Becoming a Member

Why Membership

Though the word membership is not found in the New Testament, the concept is. From the earliest days of the church, believers weren't a loose collection of individuals who happened to attend the same services — they were numbered among a specific body¹, they could join that body², and they placed themselves under the care of pastors who would one day give an account for their souls³. Members and their pastors, in turn, carry mutual responsibilities toward one another — members are called to honor and esteem those who lead them, just as pastors are called to shepherd and watch over those in their care⁴. Church membership is simply the practical shape of what the New Testament assumes: that following Christ means belonging to a local church, not standing apart from one.

What's Required

We ask these things of anyone who wants to formally join our church family:

• A credible profession of faith — repentance toward God and genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ⁵.
• Baptism by immersion, following the command of Christ⁶ and the practice of the New Testament church¹.
• A general understanding of, and unqualified agreement with, our confession of faith — including the doctrines of Scripture⁷, the Trinity⁸, the Deity of Christ⁹, justification by faith alone in Christ alone¹⁰, and the last day judgment, resurrection, and eternal state¹¹. See our What We Believe page for the full confession.
• A willingness to promote the unity and well-being of the church by honoring its government¹².
• A thorough understanding of and commitment to our church's constitution.
• A letter of commendation from a previous church, when possible.

If you're interested in pursuing membership, we'd love to talk with you. Reach out to one of our elders or contact the church, and we'll walk you through what that looks like.

References

1. 1. Acts 2:40-41, 47 (NKJV)

   “And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. … praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”

2. 2. Acts 5:11-13; 9:26-28 (NKJV)

   “So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things. And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. — And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out.”

3. 3. Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:17 (NKJV)

   “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. — Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”

4. 4. 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (NKJV) — see also Hebrews 13:17, reference 3

   “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.”

5. 5. Jeremiah 31:33-34 (NKJV) — see also Acts 2:41 and Acts 9:26-27, references 1 and 2; 2nd LCF 26:2, see the confession on our What We Believe page

   “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, "Know the LORD," for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

6. 6. Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV) — see also 2nd LCF 28:1 and 29:1-4, on our What We Believe page

   “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

7. 7. 2nd LCF, Chapter 1 — see the confession on our What We Believe page
8. 8. 2nd LCF, Chapter 2 — see the confession on our What We Believe page
9. 9. 2nd LCF, Chapter 8:2-3 — see the confession on our What We Believe page
10. 10. 2nd LCF, Chapter 11 — see the confession on our What We Believe page
11. 11. 2nd LCF, Chapters 31 and 32 — see the confession on our What We Believe page
12. 12. 2nd LCF, Chapter 27 — see the confession on our What We Believe page

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.