9 Marks of a Healthy Church – 6 A Biblical Understanding of Church Membership

by John Carter

John Carter – December 17, 2017

Mark Six: A Biblical Understanding of Church Membership

Biblical Membership Means Commitment

Biblical Membership Means Taking Responsibility

  • Expectations and Accountability
  • 233/70 – 176/69

Biblical Membership Means Salvation Affirmation

  • “membership is the church’s corporate endorsement of a person’s salvation”
  • Not “perfection” but “humility” and “honesty”

Biblical Membership is Meaningful

What is a Church?

  • Not a building but a gathering
  • “meeting house”
  • “excluded” or “included”
  • “covenanted community”

Why Join a Church?

  • ‘Not to be saved’
  • Not ‘homogeny’
  • “love” “love obligates members”
  • “Leadership”
  1. To assure ourselves
    1. “Accountability”
    2. “testimony”
  2. To Evangelize the World
  3. To Expose False Gospels
    1. Doctrine divides
  4. To Edify the Church
    1. Responsibility and love
  5. To Glorify God
    1. Matt 16:18

What Does Church Membership Entail?

  • In Action—Initially by Baptism
    • The basics
  • In Writing—by signing a Statement of Faith and Church Covenant

Special Responsibilities of Membership at Capitol Hill Baptist

  1. Attend Service Regularly
  2. Attend Communion Particularly
  3. Attend Members’ Meetings Consistently
  4. Pray Regularly
  5. Give Regularly

Conclusion

Current Membership Requirements

1.02  Candidacy

     Any person may offer himself as a candidate for membership in this church.  All such candidates shall be presented to the church at any regular church service for membership in any of the following ways:

     (1)  By profession of faith and for baptism according to the policies of this church.

     (2)  By promise of a letter of recommendation from another church of like faith and order.

     (3)  By restoration upon a statement of prior conversion experience and baptism in a Baptist church or church of like faith and practice, when no letter is obtainable

New members of this church are expected to participate in the church’s new member orientation.

Suggested Fortuna Baptist Membership Requirements

  • A personal testimony of faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
  • Baptism by immersion.
  • Completion of the Church’s membership class, its requirements, and the recommendation of an Elder.
  • Agreement with the Church’s statement of faith, mission, and
  • A life that evidences a sincere attempt to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ
  • Active participation in regular church community.
  • Should we have a church covenant? I think so.
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