Church Membership
Individuals regularly attending the meetings of the Congregation are encouraged to seek membership with the Congregation for fellowship, instruction, and shepherding.
Church membership is a formal and public proclamation of your commitment to this church—both the congregation and its pastors—as an expression of your devotion to Jesus Christ.
We realize the term membership does not appear in the New Testament in relation to the church. Neither do we see commands to maintain roles or procedures to receive members. Nevertheless, the New Testament lays the foundation for the practice of church membership.
The Pictures of the Church
The New Testament describes the church with words like a body, a flock, a household, a building, a new man. These images emphasize the unified and holistic nature of the church, made of many individuals but existing and operating as one body of Christ.
The Work of the Church
The church exists in this world to worship God, instruct His people from His word, fellowship with likeminded believers, evangelize the lost, serve one another in love, and show mercy to the needy.
The Value of Membership
Based on the pictures of the church and its work in this world, church membership shows that you value and choose to identify with a local church to advance your spiritual life and to bless others.
Benefits of Membership
- Shows that you identify with Christ and His people.
- Shows that you identify with and will be loyal to a particular assembly.
- Proves that you value the church just like God values the church.
- Affirms that you agree to be held accountable for your life and conduct and that you will hold your brothers accountable to their profession of faith and loyalty to the Lord Jesus.
- Allows the shepherds of the church to know their flock.
- Affirms that you place yourself under the authority of the shepherds.
- Aids in orderly administration.
- Helps you to be confirmed and grow in your identity in Christ.
- Helps you to be obedient to the Lord.
- Ensures each person receives fundamental teaching about the Christian life and the distinctives of this church.
- Encourages others to grow in their commitment to the Lord and this church.
- Affords us opportunities to serve the church in the ways God has enabled us.
Qualifications for Membership
- Give a clear testimony of being a willing and growing follower of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
- Be at least twelve years of age.
- Be baptized following salvation.
- Agree with and commit to abide by our bylaws including the Standards of Christian Faith and Conduct contained herein. (You need not give full assent to the Statement of Faith but recognize that all of our teaching will conform to this statement.)
The Process of Church Membership
1. Complete a membership application.
2. Participate in an interview with the Pastors.
After you submit your application, the Pastors will schedule an interview with you to discuss your application and answer any questions you have.
3. Be received into membership.
Those who have successfully completed the membership process will be welcomed as members at an upcoming Sunday morning meeting of the church.
How to End Membership
While it appears difficult to become a member of Liberty Bible Church, it is easy to end membership with us.
For example, you can simply give written notice to the pastors of your request to resign your membership.