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According to Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Hebrews 10:25, God requires that church members be faithful to the services, and that is what our church requires. The church’s job is to build up and protect the members (Eph. 4:11-16), but this is not possible if the members aren’t faithful. The church is a body and each member has an important part in the body (1 Cor. 12:27), and it is impossible to carry on the Lord’s business unless the members are present. Therefore, members must faithfully attend the services, including the the mid-week prayer meetings, the Bible conferences, and any other required functions.
If an individual ceases to be faithful, the church leaders or those appointed by the leaders meet with him and try to restore him. Each case is dealt with individually, and the leaders consider such things as the person’s health, age, distance from the meeting places, and family situation (for example, a young person with unbelieving parents or a wife with an unbelieving husband). Exceptions are made for those who are truly unable to attend all of the services. The leaders try to determine the state of the individual’s spiritual life and whether or not his heart is right in this matter. They want to see whether the individual desires to be faithful but is hindered in some justifiable way or whether the individual simply refuses to be faithful. The process of dealing with those who aren’t completely faithful will take as long as the leaders deem necessary.
If an individual continues to be unfaithful without a proper excuse in a willful manner, he will be put on the inactive membership roll and cannot participate in the Lord’s Supper and business meetings. For another four months, the church leaders will continue to try to restore the individual to faithfulness. If that is unsuccessful, he or she will be removed from the membership.
To be restored to membership, the individual must confess his sin of unfaithfulness before the church and show true repentance. He must prove his faithfulness for some time before he is re-admitted to membership.
Inactive Membership Letter
Date ________________
This is to inform you that you have been placed on Inactive Membership status.
We get no joy from this action, but we are forced to do this because of your failure to be faithful as you promised when you joined the church.
While on Inactive Membership status, you cannot participate in the Lord’s Supper or in church ministries or business.
We urge you to repent and to return to faithful church attendance. We are praying for that and longing for that.
If you do not change your ways within the next four months, your name will be removed from the membership of -----------------.
You will be welcome to re-apply for membership when you meet the biblical standards of Acts 2:41-42; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, etc.
Love in Christ,
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
Leaders of --------------- Church
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______________________
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