So you’ve just started looking after Membership at your church (either in a paid or unpaid position) but you’re not really sure what you’re meant to be doing (or maybe still not even 100% sure on what Membership even is?!). Here are some books that I’ve found helpful and I think would be a great place to start
Theological side of Membership:
- The Community of Jesus : A Theology of the Church
This is a helpful book that explores a pretty extensive view of Church form the OT and NT. It’s a bit academic but quite thorough and I’ve found it useful. - Why We Love the Church Kevin DeYoung
This is a bit more of a defense of church but covers some helpful ground. This one is less academic and can also be good to recommend to church members who want to dig into it more – we’ve had it on our church bookstall a few times. - The Ecclesiology of Donald Robinson and D. Broughton Knox : Exposition, Analysis, and Theological Evaluation
Knox/Robinson have been very influential in the Australian Evangelical understanding of the local church. This book digs into their teaching on the subject and re-examines it with a biblical framework. Worth reading.
The practical side of Membership
- Fusion by Nelson Searcy
A great book that covers the integration process, taking someone from 1st time visitor to joining your church. A lot of this book is not good and can be ignored (American culture stuff or bad theology) – but the other half is great. Worth mining for the gold nuggets here which can really help with your welcome process – especially if you find you have people visit a few times and then you don’t see them again. - Secrets of a Secret Shopper by Greg Atkinson.
This is written by a guy that runs a “secret church shopper” business and lists all the mistakes he sees churches make as they try and welcome visitors. A good book to go through if you’re finding 1st time visitors aren’t coming back much - How to walk into Church by Tony Payne
A short (and cheap!) book on the practical implications of what being a part of God’s church should look like on a Sunday. Very practical and helpful for all members. We give a copy of this book to each new member as they join our church. It’s based on Col Marshall’s article “ministry of the pew” which you can also get for free online.
