What does it mean to be a church member? What should members expect from their church and what should churches expect of their members? Thom Rainer tackles these questions as well as the importance of the local church in his succinct, easy-to-read, modern classic I Am A Church Member: Discovering the Attitude That Makes the Difference.
I Am A Church Member by Thom Rainer was released in 2013. Rainer has written quite a few books, and this is one of his most practical and encouraging. Many books have been written for pastors, but few are written for CHURCH MEMBERS.
Rainer explains the purpose of his book right in the Introduction, where he argues “that congregations across America are weak because many of us have lost the biblical understanding of what it means to be a part of the body of Christ.” I couldn’t agree more, and strongly recommend this book!
In this review, I want to provide some of the book’s highlights – in the form of quotes straight from the book – organized by chapter. The book’s chapters are centered around COMMITMENTS that Mr. Rainer encourages every Christian to make in relation to his or her local church.
While the below quotations serve as a great overview of the book, they can’t replace reading the book itself. I encourage everyone reading this review to get the full book and read through it word-for-word.
CHAPTER ONE – I WILL BE A FUNCTIONING CHURCH MEMBER
- “With a country club membership you pay others to do the work for you. With church membership, everyone has a role or function.”
- “Church membership is founded on love. Authentic, biblical, unconditional love.”
- “The concept of an inactive church member is an oxymoron. Biblically, no such church member really exists.”
CHAPTER TWO – I WILL BE A UNIFYING CHURCH MEMBER
- “You have a responsibility as a church member. You are to be a source of unity. You are never to be a divisive force. You are to love your fellow church members unconditionally. And while that doesn’t mean you agree with everyone all the time, it does mean you are willing to sacrifice your own preferences to keep unity in your church.”
- “Unity in the church will not happen if members have unforgiving hearts.”
CHAPTER THREE – I WILL NOT LET MY CHURCH BE ABOUT MY PREFERENCES AND DESIRES
- “Christians can sometimes act [like] demanding children who want things their way.”
- “Church membership from a biblical perspective … is about servanthood. It’s about giving. It’s about putting others first.”
CHAPTER FOUR – I WILL PRAY FOR MY CHURCH LEADERS
- “We are church members. We must be the prayer intercessors for pastors and their families. Few families face the kinds of pressures and expectations as the families of pastors.”
- “We are church members. We will pray for the protection of our pastor and other church leaders.”
CHAPTER FIVE – I WILL LEAD MY FAMILY TO BE HEALTHY CHURCH MEMBERS
- “[From the Scriptures] we are … reminded of the importance of the family to the church. We are to encourage our family members to be faithful to the church.”
- “Many church members are single. They have no immediate family with whom they can worship in the church. Regardless, there are still people watching them and how they love the church. They are to be an example to others.”
- “As a church member, I am not merely to like my church or serve my church well. I am to fall deeply in love with my church.”
CHAPTER SIX – I WILL TREASURE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP AS A GIFT
- “Membership in the body of Christ, the church, is a gift from God.”
If you have the opportunity to pick up a copy of this great book, I encourage you to do so. You can read it in one or two sittings. Three at most.
May God bless you and richly use you to be a positive, constructive, unifying presence in whatever church He leads you to worship with and serve.
(Edited/Revised – January 10, 2025)
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