Pacific Hope

The Church and You 

"Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25, Acts 20:28). Christ died to save you, and when you believed in Christ for salvation. He placed you into the church, that is, He made you one of the people of God.

If you are in Christ, you belong to an eternal and universal body made up of true believers and nothing can remove you from it. This is what we would call the "Universal Church." In other words, no matter where you live, you are a part of the Church. On the other hand, this invisible and universal reality has a visible and local manifestation - the local church. God calls every Christian to be actively involved in a local gathering together of believers.

Unfortunately, a consumer mentality has crept into the Church and caused many Christians to falter in their commitment to a local body of believers. Christians often look at the Church in much the same way as people do a country club or a fitness center - they join and participate how, when, and where they want. Being a member means nothing more than having the right to use the facilities however one pleases. Involvement is arbitrary and unaccountable. It is not so in the Lord's church.

The following collection of Scriptures will help you understand what the New Testament teaches about your responsibility to the Church, and what would be expected of you if you chose to identify and belong to Pacific Hope Church. Specifically, God calls you to faithfully participate in 11 functions within the life of the church:

God Calls You to Learn God's Word in the Church

Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine (1 Timothy 4:13).

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church faithfully uphold and teach the Word of the Living God so that I can learn and grow as a Christian in my walk with Christ?" Members of our church would be expected to regularly attend the preaching of the Word of God by our Pastor/Teacher. 

God Calls You to Worship with the Church

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24).

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him (Colossians 3:16-17).

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church have a proper understanding and practice of God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-soaked, well-arranged, pure-hearted, sincerely-reverent, and appropriately-balanced worship?" Members of our church are expected to consistently participate in the worship of God with the congregation with a pure heart.

God Calls You to Fellowship with the Church

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25).

...that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:3-7).

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church have a commitment to one another in a way that demonstrates Christ's love and are they welcome to allowing me to join in that fellowship?" Members of our church are expected to be involved in spiritual friendships that stimulate growth in Christ, and welcome others into this as well. 

God Calls You to Minister to Others in the Church

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 4:10-11). 

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church present me with the opportunities to serve others in the capacities consistent with how God has gifted me?" Members of our church are expected to use their spiritual gifts for the mutual edification of the body. 

God Calls You to Pray with the Church

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2:42). 

...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints... (Ephesians 6:18)

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church place prayer as a priority?" Members of our church are expected to pray for the church, its leaders, members, and its effectiveness to reach our mission in the world.

God Calls You to Submit to the Leadership of the Church

And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you (Hebrews 13:17).

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church practice the Biblical form of church government, are its leaders qualified according to 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, and are they leading the church according to its purpose as described in Scripture?" Members of our church are expected to support and follow the direction, leadership, and teaching of the Elders, promising never to do anything that would fracture the unity of the church nor to teach others contrary to the doctrinal position of the church as described in the Doctrinal Statement.

God Calls You to be Accountable to the Church

"Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector."Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:15-20). 

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself (Galatians 6:1-3).

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church practice church discipline and will they hold me accountable to my commitment to Christ as described in the Bible?" Members of our church expected to attempt to live out their commitment to Christ and be open to loving rebuke and correction if they ever stray. We want our flock to understand that if anyone is undergoing formal church discipline, we would provide the highest form of Biblical accountability,which could include (only as a last resort)  the inability to remove one's membership from our church until the process is complete.

God Calls You to be Equipped in the Church

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head-Christ-from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:11-16).

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church help its members to become more useful and effective for Christ and His people by training them for service?" Members of our church are expected to strive for greater effectiveness in service and ministry. 

God Calls You to Give to the Church

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church provide the opportunity for me to give of my time, talents, and treasures for the ongoing support of the ministry of this church, and are they accountable stewards of the money that you invest for time and eternity?" Members of our church are expected to give consistently, cheerfully, sacrificially, and proportionately for the furthering of our church's ministries.

God Calls You to Witness with the Church.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20).

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church have a vision and plan for reaching the lost for Christ?" Members of our church are expected to do their part to proclaim the Gospel of Christ in their spheres of influence (job, neighborhood, etc.), and join with us as a church in supporting those who do the same locally and around the world.

God Calls You to Participate in the Ordinances of the Church.

There are two ordinances outlined in the church that we are to perform in memory and obedience to Christ, until He comes:

Public Confession of Faith in Christ Through Baptism: the public declaration of commitment to Christ through testimony and water baptism to picture the death to sin and new life in Christ.

So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

      “ He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
      And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
      So He opened not His mouth.
      In His humiliation His justice was taken away,
      And who will declare His generation?
      For His life is taken from the earth.”

So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”  Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him (Acts 8:30-38).

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:19-20).

Celebrating and Remembering the Lord's Death Through Communion: the broken bread and poured out wine symbolize the broken body and shed blood of Christ on our behalf, which is pictured in a memorial way to reflect together on the One whose death for us makes salvation possible.

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat;[a] this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes (1 Corinthians 11:23-29).

The question you want to ask about any church is, "Does this church regularly practice these ordinances, and are they properly understood as being symbolic and memorial, with no enabling power within them to aid the sinner?" Members of our church are expected to properly practice these as outlined in the Bible; and if they have not been baptized, we would seek to fulfill their obedient commitment as soon as possible.

Conclusion

We recognize that no person and no church perfectly fulfills all of these responsibilities all of the time. What is described above is the direction and goal in which we hope to grow in with God's help and through the faithful ministry and support of our members.

The New Testament knows nothing of a Christian who is not a member of a church, committed to belonging and participating in the activities described above. By taking the Membership Class, you can expect to learn more about Pacific Hope Church, and if this is the local body of believers where you would like to make these commitments. We pray that God will lead you to identify and belong to His church, wherever that may be.

If you are interested in taking the next Membership Class, contact us for an upcoming schedule. Attending the class does not commit you to membership at Pacific Hope Church. We would love to have you attend as a visitor as long as you like. However, attendance of all three sessions followed by an interview by the leadership is required for anyone who intends to identify themself as a member of our church.