Fraternities and Sororities have been around for a long time.  Phi Beta Kappa Society was founded on December 5, 1776, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and was the first fraternal organization in the United States of America.  There were many more such societies to follow.  On December 4, 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha was founded on the campus of Cornell University, and just over a year later, on January 15, 1908, Alpha Kappa Alpha, a sorority, was formed on the campus of Howard University.

There are many other fraternities and sororities in existence that read as a who’s who as far as the rich and famous are concerned, while at the same time having many ordinary college students and graduates as a part of their groups.  Much social good has been accomplished through the years by these fraternities and sororities.

I once conducted a Bible study in which a sister participating in the class revealed something about these groups that is analogous to local churches.  She pointed out that within these organizations, many are called “shirt-wearers.”  Shirt-wearers are those in these groups who wear shirts that identify them with the organization (usually by having on their shirts the Greek letters of the organization in big, bold writing), but who never really participate in the organization in any helpful way.  They are not very supportive.  They do not attend any meetings.  They do not encourage any other members in any real way.  They just wear a shirt.  Where have I seen that before?

There are many “shirt-wearers” in local churches of Christ.  These are members who have joined the local church (one is added to the universal church-Acts 2:47, but joins a local church-Acts 9:26), and are officially members of the church, but they do little to help it.  We sometimes call these brethren “pew warmers.”  The most they do in the church is sit on a pew on the Lord’s day, listen to a sermon preached, sing a few songs, and go home.  They do not participate in any of the activities the local church engages in to help further the cause of Christ.  They never visit any of the sick or encourage any of the brethren.  They do not attend gospel meetings when they are held or support the various Bible classes that are conducted.  All they do, figuratively speaking, is wear a shirt.

Are you just a “shirt-wearer?” What this local church needs are members who care enough about the cause of Christ and the furtherance of the gospel that they are willing to become a vital part of the church.  This is what every local church needs.

When you take an honest look at yourself and your role in this local church, are you a vital member?  If you left the church, would you be missed?  I am not talking about being missed from the standpoint of love.  Any member who leaves the local church for any reason, be it moving away, a change of membership, or a falling away, is missed by other members who love them and will miss seeing and talking to them.  But, from the standpoint of usefulness and service, would you be missed?

Would you be missed when it comes to the evangelistic efforts of this local church?  Would your kind consideration be missed by members of the church who are sick or shut-in?  If you are a brother, would your service in the public assemblies be missed (leading singing or prayer, waiting on the Lord’s table, etc.)?  The truth is, while every member of a local church is loved and appreciated, and while a church never wants to lose any member, there are times when a loss of a member does not have much of an impact on the church from the standpoint of its work.  How can something be missed that was never present in the first place?

What are you doing to help this congregation reach its full potential and be all it can be?  Are you doing anything to help the church grow spiritually and numerically?  Are you a vital part of this local church, or are you just a “shirt-wearer”?   This is a good question for each of us to ask ourselves from time to time.