The Importance of Church Meetings
Church Meetings are the main administrative time of the church. It is where updates are given so that the church runs in an orderly way.
Why are they important?
1) To affirm our commitment to one another
Church meetings provide an opportunity for members to remember and reaffirm the commitments they have made to one another.
2) To welcome new members
Church meetings are the ideal place to introduce new members, hear their testimony, and welcome them into membership.
3) To appoint leaders
Church meetings are where members recognise those men who are qualified to lead them, and then give them the right to lead by electing them to eldership.
4) To testify to what God is doing in the life of the church
Church meetings provide an opportunity to share what God has done through the various ministries of the church or in the lives of the members, and to respond by giving Him the glory for this.
5) To hold the leaders to account
Church meetings are where elders can communicate and be challenged about their thinking and leading on various matters and decisions they make.
6) To keep the members informed
Church meetings are where updates can be given about church life and finances, and discipline cases or removals from membership explained. They provide an opportunity to make sure all the members have the same information.
7) To look to the future
Church meetings are where the members can be informed of the needs of the church and future plans for the church, which can then be prayed about.
8) To have fellowship with one another
Church meetings provide - before, during, and after the meeting - another opportunity for members to enjoy fellowship with one another, and to encourage one another to follow the Lord.
If Church Meetings are important for these reasons, how can the agenda emphasise this?
Agenda of the Church Meeting
Here are some items that should be on the agenda (not necessarily at every meeting) of a Church Meeting.
1) Say the church covenant
Saying the church covenant is a way of reminding the members of, and for them to affirm the commitments which they've made as members to one another.
2) Welcome new members
Church meetings are ideal for welcoming new members into the church. At the meeting, their testimonies can be shared (read) and the right hand of fellowship given.
3) Appoint leaders
Though this will be an occasional thing, affirming qualified men to serve as elders will need to be done at a church meeting.
4) Hear testimonies
Throughout Scripture, God's people publicly talk about God's work in their lives. Church meetings provide a place where members can share answers to prayers, encouragements from His Word, and help that God has given to them.
5) Give reports
Providing reports will be a key part of a church meeting, whether that be a financial report, updates from different ministries, or from wider church partnerships.
6) Share concerns
It is at church meetings that concerns can be shared. It might be a church discipline issue which needs to be brought before the church or news of a member on the care list who needs prayer.
7) Announce future plans
Church meetings give an opportunity for the elders' to let the members know about future plans like the upcoming preaching programme or special events and projects. This should be done in such a way to encourage feedback from membership.
8) Teach ecclesiology
A church meeting is a good place to teach the church about the church (ecclesiology) so that everyone is on the same page about what the church is and what the church does.
Field Notes
A reminder that every Saturday I send out a Substack with 10 links from around the web worth checking out and the latest resources I’ve produced at Blog of Dan (my online Notion page).