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The
membership application process in a nutshell:
Ø
OObtain and
read through the membership information
[See back table].
1
Attend
the two classes which will be taught by Jay Fisher on
Sundays at 9:00 AM in
Blain’s office.
These classes will begin in June.
Meet with one of the Elders to discuss your membership
in our
Church. Complete our membership
application.
After the Elders affirm your membership, participate in
our “Right
Hand of Fellowship.” At the end of
our worship service,
you will come forward and be welcomed into the
membership of our Church.
In anticipation of this, I would
like to affirm the value of membership.
My intent is not to pressure people
to join the church when the Lord has not yet led them to do
so. Rather, there are
three purposes for this
newsletter.
1.
1. To remind existing members
of the importance of their
membership.
2.
2.
Secondly, I
want to encourage those who are now
applying
for membership.
3.
3.
And thirdly, I want to clear
up any confusion that some
may have about why we urge
people in our
Church to consider membership.
Let me identify several
advantages to the formal membership process at Community Church.
AS A SIGN:
Church membership is a beautiful way for a
Christian to express commitment
to other
members in the congregation. At salvation each
believer is brought into an indescribably tight
relationship
with other believers in the body of of Christ. Of course, this
interrelationship can only be
experienced by
those who deeply commit
themselves to a local church.
See Eph 2:19-22;
Eph
4:11-16. Our formal membership
process is the form we use to facilitate
and express
the reality
of our union together as members in a local body
of Christ.
Church membership is an outward sign of
an inward reality.
AS CONSISTENT WITH
SCRIPTURE: Although formal
membership is not required by God’s Word,
it i
very consistent with Scripture. Formal membership at Community Church
is a very appropriate way of
giving meaningful public evidence of
the private commitment which God’s Word
commands believers to
make
to the local church. Heb 10:23-25
AS AN
EXPRESSION OF COMMITMENT TO THE CONGREGATION:
Formal membership expresses
love
and commitment to fellow brothers and
sisters in the
congregation. The “Right Hand of Fellowship”
ceremony is edifying to
the whole church. In it, new members manifest their pledge
to “stand firm in
one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of
the
gospel.” Phil 1:27.
AS A MEANS OF NEEDED
ACCOUNTABILITY: Membership in the
church provides needed
accountability for the ministries of our Church. It includes a believer’s
affirmation of the Church’s
Doctrinal Statement and Constitution. This affirmation
is crucial when it comes to selecting junior
church teachers, ministry
leaders, elders, deacons and deaconesses.
AS A SAFEGUARD FOR
CHURCH MEETINGS: Membership is
also extremely important at
congregational meetings. In order to ensure that only born again believers affect the
outcome of
decisions at our meetings, formal membership becomes a very
practical necessity.
TO EXPRESS SUPPORT:
Membership is a good way to express the desire to submit to and stand
alongside the leaders of Community Church.
Heb 13:17
AS A TOOL FOR CLASS
INSTRUCTION: These classes allow
leadership to provide information about
our
Philosophy of Ministry, the formation of our Church, our Constitution and our
Doctrinal Statement.
One of the Elders will then meet personally with each
applicant for membership to discuss his or her
profession of faith and answer
any specific questions which you may have.
TO SHARPEN FOCUS:
The membership classes are a good
opportunity for leadership to sharpen the
focus and vision of our congregation as together we serve the Lord here at
Community Church. |
