Requirements to be a member
Church Membership today in most churches is not what it used to be in the early church. Today it has become a legal issue of member’s rights and obligations. The early church was not run like a business with members rights.
Therefore there were no criteria for membership. Every person that was saved was immediately baptised and simply considered a member of the church. In other words they “joined” themselves with the church and the baptism was a public identification of their salvation and was a profession to the world that they were now part of that assembly at Jerusalem or at Antioch or whatever church they were with.
The Baptism simply told the world that these people were now saved and were part of a new family. Their Baptism also indicated they were in submission to that particular local church and their doctrine and practices. I don’t think they ever even mentioned the words “church member”. They were simply Christians at Antioch or Jerusalem or whatever local church they
assembled in.
With this in mind “church membership” now, with its “modern day” rights, responsibilities and legal requirements for owning and possessing property, is attained by scriptural baptism by immersion in water and your decision to “join” or commit yourself to your brothers and sisters in Christ at Calvary Baptist Church.
At Calvary Baptist Church we state that baptism is a pre-requisite for church membership, and when a believer is baptised and desires to “join” the church, they do so by their commitment.
With so many varying beliefs amongst the various churches, it has become necessary for a Bible Believing local church to have what is called a Statement of faith and practice.
Obviously, the King James Bible is still our final authority for all matters of faith and practice. This lets us know if the person is of one mind and in one accord with the local church. Amos 3:3 says can two walk together, except they be agreed?
When a person desires to join the local church, they can simply read the Guiding Instruments to let them know what is our Statement of faith and practice. Then provided they agree with our Statement of faith and practice in principle and have been scripturally baptised by immersion in water, they can become a member of the Local church.
In summary, you become a church member by:-
❖ Receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour – being born again. This refers to your Affirmation of salvation.
❖ Being scripturally baptised by immersion in water. This is refers to your Association with the local church.
❖ Agreeing with the Church Statement of faith and practice. This refers to your Agreement with the local church.
❖ Making a commitment covenant. This refers to your Adherence to the local church by being in one mind and one accord with one another.
❖ This will then obviously lead to your continual Assembling with the local church.