Membership
come be a part of what God is doing at redmond ag
Interested in Becoming a Member?
Many people assume that they are members just because they’ve been attending a church for a certain period of time. On the other hand, there are people who think that they need to be invited to become members or achieve a certain ‘level’ before they’re deemed worthy. This is not the case. Let me explain why there is a formal membership process and what it consists of.
MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
Most churches have a simple but somewhat formal process to become a member. There are a couple of reasons why a formal process is necessary. The first is that the church is not only a spiritual family, it’s also a legal body. Our church is a federally incorporated non-profit organization, and its members vote and provide a layer of accountability regarding the church’s budget and major decisions. Also, the membership process confirms whether a person shares the same basic beliefs as the church. In our church, that involves: attending a membership class and filling out a one-page form, having an interview with an elder & finalization by our leadership team.
There are some basic questions that are typically asked during the membership class:
1. Have you put your trust in Jesus?
Faith in Jesus Christ is the thing that unites us together in the family of God, so it’s critical to confirm that a person understands that faith and has truly trusted in Jesus. Do you know the good news about Jesus? Are you trusting in Him alone for your salvation? Or do you think that God will save you because you’ve done more good things than bad? Assuming that ‘churchgoer = Christian’ doesn’t help anyone.
2. Do you believe in the church’s statement of faith?
If you haven’t read or don’t agree with a church’s statement of faith, you’re probably not ready to become a member. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t attend, but you should investigate more. Why does the church believe these things? Are there Scriptures that I haven’t adequately thought through? Let your questions drive you back to the Bible.
3. Do you believe in the core values of our church and will you pray and labor for those values?
We believe that church membership is active. We all do our part to live out the core values of our church.
4. Do you understand what church membership means?
Church members don’t do anything more than the Bible asks of any Christian, but becoming a member is an expression of commitment to a church. You move from guest to family member. Members invest in fellowship and pray for others. They volunteer and look for ways to serve. They give sacrificially as the Bible describes. And they invite the accountability and support that a church family provides.
If you haven’t taken the step of church membership, take a step toward taking that step!
MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
Most churches have a simple but somewhat formal process to become a member. There are a couple of reasons why a formal process is necessary. The first is that the church is not only a spiritual family, it’s also a legal body. Our church is a federally incorporated non-profit organization, and its members vote and provide a layer of accountability regarding the church’s budget and major decisions. Also, the membership process confirms whether a person shares the same basic beliefs as the church. In our church, that involves: attending a membership class and filling out a one-page form, having an interview with an elder & finalization by our leadership team.
There are some basic questions that are typically asked during the membership class:
1. Have you put your trust in Jesus?
Faith in Jesus Christ is the thing that unites us together in the family of God, so it’s critical to confirm that a person understands that faith and has truly trusted in Jesus. Do you know the good news about Jesus? Are you trusting in Him alone for your salvation? Or do you think that God will save you because you’ve done more good things than bad? Assuming that ‘churchgoer = Christian’ doesn’t help anyone.
2. Do you believe in the church’s statement of faith?
If you haven’t read or don’t agree with a church’s statement of faith, you’re probably not ready to become a member. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t attend, but you should investigate more. Why does the church believe these things? Are there Scriptures that I haven’t adequately thought through? Let your questions drive you back to the Bible.
3. Do you believe in the core values of our church and will you pray and labor for those values?
We believe that church membership is active. We all do our part to live out the core values of our church.
4. Do you understand what church membership means?
Church members don’t do anything more than the Bible asks of any Christian, but becoming a member is an expression of commitment to a church. You move from guest to family member. Members invest in fellowship and pray for others. They volunteer and look for ways to serve. They give sacrificially as the Bible describes. And they invite the accountability and support that a church family provides.
If you haven’t taken the step of church membership, take a step toward taking that step!