Ecclesiology

Why Baptism is Required for Church Membership (with Bobby Jamieson)

Kirk E. Miller

Why does our church, and churches like ours, require people to be baptized before we will admit them as members of our church? Today Kirk is joined by Bobby Jamieson, associate pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., to discuss the Biblical and theological reason for this practice.

Access the episode here. (Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and more.)

Roman Catholicism (with Gregg Allison)

Kirk E. Miller

What are some of the major differences between Roman Catholic and evangelical theology? And how do we assess these differences? How should we relate to our Roman Catholic friends, family members, and neighbors? Join us for this episode with Gregg Allison as we discuss these questions and more.

Access the episode here. (Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and more.)

What Are Deacons? (with Matt Smethurst)

Kirk E. Miller

The Bible presents two offices (or formal positions) within the local church: elders (also called overseers and pastors) and deacons, which means “servants.” But what exactly are deacons? Who should serve as a church’s deacons? How are deacons meant to function? And why are they so very, very important to the health and mission of a church? Matt Smethurst joins us to discuss these matters and more.

Access the episode here. (Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and more.)

10 Reasons for Practicing Formal Church Membership: The Case for Defining Who Makes Up the Church

Kirk E. Miller
  1. The gospel saves, not just individuals, but a people that take the form of local communities (churches).
  2. These churches have definable boundaries—who it is that makes up the church.
  3. The NT depicts the Christian life occurring in the context of the local church.
  4. The church is a community of believers. So we don’t want to assume someone to be a part of our church without confirming they are in fact a believer.
  5. People belong to a church voluntarily. So we don’t want to assume someone to be a part of our church without them agreeing to it.
  6. In order to discipline someone out of the church, they first need to be considered a part of the church.
  7. Being able to identify who makes up our church clarifies who actually represents our church, thereby guarding our testimony.
  8. In order to conduct our affairs as a church (e.g., voting), we need to know who makes up the church.
  9. Elders/pastors need to know who they are accountable for.
  10. Members need to know who they are accountable to (which elders/pastors?)