Membership fees?

God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corintrhians 9:7).

A synagogue in New Jersey recently sued some members for back dues. One member who settled out of court says that the entire matter is "morally and ethically wrong." According to CNSNews, when joining members signed a contract for goods and services in the form of annual dues, which cover synagogue expenses. In the mid-1990s, a court ruled that a synagogue is free to sue its members for non-payment of dues, but cases like this seem to be extremely rare.

Why don’t churches insist on membership fees? From a practical standpoint, it would certainly seem to be sensible. How many churches constantly struggle to make ends meet? You have to pay dues to belong to other organizations—why not the church? Didn’t God command the Israelites to give 1/10th of all they had to the upkeep of the temple and the priesthood?

It is true that the Israelites were commanded to tithe; however, we must remember that when Jesus fulfilled the Law for us, He freed us from many of the legal obligations imposed by Mosaic Law. You do not have to provide a bull to be sacrificed on God’s altar as a sin offering, as the Israelites did. You are not forbidden from eating pork, as the Israelites were. Through His perfect life and sacrificial death, Christ satisfied the requirements of the old ceremonial laws on our behalf—including the requirement to give 10 % of your profits for God’s use.

The New Testament lays out a different model for giving: in 2nd Corinthians 9:7 Paul writes: You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully. But even though God leaves the size of the donation up to us, there is still this general guideline to keep in mind: On every Lord's Day, each of you should put aside some amount of money in relation to what you have earned and save it for this offering (1 Corinthians 16:2). The principle is this—the more God has blessed you with, the more He expects from you in support of His work.

The Church is not a country club—there is no minimum fee for being a member. Membership in the Kingdom of God is Christ’s free gift to all who trust in His love.