Membership is the doorway into the life of our church. We believe membership in a local church is not an 'optional extra' of the Christian life. It IS the Christian life, in its proper context. Covenanting with a specific body of believers is to the spiritual good of every Christian. Both Jesus and Paul point us toward membership in a local church for every Christian's encouragement, protection, and instruction.
Below is our membership process:
Membership Interview – The first step to becoming a member is to approach an elder to set up a membership interview. In a 45-minute conversation, the prospective member will meet with an elder to provide basic biographical information and recount God’s converting work in their life. The prospective member must affirm the statement of faith and church covenant, which they are provided ahead of the meeting.
Elder Recommendation – At a regularly scheduled elders’ meeting, the elder will review the applicant’s testimony with the other elders. Upon receiving their collective approval, the candidate’s application proceeds to the next step: congregational affirmation.
Congregational Affirmation - Ahead of our quarterly members' meetings, the congregation is given a testimony of the prospective member. At the meeting, there is a discussion on each candidate. A vote is taken, and candidates are admitted into membership upon a majority. In this way, the congregation exercises the authority to 'bind and loose' given to it by Jesus in Matthew 16 and 18. If a candidate has not been baptized as a believer, the congregational vote is conditional upon their baptism.
Public Taking of the Church Covenant
Immediately following baptism, or at the next corporate worship service after the congregational vote, the candidate will publicly agree to the church covenant during the service.