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I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the Difference Kindle Edition

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,874 ratings

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Best-selling author and ministry leader Thom S. Rainer drew an exceptional response when he posted a 500-word declaration about church membership to his daily blog. "I Am a Church Member" started a conversation about the attitudes and responsibilities of church members -- rather than the functional and theological issues -- that previous new member primers all but ignored.
Thoughtfully expanded to book form,
I Am a Church Member begins to remedy the outbreak of inactive or barely committed church members, addressing without apology what is expected of those who join a body of believers. When a person's attitude is consistently biblical and healthy, matters of giving, serving, and so forth will fall into place more naturally.

Six intentional chapters with study questions guide this rising discussion:

1. I Will Be a Unifying Church Member
2. I Will Not Let the Church Be About My Preferences and Desires
3. I Will Pray for My Church Leaders
4. I Will Lead My Family to Be Healthy Church Members
5. I Will Be a Functioning Member
6. I Will Treasure Church Membership as a Gift

Editorial Reviews

Review

One of the great privileges of my life is to pastor a local congregation of saints. Over the last decade I have seen first hand the fruits of those who understand the content of this book and don't just go to a church but belong to one. Dr. Rainer has served us all well in this book. He has wrung from the scriptures God's commands concerning the fullness of life found in Christ among his people in covenant faithfulness. If you love your church, are frustrated with your church, or don't understand why membership matters, I encourage you to pick this book up and read it. Matt ChandlerSenior Pastor, The Village Church
I am a Church Member is a great resource for both church leaders and church members. In a world obsessed with consumerism Dr. Rainer shows that, as a biblical church member, I am called to a greater commitment. I recommend that any church that takes belonging seriously consider giving a copy to every member. Geoff SurrattManaging Director, Exponential As a church member I have the privilege to unite with the body of Christ in making an eternal difference through my giftedness in His service. Church membership is an honor, privilege, and joy. Where would I be without the fellowship, encouragement, and edifying of the church? I am so thankful to Thom Rainer for making that reality come alive in this book! Johnny HuntPastor, First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia So much ink has been spilled to critique the church that it has almost become sport. Yet, I am confident that you cannot love Jesus and despise His wife, the Bride of Christ. Here, Thom Rainer offers a positive vision of healthy church membership and deep value for the Bride of Christ. There's a deficit of books like the one in your hands, a rare treasure for a generation deeply in need of a compelling vision for this community called church." Ed Stetzer, 
Billy Graham Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism at 
Wheaton College  Church membership is the shape of Christian discipleship. Wise, simple and sweet, practical and even piercing--this brief volume, if read and digested, helps us to follow Christ. It comes complete with questions to be considered and pledges to be made. Thom Rainer has written a book to instruct new members and to remind long-time members that true discipleship may sometimes be heroic; it must always be humble." Mark Dever
Senior Pastor, The Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DCPresident, 9Marks According to Thom Rainer, Church membership doesn’t simply have privileges, it isa privilege. And I couldn’t agree more. In I Am A Church Member Thom delivers a biblical perspective and practical approach to church membership. This little book is both refreshing and inspirational. I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend you pick it up! 
Andy StanleyNorth Point Ministries For many years, the Lord has used Thom Rainer to encourage and challenge church leaders to be evangelistic, raise expectations, design a discipleship process, reach millenials, etc. And the Church has benefited. Now, the Lord will use this helpful book to encourage church members to discover or rediscover the privilege and responsibility of belonging to a local church. And the Church will benefit. Eric GeigerSenior Pastor, Mariners Church There are scores of books on what it means to be a good pastor of a church. The same cannot be said for books on what it means to be a good member of a church. Thom Rainer helps cure the latter malady in this brief work that is biblical, simple and practical. This book is an easy read. It is also a convicting read. And, it is greatly needed when so many who attend church have a "what can I get" mentality rather than a "what can I give" mindset. This book will serve the body of Christ well. Daniel L. AkinPresident, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Thom Rainer, with this incredibly valuable little book, has once again demonstrated why he is considered a leader among church leaders. Though small in size, this insightful resource has the potential to bring about big results, helping to guide individuals and churches toward much-needed changes in how we all think about what is really involved in becoming a faithful church member. These thoughtful reflections, together with the illuminating and applicable responses, will serve as trustworthy steps toward health, renewal, and revitalization for congregations of all sizes. David S. DockeryPresident, Trinity International University Thom Rainer has created a profound and practical resource to help two generations of Christians - those who have become too comfortable and even apathetic in the church and those of my generation who are inclined to abandon it altogether. For those, like me, who have grown up in the church this is a pointed and necessary reminder of what it means to be a church member, and for those who are new to church it is a concise primer on the joy and life found in committing to a local church. I highly recommend this deep but uncomplicated book to any believer. Barnabas Piper
Author, 
The Curious Christian and The Pastor's Kid Thomas Rainer has tapped into a significant challenge in today’s church that is experiencing a decline in church attendance and membership. I Am a Church Member focuses on the priority that all followers of Jesus Christ should emphasize and that is to serve Him by serving others based on the Biblical instruction set forth in Scripture. “Now [we] are the body of Christ and individual members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Thom has masterfully outlined how we should function within the context of the apostles’ teaching and gives us pause to consider just how we should relate to others within the local church—Christ’s words are to individuals that collectively make up the body of Christ. His work takes root in each individual heart. Franklin GrahamPresident & CEOSamaritan’s PurseBilly Graham Evangelistic Association The Church is the only bride of Christ. The Church is the only plan of God to reach the world and it is the only organization that will last forever! The Church (with a Big C) is only as strong as its local churches around the world. In a day of church decline and stagnation, it appears as if the church of today looks nothing like the church of the Bible. I believe when church members around the world get a clear picture of what the Bible has to say about their relationship with their church--it will change the world!Thom Rainer has done it again. He has written a book that will advance the Church and therefore advance the Kingdom of God. It is a must read for all church members everywhere. Dr. Alex HimayaFounding and Senior PastorTheChurch.at (BattleCreek/ Midtown), Tulsa, OK Timely. Needed. Powerful. Simple. Clear. Biblical. This book needs to be read by every Pastor and church member globally. Find a way to get it to every Christ-follower. I will do all I can to do it in my church. Thank you for calling us back to the Bible! Dr. Ronnie Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church, Northwest Arkansas

About the Author

Thom S. Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the largest Christian resource companies in the world. Also a respected pastor and researcher, he has written more than twenty books and coauthored the bestseller Simple Church. He and his wife Nellie Jo have three grown sons, several grandchildren, and live in Nashville, Tennessee.



Ray Porter is an AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrator and fifteen-year veteran of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He has appeared in numerous films and television shows, including Almost Famous, ER, and Frasier.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B076HG17TM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ B&H Books (May 1, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 1, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3099 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 99 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,874 ratings

About the author

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Thom S. Rainer
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Thom S. Rainer is the founder and CEO of Church Answers. Prior to Church Answers, he served as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. He also served at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for twelve years where he was the founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism. He has been a pastor of four churches and interim pastor of ten churches. He is a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama and earned his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. degrees from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Rainer has written over 30 books, including three that reached number one bestseller: I Am a Church Member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church, and Simple Church.

He has spoken in hundreds of venues and led over 500 church consultations. He can be reached at www.ChurchAnswers.com.

Rainer and his wife, Nellie Jo, live in Franklin, TN, and have three grown sons: Sam, Art and Jess, who are married to Erin, Sarah and Rachel respectively. The Rainers have ten grandchildren: Canon, Maggie, Nathaniel, Will (with the Lord), Harper, Bren, Joshua, Collins, Joel, and James.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
2,874 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and a good guide for church membership classes. It provides a clear and refreshing look at church membership and its philosophy. The author makes the points in a simple yet direct way that everyone can understand. Many readers find the book eye-opening and worth the money. They also mention it gives them suggestions on discovering the attitude of being a good church member.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

522 customers mention "Readability"514 positive8 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and a solid read worth their time. They say it's a concise, Scripture-based course on how to understand what it means to be a church. The book is short yet challenging, with tight writing and an eye-opening review.

"...I Am A Church Member is a very good book that will challenge how Christian approach attending and being a part of the Church...." Read more

"This book should be read by all church members...." Read more

"...it most pertinent to these types of studies are the structure, the review, and the pledge...." Read more

"...The book is short yet back with challenging thinking. Each of the six commitments should be made by every member of every church...." Read more

414 customers mention "Insight"414 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for church members. They say it's a good reminder to dedicate themselves to their local church and a guide for a church membership class. The book provides a biblical perspective on how we should view and focus on God's plan for the church. It is a concise, scripture-based course that serves as an introduction to the topic.

"...Church with the intended goal being that a healthy and functioning members of local churches help impact their work places and communities for the..." Read more

"This book should be read by all church members. It has some very interesting points on how we should approach going to church and our role as church..." Read more

"...Thom Rainer in his book, I Am a Church Member, provides his audience with a clear, applicable commentary on how we, as church members, can better..." Read more

"...Great questions and covenants at the end of each chapter. Our church will be including it in our orientation for new members...." Read more

96 customers mention "Church membership"96 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for understanding church membership. It provides a clear explanation of what it means and how it benefits the church. Readers mention it's a good resource for pastors and lay members, with relevant scriptures that encourage self-reflection.

"...Church membership is vital because the New Testament epistles were written in response to Christians gathering together in local churches under the..." Read more

"...to these types of studies are the structure, the review, and the pledge...." Read more

"...Great questions and covenants at the end of each chapter. Our church will be including it in our orientation for new members...." Read more

"...This is a great, although short book that lays out the philosophy of good church membership...." Read more

40 customers mention "Clarity"32 positive8 negative

Customers find the book concise and practical. They appreciate the clear explanations of principles in simple yet direct terms. The book is short yet challenging, with a focus on the local church.

"...six, manageable sections that could easily be shared and discussed in under an hour. At the end of these sections are review questions...." Read more

"...The book is short yet back with challenging thinking. Each of the six commitments should be made by every member of every church...." Read more

"...This short work is easy-to-read, powerfully challenging, and on-point as it calls for Christians to make solid commitments to the local church and..." Read more

"This book does a great job talking through what it means to be a member in any Christian church...." Read more

21 customers mention "Eye opening"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and thought-provoking. They say it provides a clear view of how the Bible wants us to be in our churches. The book provides a realistic look at church membership and reflects on how it's viewed today.

"Wonderful book to read and a eye opener for those that are coming into the church to learn about how to treat each other with love and understanding..." Read more

"Reading, this book was an eye opener for me. It allowed me to see me and remind me why am I truly here...." Read more

"Good view of how the Bible wants us to be in our churches. I like the analogies and examples used. Brings the points home...." Read more

"Eye opener for all who is part of God’s family. Thom shows us how many members are and how we should be...." Read more

17 customers mention "Value for money"14 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the book's value for money. They find it useful for new members' classes and small group studies. The size is a valuable aspect, providing a richer experience.

"...The book is a very short one, at around 80 pages, easy to read and inexpensive...." Read more

"...I believe it would be a worthwhile investment for our church's long term health...." Read more

"...these principals will help to guide you into a more richer & more valuable walk. Thom Ranier has did it again." Read more

"...Worth the Money." Read more

16 customers mention "Attitude"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for discovering a positive attitude. They say it challenges their perspective on loving the church and serves as an introspective guide that causes them to take an introspective look at themselves. The book helps them recognize the power of love and how to serve and love one another in the church.

"...It focuses on identifying these wrong attitudes and replacing them with biblical views. Every single church member should read this book...." Read more

"...Either way this book gives you suggestions on discovering the attitude that makes the difference...." Read more

"Every congregation should study this book, period. It can help foster the attitude which every church member should have, and its all based on..." Read more

"...life of our church and this great writing, caused each member to take an introspective view of themselves and caused a unity among our members which..." Read more

15 customers mention "Material quality"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's material good. It provides a solid foundation on the Word and is easy to read.

"...when the term "Institutional Church" is derogatory, Rainer's book doesn't flinch...." Read more

"...Having a strong, healthy congregation can quite literally positively change the world." Read more

"...34;Church membership is about sacrificing, giving, and forgiving." If this book doesn't change the way you look at your church membership -..." Read more

"...This book is an excellent read to align our body, mind, & strength to God, the universal church, and the local church...." Read more

Eye Opener
4 out of 5 stars
Eye Opener
I really enjoyed this book. It has caused me to appreciate Church membership. There are a few scriptures in this book I have read before but have taken for granted. So with that being said, I will pray more for our congregation, I will not be a gossiper, I will pray for my Pastor and his family and I will consider other before myself.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2014
    One of the central issues of our day when it comes to the doctrine of the Church is interestingly enough, church membership. Many Christians today struggle with the idea of becoming or even being members of the Church. For some Christians just merely attending Church is okay with them and they don’t care to be bothered with becoming a member. Having grown up in the Church, I’ve seen both approaches to this issue but there is a better way. Church membership is vital because the New Testament epistles were written in response to Christians gathering together in local churches under the authority and care of pastors and elders. Church membership is important not because it takes into account how many people are actually part of the Church thus affecting how money will be allocated in terms of a budget, but because church membership represents responsibility ordained by God. It is in the context of the local Church where Christians are to one another each other. The over fifty one another passages in the New Testament make no sense apart from being a member of a local Church under qualified and godly biblical eldership.

    While the topic of church membership in recent years has thankfully risen to the fore, and we’ve discussed it extensively from a biblical-theological framework on Servants of Grace, a new book by Dr. Thom Rainer, President and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources has come out. Dr. Rainer’s book does not get into all the biblical arguments for church membership. In fact the book isn’t concerned much with explaining church membership at all but it is with explaining the attitudes that Christians should exhibit towards church membership. This is an important point to note. Dr. Rainer believes firmly in church membership and has written about it on his blog. I have come to greatly appreciate Dr. Rainer’s stance and voice on matters of the church. His book I Am a Church Member is important for Christians to read to understand how to be a healthy church member.

    The book opens with a story of a man committed to staying at his local church and another who wants to leave. In chapter one Dr. Rainer explores what it looks like to be a functioning member while in chapter two he looks at how to bring unity to the local church. Chapter three explores preferences and desires not getting in the way of committing to the church. Chapter four examines the importance of praying for church leaders. Chapter five explains what it means to lead one’s family to be healthy church members. The book concludes with looking at what it means to treasure church membership.

    I Am A Church Member is a very good book that will challenge how Christian approach attending and being a part of the Church. Often in my experience Christians come to Church as consumers and forget that while yes; they need to be fed from the Word of God; as they are growing in Christ they also need to serve Christ. This book will help Christians understand what their role and responsibilities are within the Church with the intended goal being that a healthy and functioning members of local churches help impact their work places and communities for the Gospel. While what I just described is the heart of this book much more could be said about this excellent resource. This fabulous resource would be great for small groups to go through. Whether this resource is used in small group or just for reading at one’s leisure, Dr. Thom Rainer has given the Church a gift in I Am A Church Member, a book that I believe the Lord will use to help Christians understand the importance of the local Church and how they should approach their membership in it.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2024
    This book should be read by all church members. It has some very interesting points on how we should approach going to church and our role as church members.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2013
    This review, by Dr. Nicholson, has been provided courtesy of Desert Bible Institute (www.desertbibleinstitute.com).

    Thom Rainer in his book, I Am a Church Member, provides his audience with a clear, applicable commentary on how we, as church members, can better understand, appreciate, and enjoy our time in the church. Perhaps the first point that should be made is that this book's main audience is the new, disconnected, or frustrated Christian. Rainer repeatedly shares about people who come into the church, get excited, become more involved but ultimately see the flaws in the church. What Rainer offers is that we have two choices. We can either accept the flaws of the men and women we serve with, or we can focus on these flaws and because of this drive ourselves out of the church. This is not to say that we as Christians don't all (regardless of or time or position in the church) need to here this message. We all experience frustration and burnout; however, the thrust of Rainer's purpose is how to get the disenfranchised Christian to understand what it really means to be a member of the church.

    This book would prove extraordinarily useful in a home study, membership class, or small group study. What makes it most pertinent to these types of studies are the structure, the review, and the pledge. The book is broken into six, manageable sections that could easily be shared and discussed in under an hour. At the end of these sections are review questions. These questions help not only with discussion of a group, but also with the reflection of an individual. Finally, each section ends with a pledge. Not unlike the Pledge of Allegiance that we recited in school, these pledges are there for each person to reflect on our personal responsibly and accountability to something greater: our commitment to God, the church, and to each other.

    Trent Nicholson, Ph.D., D.Min.
    Desert Bible Institute, President

    Dr. Nicholson is a member of the christianaudio review program. To learn more, visit their website at: www.christianaudio.com.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2013
    Rainer has put together an excellent prescription for the sickness of selfish thing that has invaded the Christian church in the last thirty years. The book is short yet back with challenging thinking. Each of the six commitments should be made by every member of every church. If that happened a lot of what ails the church and keeps it from being Christ's witness in the world would go away. Great questions and covenants at the end of each chapter. Our church will be including it in our orientation for new members.
    The one drawback is the chapter on Pastors and church leaders. There are very few pastors that run into the situation of constant overwork that Rainer describes. Most churches have more that one staff member now to look after some of what he attributes to a single pastor or churchs have developed proceedures to ensure they have proper time to themselves.. There are times when a Pastor may find himself harried with a number of colliding demands on his time, but rarely on an ongoing basis and, in these days this is not different that the average working person. While Rainer does mention praying for other church leaders they are given only passing mention. Many lay leaders work full time and then put in a lot of additional time to volunteering in various church activities. This needed as much recognition as the Pastor.
    I would like to have used this book as a church-wide small group study, but this chapter was my reason not to. I felt it would be demeaning to hard working lay people and create controversy over the role of the pastor in our church where the pastor recently left.
    On the whole though it is a book every church attender should read and consider.
    7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • April McTague
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great truths
    Reviewed in Canada on November 4, 2023
    Great book that ever church member would benefit from. We are teaching it now in our church.
  • D. Campbell
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good Manual for Church Members
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2023
    We went through this little book for our chapel weekly Bible study (came recommended by a minister friend). We did a chapter a week (more or less). It was good to talk through some of the challenges in ministry and how each of us have a part to play so that the local body functions properly and is Christ-centered. It may seem basic at times but everyone enjoyed the study, even the more senior members. We followed it up by doing a study with Charles Stanley's "Ministering Through Spiritual Gifts" book - it was a natural fit to take the next step. As a pastor it put some issues and challenges out there without seeming self-serving, having come from an independent source.
  • Tony
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Australia on January 14, 2015
    A good summary
  • Al
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on November 7, 2015
    Great Book.
  • Guinevier
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Guide to Church Membership
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 2, 2014
    I one way there is nothing new in this book and could have been taken strait from the Book of Acts and early church. Humanly things do not change - we are an awkward and demanding lot, but this book could turn around a congregation who are struggling with understanding what it means to be a full and active member of could I dare to say create a growing church.
    Simple and no nonsense realities, truthfully explaining the duties that each member could follow and make a real difference to their church.
    We live in a time when many churches are struggling to survive and I believe we have watered down what is expected of us for so long that church membership has become more like a club therefore expecting each Sunday to be entertained and to meet people socially who we get along with. No wonder young people find church membership boring.
    I absolutely commend this book certainly as a reminder to all but for those who have never heard this message it will transform their attitude to being a member of their church.

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