ON MEMBERSHIP

The ’80s were a great time of fashion disasters: big hair, shoulder pads, Cavaricci pants, and let’s not forget the classic “Members Only” jacket. Membership can be an odd concept when not understood properly.

Back on October 13, 2016, DallasNews published a story titled, “Watermark church dismissed me for being gay.” The story is basically in two parts.

In the first part, the dismissed church member posted a story on social media in response to being dismissed as a member of Watermark. In his post, the man, Jason, writes about how he’d struggled with his homosexuality (he actually uses the word “battling”) and how he prayed almost daily that God would change him. Then he makes a profound statement, “But when I wasn’t able to change, you (Watermark Church) turned your back on me.”

The second part of the story is the letter from the elders of Watermark that preceded the social media post. In their letter, the Watermark elders indicate a pattern of “destructive” behavior that was not in line with membership. The elders noted, “We recognize that these patterns are only symptoms of a heart that is either unwilling or unable to fully trust God in every area of your life, including your sexuality.” The Watermark elders close the letter by affirming the man’s gifts, a commitment to continued prayer for him, and a sincere desire to see him restored into fellowship.

Watermark did an outstanding job of representing Christ in a strong, loving, and biblical fashion. I’m proud of my brothers and sisters in Christ who serve there and who were unwilling to dilute the gospel in the face of controversy and pressure because it truly is “the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes.”

It’s unfortunate that Jason took to a social media rant in an effort to defame Watermark, thereby only solidifying their assessment of “a heart that is either unwilling or unable to fully trust God in every area of your life…”

Consider the fact that Jason admitted to “battling against” his homosexuality for many years, and praying and believing that God would ultimately “change me.” But then, the telling statement comes, “But when I wasn’t able to change, you (Watermark) turned your back on me.”

Watermark never turned their back. One cannot pray a prayer of deliverance asking, in fact, pleading, “God change me,” but then demanding it happen according to our vision, our timing, and our terms. The Israelites spent 40 years in the desert for a similar sin.

In Galatians chapter 5:22 we read, “... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience…” But just before that well known passage of Scripture we read, “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, manipulation, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

The point: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, etc., do NOT disqualify those FREE IN CHRIST (read all of Galatians 5) from the Kingdom of God (or church membership), rather it is “those who practice such things” who will have no part of the inheritance, which includes church membership. The emphasis is on continual, ongoing, unchanged behaviors. Watermark pointed this out to Jason in recognizing and affirming “a heart that is either unwilling or unable to fully trust God in every area of your life…”

Absolute surrender is beyond our capacity as fallen, depraved, broken, flawed, and sin-riddled humanity. That’s why we don't just need any savior. We need the unique unfallen, righteous, complete, perfect, and spotless Savior. We need the New Genesis - Jesus the Christ.

The DallasNews did what we should expect from a secular news agency - they stirred things up to generate a buzz. They threw stuff at the board to see what would stick and generate clicks - to see what would sell.

Jason did what we can, and should, expect from fallen humanity - what we’ve all done apart from the gift of faith and transformative power of the Holy Spirit, viz. taking our own path in an effort to achieve superficial and synthetic change. “I believed with all my heart God would change me; I prayed for change almost daily. But when I wasn’t able to change…” Jason prayed to God, but never trusted or waited patiently for Him to answer those prayers in God’s way and in God’s perfect and providential timing.

Watermark did what the Bible commands and fully expects the Church to do: To lovingly and unashamedly point out that “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” The elders of Watermark would not allow someone to be deceived by synthetic religion or allow a sheep entrusted to their care to find a false sense of security in a superficial and meaningless membership “status” when the individual was clearly not redeemed, regenerate, or in fellowship with Christ. Watermark didn’t determine Jason’s membership “status.” Jason did that.

To our overly sensitive, and nauseatingly “correct” secular culture where participation trophies are not just the norm, but the expectation - the idea of “dismissing” someone from membership (church membership no-less!) based on their sexual orientation, and “unalienable rights” as a human being, seems grossly antiquated and atrociously misguided.

The problem with worldly wisdom - it's tragically and fatally flawed. Those “unalienable rights” we all demand - they are endowed to us by our Creator - as both the Declaration of Independence and, more importantly, the Bible indicates. When we blatantly deny the Creator, His Laws, His blessings, and His absolute sovereignty, we willingly forfeit all our rights bestowed by Him.

Thankfully, He gave us His Word both in written form (i.e. the Bible), and in human form (i.e. Jesus Christ) to simultaneously let us know that 1) we, in fact, are grossly deficient and seriously misguided in our sin, and 2) that rather than rub our faces in it - He has transcended time, space, the Cross, and even the grave to restore fellowship with us.

Membership isn’t about getting our name entered into a church database. Membership is about an intimate, unyielding, and unrelenting IDENTIFICATION with Jesus Christ, and thus His mission - to literally BE His Gospel blessing to all humanity! Proclaiming, heralding, and living Christ as the unique Way, Truth, and Life.

It would be odd to IDENTIFY as a member of the Flat Earth Society if one truly believed the earth round. It would be incoherent to maintain membership with the NRA if one despised firearms and opposed the sale, purchase, making, or use of them. Yet churches globally are overflowing with superficial "members" who refuse to identify with Christ and His mission, submit to God's authority, or produce a harvest in keeping with repentance. Thus, they deliberately choose alienation and non-identification as members of His Body and Bride.

The idea of church membership isn’t about privileged “access” or country club status. Membership represents intimate IDENTIFICATION with the ideals, values, beliefs, vision, and mission of Christ. Watermark did not “revoke” Jason’s membership; Jason and countless others do that all on their own when they decided they've waited long enough for God.

There are church rosters and databases across the globe overflowing with people who unfortunately have a false sense of security regarding their relationship with Jesus; people who have checked boxes, gone through membership classes, recited membership pledges, filled out membership forms, done mystical membership rituals - yet tragically know absolutely nothing about the legitimate transformative power of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit reigning and ruling over their hearts. Tragically, many churches and church leaders permit it in order to stay on budget. The time has clearly come when the fullness of the Gospel message, in all its power, has been exchanged for the tickling of ears (2 Tim 4:3).

Watermark is no Westboro. There was no homophobic march, no picketing outside Jason’s home or workplace, no hate letters, no obscenities or hate hurled via megaphone, and no divisiveness. Watermark did exactly what every church should do when faced with the reality of a current “member” practicing a life repeatedly revealing contradiction to and dissonance with faith from, through, and in Christ.

Watermark lovingly intervened, prayed, supported, rebuked, edified, and finally - reluctantly - acquiesced to the reality of Jason’s pervasive depravity. Watermark doesn’t love or care for Jason any less. The elders of Watermark graciously, responsibly, and obediently pointed out the reality of a distinction between MEMBERS (intimate IDENTIFICATION with the ideals, values, beliefs, vision, and mission) and those who are merely ATTENDEES.

Toward the end of his post, Jason ironically commented to Watermark, “Thank you for removing yourself from my life!” Just as Watermark never removed themselves from Jason’s life (they simply pointed out his ideals and values did not reflect those of a member of Christ’s church) - God never removed Himself from Jason’s life - or ours. We are proficient in doing that all on our own.

The Bible tells us “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). God didn’t remove Himself from us. We have all chosen rebellion and autonomy rather than a life-giving relationship with our Creator. Even God’s expulsion of humanity from Eden’s garden was an act of divine grace and longsuffering. Had depraved and corrupted humanity remained we would have subsequently been destroyed by God’s perfect holiness.

God gave us His Word in written form, but He didn’t stop there. God Himself came to dwell with us and took the punishment we deserve for our blatant and perpetual rebellion. Through His birth, baptism, crucifixion, and resurrection Jesus IDENTIFIED with humanity and quite literally became our Way home. God doesn't want us to remain deluded about our relationship with Him - neither should His Church.

The elders of Watermark closed in writing, “We love you Jason, and stand at the gate for you and eagerly await God’s restoration in your life (Luke 15:20).”

Membership isn’t about the right look, the right jacket, or having a star next to your name in some meaningless database. Membership is about standing in the Gate graciously loving, pleading, reaching, weeping, interceding, and IDENTIFYING both with Jesus our Savior and with sinful humanity. When we recall there was no distinction between us and Jason before the gift of faith - before His ridiculously extravagant and unmerited grace - we are compelled to BE the Church.

That's membership.

I waited patiently for the Lord,

He turned to me and heard my cry for help.

He brought me up from a desolate pit,

out of the muddy clay,

and set my feet on a rock,

making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,

a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the LORD

and put their trust in Him.

-Psalm 40:1-3

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com