Membership

Application for Membership

Any person professing personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, giving satisfactory evidence of having been born again, through consistent Christian living, and adopting substantially the same rules of faith and practice held by this church, may be received into its membership after baptism. The Pastor and the New Members Ministry shall recommend applicants to the church after having completed the New Members classes and having given satisfactory testimony as to conversion, baptism and views of Christian faith and practice.

Qualifications for Membership

1. The membership of this church shall consist of those who are received by a church vote of one accord upon recommendation of the Pastor and the New Members Committee in one of the following ways:

a. Profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ followed by baptism; or
b. Letter of dismissal from other churches or groups holding the same faith and practice; or
c. Experience, if having been baptized and holding membership elsewhere and due to peculiar circumstances cannot obtain a letter of dismissal from his/her respective church or group; or
d. Restoration, if having been excluded from membership of this church, and upon confession of his errors, giving satisfactory evidence of repentance.
2. In all cases, without exception candidates for membership:
a. Shall possess a personal faith in Christ as Lord and Savior.
b. Shall give evidence of a desire to live a consistent, godly Christian life.
c. Shall have been baptized by immersion in water.
d. Shall be in complete agreement with the Articles of Faith.
e. Shall have completed the New Member’s Classes.
3. Members shall be received into the fellowship of this church at any regular weekly meeting and at any business meeting provided that the church is in one accord in accepting the individual’s membership.

Rights and Duties of Members

1. The duties of members to themselves are:
a. The acquisition of Bible knowledge.
b. Constant progression in grace and spirituality.
c. Careful and consistent external conduct.
d. The control and eradication of every unholy temper.
2. The duties of members to the Pastor are:
a. To honor, esteem and love their Pastor.
b. To pray for him fervently and daily.
c. To support him in all spiritual exercises of his official authority.
d. To attend constantly upon his ministrations.
e. To manifest a tender regard for his reputation.
f. To contribute towards his support.
3. The duties of members to other members:
a. To cultivate and cherish brotherly love for all other members of the church.
b. To visit and to sympathize with them in affliction.
c. To pray with them and for them.
d. To administer pecuniary relief to those in need, tenderly regarding their reputation.
e. To affectionately and privately admonish them for their faults and improprieties.
f. To strive by all proper measures to promote their spiritual benefits and prosperity.
4. The duties of members to people not connected with the church:
a. To bear a prudent testimony against evil practices.
b. To be punctual and exact in fulfilling obligations and performing promises.
c. To live in a most peaceable and neighborly manner.
d. To perform offices of charity and kindness.
e. To set an example of industry, honesty and generosity.
f. To commend the Gospel to them as opportunity and ability may enable.
5. The duties of members when they move:
a. To report his or her residence and spiritual condition to the church at least once a year.
b. To support the church with their money until allied with some other church.
c. It is recommended that they seek membership in a Bible believing church of like faith and practice as soon as possible.
6. All members must subscribe to, contend for and adhere to the Statement of Belief as contained in this Constitution.
7. Members to be in good and regular standing shall consistently attend our services and give regularly and consistently. (I Corinthians 16:2, II Corinthians 9:6-7).
8. There shall be an Active and an Inactive Membership list.
a. At any quarterly meeting, upon the basis of attendance and support of the work of the church, names will be recommended to the church by the Board of Deacons to either list. All new members would automatically become active until proven otherwise.
b. Persons will be placed upon the inactive list by reason of inactivity for a period of not less than four (4) months. In like manner, persons shall be returned to the Active List by resumption of fellowship on the basis of the past year and not less than four (4) months of that year, upon the decision of the Board of Deacons.
c. Persons on the Inactive List shall forfeit their rights to vote at any meeting whatever of the church.
d. A vote in one accord of those Active Members present is sufficient to place a name recommended by the Deacons on either list, provided a quorum is present.
e. The church administrator shall possess an up-to-date copy of both lists and shall make changes consistent with the action of the church at the quarterly meetings.

Dismissal of Members

1. Letters of dismissal, for the purpose of uniting with some other church of like faith and order, shall be granted to members in good standing, upon recommendation of the Board of Deacons.

2. Any member in good standing desiring to unite with a church of some other denomination may, upon recommendation of the Board of Deacons, be granted a certificate of Christian standing and church fellowship. No letters will be given to schismatic churches and cults.

3. Any member having been granted either a letter or a certificate of Christian standing shall, thereafter, cease to be a member of this church.

4. Should a member become an offense to the church and to its good name by reason of immoral or unchristian conduct, persistent breach of his covenant vows or non-support of the church, the church may terminate his membership. Membership will be terminated, only after faithful efforts have been made to bring such a member to repentance and amendment by the Deacons. If such efforts fail, then the offensive member will receive due notice and a hearing before the church, at which both sides will be fully heard and recommendations made by the church. In the event that the offensive member does not comply with the Deacon’s recommendations, the Deacon’s can request another hearing to determine whether or not such person’s membership should be terminated. The offensive member will receive subsequent due notice for another hearing.

5. The membership of no person shall be terminated except by written notice of such intention. The written notice must be personally served upon such person, sent to their actual address or if their address is unknown, sent to their address that appears on the church record.

6. All requests for termination of membership or similar actions shall only be considered by the Deacons, who shall make recommendations to the church.

7. Any person whose membership has been terminated for any offense may be restored by vote of the church, upon evidence of his repentance and reformation, or upon satisfactory explanation of a continued absence.