A Call to Active Membership in the Body of Christ
[A sermon reflection from Mother’s Day, May 12, 2025. Full sermon audio available here.]
Beyond Greeting Cards and Flowers
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, grandmas, and great-grandmas reading this! While our culture sets aside this special Sunday to honor mothers, Scripture reminds us this should be our daily practice. And for those finding today difficult—perhaps you’ve lost your mom or are mourning a relationship that wasn’t what it should have been—please know you’re seen and held in prayer.
But today, I want to talk about different kinds of gifts—not the Mother’s Day kind, but the spiritual kind that each of us has received as members of Christ’s body.
Redefining Church Membership
Let’s be honest—when most people hear “church membership,” they think about signing a card, taking a class, or getting their name on a roster. But that’s not what membership truly means in biblical terms.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
When we put our faith in Jesus, we immediately become members of the Body of Christ. This isn’t something that happens when you complete a class—it happens when the Holy Spirit seals you in Christ after you hear and believe the gospel (Ephesians 1:13-14).
This identity connects us to all believers everywhere. We aren’t just members of a local congregation; we’re members of one another, united with true brothers and sisters in Christ wherever they might be found.
Why We Gather
I can do a lot of things by myself, but the one thing I can’t do by myself is gather. I need you, you need me, and we need each other.
When we gather each Sunday, we join a unified testimony that began when Christ rose from the dead. For nearly 2,000 years, God’s people have been gathering on the Lord’s Day (Sunday) to encourage one another at the beginning of the week.
Did you catch that? On God’s timetable, Sunday isn’t the weekend—it’s the first day of the week. We start our week by remembering Jesus has risen, that our sins are forgiven, and that we have a mission to glorify Him throughout the earth.
And when the world beats us up and discourages us, we come back together the next week to encourage one another again. That’s what the body does—it sustains itself.
The Tragic Reality of Passive Membership
Your physical body cannot function if half its parts are passive. If you woke up this morning and half your body wasn’t working, you’d probably rush to the emergency room.
Yet in many churches, more than half the members are completely passive and many don’t seem to mind. According to recent data, only 43% of Christians actively use their gifts in church, and a mere 2% engage in evangelism.
Let me be clear: Nobody’s spiritual gift is “sitting” or “being counted by the ushers.”
What a tragedy it would be if ministry was just about accumulating passive spectators. I would be devastated if that’s all our church was—you gathering to listen to me talk. What a waste of our time! I need you. You need me. We need each other.
Understanding Your Spiritual Gifts
The Bible lists various spiritual gifts in several passages, primarily:
- Romans 12:6-8: Prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, and mercy
- 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30: Word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, effecting of miracles, discernment, tongues, interpretation, helping, administration, and apostleship
Other gifts appear elsewhere in Scripture, like the gift of craftsmanship (Exodus 31:1-5) or the ability to interpret visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17).
I don’t believe these lists are exhaustive. They give us examples of how the Spirit works through believers. What I can affirm with certainty is this: If you are a Christian, you have been gifted by the Spirit in a particular way.
Seven Key Principles About Spiritual Gifts
1. Same Purpose, Different Activities
“There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Spiritual gifts should unify us, but often they divide us. I’m a teacher, so I tend to think the answer to almost every problem is another Bible lesson. But if someone tells me they’re thirsty, giving them a Bible lesson about water isn’t as effective as actually giving them a drink.
Don’t expect everyone to use gifts the way you do. Your body doesn’t need four knees and no wrists. We need all our different gifts working together.
2. Your Gift Is for the Common Good
“To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7
Your spiritual gift isn’t about you—it’s for others. When you don’t use your gift, you’re not just stealing from yourself; you’re stealing from the whole body.
3. God Distributes Gifts as He Wills
“One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each individually just as He wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:11
I don’t pick your spiritual gifts, and neither do you. Sometimes we see someone else’s gift and think, “I wish I was gifted like them.” If God wanted you gifted that way, He would have done so. Rest confidently in who He’s made you to be.
4. Every Member Is Important
Sometimes the smallest, least visible ministries deserve the most honor.
Do you know who cleans the toilets at your church? Have you thanked them? I get thanked for my sermons all the time, but there are other ministries that never receive appreciation yet are absolutely essential.
5. Seek to Build Up the Church
“Since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:12
The Corinthians wanted more impressive gifts. Paul redirected them: what they should be seeking is to build up others. That’s what our gifts are for.
6. Love Must Motivate Our Service
First Corinthians 13—the famous “love chapter”—sits between two chapters on spiritual gifts. This isn’t accidental.
Sometimes when you use your gifts, people don’t notice. Do it anyway. Sometimes they don’t appreciate it. Do it anyway. Sometimes they might even criticize you. Do it anyway—out of love.
This reminds me of my own mother. It wasn’t until years after she died that I truly appreciated all she had done for me. She didn’t serve me because I thanked her—she did it because she loved me. That’s how we should use our gifts in the church—motivated by our love, not by what we receive in return.
7. Be Good Stewards of God’s Grace
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10-11
God will hold us accountable for how we use our gifts. This should motivate us to say, “God, I want to be a good steward of what you’ve entrusted to me.”
What Does “Active” Really Mean?
Let me clarify what we mean by “active” membership. It doesn’t mean legalistically attending every church function. I don’t go to everything on our church calendar. I don’t expect you to, either.
Being active means intentionally using your gifts to:
- Build up fellow believers
- Participate in evangelizing the world
This may or may not happen within official church programs or exclusively within the walls of our local church building. If you’re actively using your gifts elsewhere for God’s glory, that’s wonderful! Our goal isn’t to redirect all roads back to our church—it’s to lift up Jesus in the world.
What Are You Passionate About?
What ministry do you see that needs to be done? What breaks your heart? What makes you come alive?
If you’re not sure where to start, here are some suggestions:
- Join our upcoming evangelism training class
- Talk to church leaders about areas where your gifts might fit
- Start small and see what resonates with you
- Pay attention to what others affirm in you
If you’re not passionate about anything yet, maybe you simply don’t know the Bible well enough yet. That’s okay. We’re here to help you. Start by getting equipped. As you grow in knowledge and begin serving others, passion often follows.
Are You All In?
The question remains: Are you all in? Not just with our church, but with Christ’s mission in the world?
If you are, get equipped, obey your King, and glorify your God. The body of Christ needs every member actively participating.
Remember: God hasn’t gifted you so you can bury your talent in the backyard. He’s gifted you to serve others, build His church, and glorify His name.
This blog post was adapted from a sermon delivered at Howell Bible Church on May 12, 2025, as part of our membership series.
Howell Bible Church 