No Membership Addendum. 

1. Local church membership is not mandated by Scripture. While there is nothing in the Bible that forbids membership in the local church, there is nothing that requires it. It is not mentioned. Membership in the local church is not built on the voice of Scripture, but the silence of Scripture.

   
   
2. Local church membership is not a legal requirement. A local church does not need to have a membership in order to maintain its standing with the state government. A non-profit charitable organization (501c3) does not require membership. It only requires at least three non related people to serve as a Board. This is fulfilled by the Elders or their designates, I.e. Trustees.
   
   
3. A local church without membership is not rare among evangelical Churches. Local churches with no membership are not as scarce as one might think. For instance, Calvary Chapel has no membership. This can accelerate growth. The late founder of Calvary Chapel, Chuck Smith was often heard to say, "Six of the ten largest Churches in the United States were Calvary Chapels." 
   
   
4. Local church membership is rooted in culture not Scripture. Americans live in a one person, one vote culture. It’s a vested right as citizens of the United States. It’s who we are. Unfortunately, many carry the right of voting entitlement into the Church. However, the Church is not a one person, one vote entity. Instead, it operates under the principle of “submit to the ruling Elders" (Hebrews 13:17). The result of mixing the two generates a unique, American mindset. It’s submissive on one hand, but defiant on the other. It’s submissive the idea of Elders leading but defiant to the idea doing so without a vote. 

   
   
5. Local church membership is anchored in tradition. The seven deadly words to any organization are: because that’s how we’ve always done it. Doing the same thing the same way, endlessly, eventually becomes a key factor in the decline in the life of an organization. Tradition is not a principle. Traditions must be altered, modified, changed and even ended for long term survival. Principles are sacred and should be protected at all costs. Membership is a tradition, not a principle. 
   
   
6. Local church membership limits the authority of the Elders. Membership can hold the majority of the congregation, including the Elders, hostage to the preferences of a few. The following scenario can and does play out in churches that are heavily dependent on the voting of members. Imagine an emotionally charged issue in the church. The Elders come down on one side of the issue and the old guard members on the other side. A showdown vote is scheduled. Let’s say 300 people attend the Church and 65% (195) are members. Let’s say the Bylaws state it only takes 20% (39) of members for quorum. Let’s say the vote can be decided by a simple majority of quorum (20). It would only take 20 members to decide the outcome for 300 people. That decision would occur and become binding regardless of the Elders. The tail ends up wagging the dog. If this seems extreme, then your experience with church issues is limited. Sadly, this scenario is the all too common. 

   
   
7. Bylaws that include membership risk painting themselves into the corner on contentious issues. Churches may find they’ve created a group of people called members, who have a tight grip on the outcome of issues. This my be the American way of doing things, but it is not the Biblical way to doing things. 

   
   
8. Local church membership can unnecessarily drain resources. The man hours and cost of maintaining membership rolls, implementing procedures, and following protocols, can become expensive and exhausting.  
   
   
9. Local Church membership can limit the growth of the church. This occurs when the majority of membership prefer clean and neat over messy and somewhat chaotic. It’s in play when the membership maintains comfort and convenience over going and obeying. It is common when the membership votes to preserve tradition and ritual over relevant and new. Membership can hinder growth by preventing the implementation of new practices designed to keep the Church attractive to multiple generations. 
   
   
10. Local Church membership can diffuse the focus of the church. It can prevent the Elders from implementing a plan that sacrifices the good for the great. This is a hard call, but one that leaders in the church must be willing to make. Offering too many good programs and fun options waters down involvement in a few great ministries that are highly aligned with the purpose of the church. Leaving this decision to the membership ensures these hard choices might not be carried out in a timely or effective manner. 

    
    
11. Local Church membership can delay the time needed to implement change. Most churches that change by a vote of membership do so too late. The fate of a plane in a nosedive does is not decided when it hits the ground, but when it falls below the altitude necessary to pull up. Membership rarely calculates this correctly. 
    
    
12. Local Church membership is not necessary for discipline (1 Corinthians 5:1-8). Many churches equate membership with eligibility for discipline. The Bible does not differentiate between unrepentant believers in the local church who have attended a membership class or signed a covenant statement and those who have not.
 
    
    
13. Local church membership becomes entwined with attending, serving and giving. All too often a formal membership includes agreements about attendance, service, and financial pledges. All of these should be left as voluntary and not made compulsory.