly congregation of the saints.

2. By Exclusion. A church has the right, according to the Scriptures, and is under obligation to exclude from its fellowship any member who holds heretical doctrines, or lives inconsistently with the Christian profession. More will be said on this subject in the chapter on Discipline.

3. By Dismission. Letters of Dismission are granted to members who apply for them, provided they are in good standing. The fact that disciplinary proceedings have not been instituted against a member is generally to be taken as an evidence of good standing; and, therefore, of a right to a letter of dismission. There are, however, some exceptional cases. A member, who asks for a letter of dismission with the purpose of evading church discipline, because he has reason to expect it, has no right to a letter. Such a case must be investigated. The general rule would be to grant a letter to the member who asks for it, provided he would not be subject to discipline if he did not ask for it. The time at which a dismissed member ceases to be a member depends on the church that grants the letter. Some churches consider the connection as terminated as soon as a letter is granted. The great majority of churches, however, and very properly, regard dismissed members as under their jurisdiction until they are received into other churches.

Some churches have a way of getting clear of members by a process which is called "dropping." This is considered less disgraceful than exclusion, and is resorted to chiefly in the case of members who for a long time, willingly, absent themselves from the meetings of the church, or have gone, the church knows not where. The dropping process is unnecessary. It differs but little from exclusion - not at all in its effects. That is to say, the dropped as well as the excluded are no longer church-members. It may be said too, that members who habitually stay away from the house of God deserve exclusion, as do those who, not prizing church privileges as they ought, immigrate to other places without asking for Letters of Dismission.





Discussion by Leader:

1. When and why should church rolls be revised?

2. What harm comes to a church with a large roll with many members that cannot be located?





Parts for Assignment:

1. Name the three reasons for taking names off of a church roll.

2. Why should members be excluded from a church?

3. Dismission or granting of letters.





Discussion Questions:

1. Who should take the names from a church roll? Does the pastor have the right? A committee? The church?

2. What about those who request that their names be removed from the roll? On such a request, does the church have the right to act? Should a person making such a request give the reason for the request?

3. What time does a church letter take effect? Time of granting? Time of placing such a letter in a sister church? If a person asks for a letter and then places that letter in a trunk or some such place, where is their church membership?

4. Should a Baptist church ever grant a letter to a church of a different church order? If not, why not


 

Midi playing is; How Long has it Been Since you've talked to the Lord?