How Important Is Church Membership?

John Piper @ http://www.desiringgod.org reviews the elements of his sermon: "How Important Is Church Membership?"which is the first of 3 sermons on baptism and church membership.

He notes:

Church membership is a blood-bought gift of God's grace. So it is no small thing for a Christian to stiff arm church membership—or for a church to stiff arm a born-again believer from membership. Part of what it means to belong to the body of Christ is to belong to a local body, because God intends the local church to be an expression of his universal church.

He outlines how the New Testament gives at least five strands of evidence that a definable, local-church membership is necessary:

1. The church is to discipline its members.
2. The reality of excommunication exists.
3. Christians are required to submit to their leaders.
4. Leaders are required to care for their people.
5. The prominent metaphor of the body implies membership.