In the Alabama Baptist’s February 13, 2014 issue the headline was, “20 Characteristic of a Good Church Member.” The paper posed the question to pastors, Directors of Missions, and other leaders at the Alabama Baptist State convention of 2013. This was an informal survey, but it certainly only included those who had a more than average interest in Baptist matters. Thus something interesting…
The top 5 of 20 characteristics were, in order: 1) Is saved and sure of one’s salvation, 2) Seeks and follows the Holy Spirit, 3) Spends time in prayer, 4) Lives a godly life, and 5) Is growing spiritually.
I got to thinking, what would be my top 5 Characteristics of a “good” church member? Well, for better or worse, here are mine (Salvation is assumed by definition of the question). Note: All of these are equally be #1 and therefore my numbering…
1. Loving,
1. Godliness,
1. Humility,
1. Devoted to the reading and study of God’s Word,
1. Devoted to prayer,
6. Forgiving, Gracious, Merciful, Committed to unity of the body…
Honestly, lists of this nature are intrinsically difficult to quantify. But the question asked by The Alabama Baptist is good for two reasons. First, they make us think. Second, they call us to self examination.
They should drive us to Christ to in repentance and faith. Sounds like salvation by works? These thiiigs are good to do. But we never earn God’s favvor or love by “doing good works.” 2You were dead through the trespasses and sins 2in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. 3All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ*—by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— 9not the result of works, so that no one may boast. 10For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.