I confess that I struggle to keep up with the latest trends regarding appellations and abbreviations of pop culture. It seems I’m constantly “googling” a mentioned someone or something to see who they are or what it means. Just the other day I heard a comedian share a similar difficulty by stating that until recently he “thought Arianna Grande was a computer font!” And though I laughed, I still had to ask my wife who she is (btw, I was correct in assuming she is a popular singer)! So, what are “N-P” and “P-T” members? The abbreviations stand for “Non-Participating Memberships” and “Part-Time Members,” at least according to me. “Yes,” I made them up, but not out of whole cloth because I have heard others use variations of them also.
The term “Non-Participating Membership” is descriptive of a false concept because in the context of Christianity universally and local church membership specifically such a position or association does not exist. Jesus said that “the good tree (which in this case one of His disciples) bears good fruit,” and adds that “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 7:17a, 19). And to take it a step further, a “tree” or “vine” (still a disciple or Christian) that may not be bearing “bad” fruit, but also isn’t producing “good” fruit either, is similarly removed from the vine (cp. John 15:1-8). So the idea that one can be a “Non-Participating Member” is at best a misleading misnomer. Similarly in the local church, membership is supposed be based on “fellowship” (from the Greek word koinonia), which at its most basic level refers to “joint participation.” If there is no participation, in reality there can be no membership.
Which brings us to “P-T Members.” What are they? “P-T Members” are “Part-Time” members. Again, according to my use of the term, “P-T Members” are those who show up and do the right things “part” of the time. Think of a “part-time” employee, for example. They only work usually a few hours a week, and yet are on the payroll and are listed as “employees.” However, they’re usually (more?) actively engaged elsewhere, perhaps even for the competition! They also are typically only trusted with the most basic tasks, and struggle to perform them satisfactorily … otherwise they would be moved to a “full-time” position. To them, it’s just a “job,” or even a “paycheck,” until “something better comes along,” and thus they are never really “invested” on any personal level to the success of the business. So, they show up late if at all, are unprepared in mind or body to actually “work,” and generally complain about everything, including whatever they’re actually asked to do. Thus, they never really become “part of the team” (to mix metaphors a bit), and usually wind up deciding to go “work” someplace else. Now translate these same attitudes and activities (or the lack thereof) to “Part-Time Church Members,” and I think you’ll easily get the point.
To stick with the “Part-Time Members” for a moment more, let’s a highlight couple of all-too-real problems here:
- For the “Part-Time Member,” his or her interests are clearly divided (cp. 1 Corinthians 7:34a). While at least on some level desiring to be a part of the congregation, they usually are “too busy” with other things to be “full-time members” with real responsibilities and realized benefits. Thus, they “show up for work” only when it is convenient for them (meaning when they have nothing they’d rather be doing at the time), or when it is “payday.” This isn’t actual “membership,” it is some sort of presumed “contract” work!
- And for the congregational leadership and other members, they really never know when the “part-time member” is “on” or “off,” so they can’t depend on them to do “their” part. So, the “part-time member” is only entrusted with the smallest of responsibilities, much like the “one talent man” of Matthew 25:15. You will remember that the dispersal was “each according to his own ability,” and that the “one talent man” wound up proving that he was even unworthy of it (Matthew 25:25-30)!
So please, don’t kid yourself about these things. Eternity is a stake. There aren’t any “Non-Participating Memberships” in the Lord’s church, and “Part-Time Members” are actually playing for the other team — kind of like Judas (cp. Matthew 27:25, 47-49).
Philip C. Strong