What is Membership?
The Biblical pattern is that those who belong to Jesus also belong to the body of Jesus—the local church.
"Repent and be baptized every one of you," that’s what Peter told those who were being converted in Acts 2. The "birthmark" of baptism represents a new dual-citizenship for the Christian. We are "baptized into Christ Jesus" (Rom. 6:3) and we are "baptized into one body" (1 Cor. 12:13). From our very first public act of faith, our baptism reminds us to whom we belong (to Jesus by faith) and where we belong (in the body of the church). Membership is where baptized believers help one another live out these spiritual and physical realities in mutual accountability and submission as the natural and normative reality of our redemption.
Membership at a Glance
"For as in one body we have many members…so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another." (Romans 12:4-5)
To commit one’s self to Jesus is to commit one’s self to their fellow members. In fact we cannot fulfill what Jesus has called us to do without the help of one another (Matt. 16:18) and we cannot do what Jesus has called us to do if we refuse to be responsible for one another (Rom. 15:1-7). At Sovereign Hope we summarize these responsibilities by covenanting together as members to: "Believe the gospel together," "Belong by grace together," and "Become more Christ-like together."
The Membership Process
How do I join the church?
Being joined to Jesus is the first and most important answer to this question. There are many ways someone might understand their relationship to the church. They might think that joining a church means being born into it and growing up attending. They might think that joining a church is merely entering into a joyful social community. They might think that joining a church is something they need to do in order to earn favor with God. They might even think that joining a church is simply learning from the teaching of the Bible. But we cannot truly belong to the Lord’s church unless we believe in and are converted by the Lord through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sovereign Hope doesn’t "make" anyone a member (at least in a real sense). But instead it makes people members by corporately recognizing and affirming the new creation that God has already made in the individual through conversion. At Sovereign Hope we recognize members who have been baptized as believers and who are willing and eager to follow Jesus in the context of this church (for as long as God has them here).
Our membership process includes two steps:
Attend a Membership Seminar: In our Church Essential seminars we will walk through the church’s statement of faith and membership covenant. This helps applying members and new believers understand better what it means to be joined to this church in particular.
Participate in a Membership Interview: As shepherds of God’s flock, elders are responsible for all the sheep that God would choose to bring to this church. These membership interviews are informal, but private, meetings (typically over dinner or coffee) with an elder. In this meeting we want to get to know you, but more importantly we want to hear about your faith in Jesus, your understanding of the simple but clear gospel of Jesus, and answer any questions you might have about the gospel or the church.
To be informed about our next scheduled membership seminar you can click the button below. But the best way to indicate your desire or questions would be to talk to an elder or a volunteer on Sunday.
What We Believe
Our biblical convictions shape our response to the gospel and our direction as a church.
You can read more about our faith and doctrine by clicking the link below.
Contact Us About Membership
Click the button below to fill out a contact form.