Membership
How to Join
We rejoice that you are considering the important commitment of church membership at Grace Fellowship Baptist Church.
The most important consideration is your own personal relationship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The foundation and health of the local church must be established by God with the members first being joined together as His adopted children.
Each Sunday I invite all who gather in our worship service to consider that relationship. We are instructed in the Scriptures to do so often; not to live under a cloud of doubt, but that our assurance may be genuine and grow in strength.
We rejoice that you are considering the important commitment of church membership at Grace Fellowship Baptist Church.The most important consideration is your own personal relationship with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The foundation and health of the local church must be established by God with the members first being joined together as His adopted children.
Each Sunday I invite all who gather in our worship service to consider that relationship. We are instructed in the Scriptures to do so often; not to live under a cloud of doubt, but that our assurance may be genuine and grow in strength.
Self Examination
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.
- II Corinthians 13:5-9
- II Corinthians 13:5-9
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
- Philippians 2:12-13
- Philippians 2:12-13
This examination is both fearful and joyous. As the undershepherd of GFBC and your friend, I am both commanded and compelled to lead you in this venture. I realize that for some the first response is uneasiness: “I’d rather not do this”. I understand this apprehension. It is the same anxiety that causes me to put off calling the doctor or dentist. I would simply rather not deal with the possibility of less than acceptable results from all that “probing”. But I come to you in love with the hope of either confirming your relationship in Christ or seeing that relationship established by Him.
“If the Bible is the cornerstone of our church, then membership is the cement that holds us all together” – Mark Dever. Both Christ and Paul pointed us toward membership for our encouragement, our protection, and our instruction. We seek to carry out this vision through our four-step process by which to join Grace Fellowship Baptist Church.
Membership Class
All prospective members must attend our Covenant Family Membership Class. The curriculum includes four (1 ½ hour) classes:
- What We Believe: Grace Fellowship Baptist Doctrinal Statement
- Who We Are (I): Grace Fellowship Baptist Church Covenant
- Who We Are (II): Grace Fellowship Baptist Distinctives
- What We Do: Grace Fellowship Baptist Ministries and Purpose
Please download Membership Booket as a pdf file.
Membership Booklet
(473 kb)
Membership Booklet
(473 kb)
Membership Application and Interview
All prospective members will make formal application for membership in writing:
- General information
- A brief description of how Christ saved you (testimony)
- A brief description of how Christ has changed your life as a result of your conversion
- Biblical evidences of true conversion in your life
Please download our Membership Application as a pdf file.
Membership Application (125 kb)
Membership Application
(125 kb)
Elder Recommendation
At a regularly scheduled elders’ meeting, the pastor will review the applicant’s testimony with the other elders. Upon receiving their collective approval, the candidate’s application proceeds to the next step: congregational affirmation.
Congregational Affirmation
The candidate will be presented at the next scheduled membership affirmation where an elder will present the candidate before the members. Upon the elder recommendation, the members will affirm their brother or sister in Christ by reciting the GFBC Covenant together.
Resources
Two helpful books to encourage you as you consider the importance of church membership:
Life in the Father’s House by Wayne Mack and David Swavely
Stop Dating the Church by Joshua Harris.Click the thumbnails above to go to these books at amazon.com. Both books are also available in the GFBC bookstore.