Many people join churches for the same reasons they would join a local country club: it is close to their home, their friends are members there, their kids like it, and it doesn't require much commitment as long as you are current on your dues. Church membership must mean more than that! Our reasons for becoming members of a particular church must be more philosophical than pragmatic. When someone stands before an entire congregation and becomes a member of a particular congregation, we should see that moment as a high and holy moment where the vows being taken are weighty and significant. There are usually only two times in someone's life that they stand before a congregation and say, "I do"--at their wedding and when they join the church. Don't Swear in Church (unless you really mean it!) is designed to help all of us consider and reconsider the significance of the vows we take as the Bride of Christ.
