What are the "Secret Duties" of a Member at Your Church?

Have you ever sat down and thought through what you expect of your church members?

For the sake of today’s post, I don’t necessarily mean the “biggies” (like attending, serving, giving, etc.), although those are vital. Hopefully you are presenting those expectations clearly during Membership Class and reminding members of their responsibilities regularly.

Today, I mean the “little things” that make a big difference in the culture of your church…

To illustrate what I mean, I’d like to share a handy (and powerful) document from EastLake Church in Chula Vista, California. Their Lead Pastor (Mike Meeks) is one of my Coaching Alumni and his team is currently in my Assimilation Coaching Network. They offered to let me share this letter with you today.

It’s a letter they send to New Members about two weeks after they sign the Membership Agreement:

Greetings!

What a great season this is at EastLake Church! Each week I see Jesus working in so many lives, connecting us in friendships and revealing God’s purpose for us as individuals and as a church.

I want to say thank you for joining us two weeks ago for our “Discovering Membership” seminar. Way to go on jumping in with both feet! We appreciate your commitment to our membership team as we all work together to help people find and follow Jesus in San Diego County.

If you were not already serving on one of our ministry teams, I trust you have already been contacted by a representative of a ministry you signed up for. If not, please let us know and we will make sure that a connection happens.

As a member, we would ask you to join the rest of us in our weekly “secret” duties of membership:

Fill out a Connection Card every week — This makes it easier for our guests to feel comfortable and trust us with their information.

Sit in the Center Section (the closer, the better) — Again, thinking about our guests, this leaves room on the wings, aisle and towards the back.

Show up on time — This sets a great tone in the service right at the beginning as we celebrate the Lord together in worship.

I know for many of you, you’re thinking… “This goes against everything I like to do — roll in late, sit on an aisle, and rebel against the stupid card.” That’s what I would naturally think! But remember it’s not just about you or me! It’s about helping people find and follow Jesus. And believe it or not, those three little things help our guests dramatically.

Thanks, again, for joining the EastLake Team. We know God is going to continue working in your life and using you to impact others.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” ~1 Cor 12:27

Blessings,

Pastor Name

Thanks to Mike and the entire EastLake staff!

I love the lighthearted tone of this letter, but the clear expectations that it lays out.

These aren’t BIG THINGS, but they are the Little Things that, over time, come to define your church’s culture – and make your church as welcoming as possible to new people.

So how about you… What do you expect of your church members? Do they know that?

P.S. For a comprehensive resource that contains everything you need to plan, prepare for, execute and follow up on a Membership Class at your church, check out The Maximizing Membership Package (available for Immediate Download).

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.