Join Our Family
As those who belong to Christ by faith, Christians also belong to each other in love as the body of Christ: “we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Rom. 12:5). As a body, the earliest Christians devoted themselves to each other in what Luke called “the fellowship” (Acts 2:42). As a congregation we desire that same love and devotion “by serving to build up one another, according to the gifts God has given [us] as members of each other in the same body” (Belgic Confession, art. 28). For this reason, we practice church membership.
We believe that formal membership is a meaningful way of expressing our relationship with Christ and his people in a particular local church. God is Father, Christ is Son, and we are sons of God and fellow brothers and sisters of each other. Our relationship to the church is described in the following ways:
mother-son relationship (Gal. 4:21–27; Isa. 54:1; Rev. 12:17)
vine-branch (John 15)
shepherd-sheep (John 10)
temple-stones (1 Peter 2)
body-members(Rom. 12)
bride-husband (Eph. 5)
Membership is also based on the fact that the visible church is a marked out community distinguishable from the rest of the world:
In the Old Testament, Gentiles (non-Jews) who believed in the God of Israel underwent a public ritual of becoming an Israelite through circumcision (Gen. 17:1–14; Ex. 12:43–49)
In the New Testament, any who believe in Christ undergo the public ritual of baptism to be “added” to the countable and distinct group of the church (Acts 2:41, 47).
Membership is also an application of church discipline.
Those who belonged to local churches were exhorted to submit to their overseers and rulers (1 Thes. 5:12–13; Heb. 13:17)
Those who committed sin but were unrepentant, were to be corrected by their overseers
If, over the course of time and many rebukes, they didn’t repent, they were to be “excommunicated,” literally, put outside the communion of the church. The Bible describes this as a change of status from member to non-member, insider to outsider (Matt. 18:17; 1 Cor. 5:9–11; 2 Thes. 3:14–15)
We have a process for joining our local church family. The time it takes is meant to edify you and communicate the significance of what you are doing.
If you are a new believer or a believer who is new to a Reformed church:
A period of instruction with Pastor Danny, which will familiarize you with our beliefs. Sign up for our next “Welcome to a Reformed Church” class!
A meeting with two of our elders so they can get to know you and discuss your understanding of the Christian Faith and life. This time encourages us in hearing of your faith and encourages you in committing to our church family.
Notification to our congregation for two weeks that you will soon be received into our family.
Public reception in a morning service. If you’ve not been baptized, we’ll do this at this time. Since this is such a joyful moment in your life and the life of our church family, we encourage you to invite family and friends, especially those who do not know Jesus Christ.
If you are coming to us as a member of another congregation that belongs to a Reformed or Presbyterian denomination with whom the URCNA has a relationship:
Have your home church forward your membership to our consistory. Please speak with Pastor Danny or an elder about how to do this.
A brief meeting with two of our elders so they can get to know you..
Notification to our congregation for two weeks that you will soon be received into our family.
Public reception in a morning service.