"Being Presbyterian"
Session Six
What Membership Means
Topic: What It Means to be a Member of First Presbyterian Church of Aiken
This is the final session of the online class "Being Presbyterian." This session focues upon what membership means. You have a single reading for this session - Donald McKim's "New Members Workbook - Call to Discipleship." Please read this workbook thoroughly then proceed to the videos for this session.
Resources:
The videos discuss what church membership means from a variety of perspectives and not all of these perspectives are "Presbyterian." The first video features Rev. John Piper a Reformed Baptist pastor who preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN for many years. He is a well known preacher, teacher and author. The second video reflects the thoughts of Mark Dever a Southern Baptis minister and pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC. Dr. Dever is a graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and holds a Ph.D. in Eclesiastical History from Cambridge University. The third video proves a perspective from the Wesleyan Church and is entitled "Belonging." The fourth video reflects set of testimonials on membership at Pittsburgh's East Liberty Presbyterian Church. The final two videos are longer and reflect perspectives on membership from among historically black and African-American Churches as well as from among Catholics. Both of these final video are set in Pittsburgh, PA.
Video Resources:
- John Piper on Church Membership; "What is Membership?" "Belonging: Introduction to Membership," "Membership Testimonials East Liberty Presbyterian Church," Come By Here: A History of Five Churches," "Pittsburgh's Heart Still Beats Catholic,"
After having done the readings for this session and reviewed the accompanying videos you may choose - on a purely optional basis - to answer the study questions and submit them at etwimber@hotmail.com or to contact Dr. Wimberley by phone or email to request a time for dialogue about what you have learned. You may do so by phone or dialogue via Skype or Facetime. Dr. Wimberley's phone number is 239.405.4164. We may also convene group meetings of the class using the Zoom application on our computers. You can enroll in this course by emailing etwimber@hotmail.com or by texting Dr. Wimberley at 239.405.4164.
Study Questions:
- In what ways does the understanding of church membership vary across Christian denominations and churches?
- In what ways do these churches share a common understanding of "membership"?
- What does being called by God to Christ signify to you?
- In what ways have you experienced the grace of God in your life?
- What types of "good news" generate excitement and joy in your everyday life?
- What do you most look forward to by being a "member" of this congregation?
- What do you think you have to contribute to this church and to it's Christian ministry?