The Fourth Thing that's Wrong

Ken Eckerty has posted a website entitled "Why I left the Organized Church" (http://www.savior-of-all.com/organized.html). It gives 10 or more reasons, and I'd like to take them on. The fourth thing that's wrong:

Biblical illegitmacy of church membership that "divides the body of Christ."

Ah, the old church membership issue. It's easy to see why this one's a problem. Church membership makes me in and you out. Membership has its privileges. Here we have a system where it's not enough that you attend church. You have to join the church, if you qualify - evidence of conversion, good moral character, willingness to serve, and so on.

Isn't it enough simply to start attending a church and let it be known that you want to identify with the believers there? Can't we all just get along, without the need to sign up? All that official membership does is to tell certain attenders that they belong while others are on the outside.

I would tend to agree if it were not for a few problems that abandoning church membership would create:

1. We live in an era when we need to be careful of those who serve in our midst. Predators and pedophiles often target churches, looking for opportunities. Churches who simply let any volunteer teach a Sunday School class are opening the doors to being preyed upon.
2. Churches are legal societies (which is why you can get a tax refund for donating). As such, they need to follow the rules about decision making, ownership of property, and so on. Knowing who your members are is crucial to this responsibility.
3. Church membership is a way of identifying formally with a body of believers. We live in a fickle age, and churches really need to know who their loyal people are.

Which leads me to ask the church: Have we turned church membership into an exclusive club atmosphere? Do we treat our adherents differently from our members? Is church membership more important than broader fellowship?