Why do I need to join a church?

Many folks have wrestled with the question of why they should join a church. Doesn’t membership just make the church exclusive–like it’s a country club? In the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church, he set out to teach the church that being a part of a local church is like being a vital part–or member–of a body (chapter 12). “Member” is actually a biblical term, and being a healthy member in a local church is vital to the Christian life. The New Testament teaches that growing in the Christian life is not an individualistic endeavor, but a community project. For the last two thousand years, nearly all Christians have strived to live out their faith in fellowship with and accountability to a local church. So, if you have received the Gospel, repented of your sins, and have been born again, we invite you to become a growing, loving, and serving member of Sedge Fen Baptist.

Tell us about your desire

There are a couple different ways to share with us your desire to become a part of Sedge Fen Baptist. Since we do not all come from the same evangelical backgrounds, we are familiar with most, so:

1. Usually after several weeks of visiting, most call the pastor and ask for a meeting to discuss their desire to join the church.
2. Another way is to come forward during the song of commitment toward the end of the Sunday morning service. Whether to express your desire to join the church or to share some other way God is working in your life. The pastor and/or a couple of church members will be ready to receive you for counsel and encouragement.

Requirements for membership

There are several requirements to be received into the membership at Sedge Fen Baptist. These are not meant to be burdensome or exclusive. They are meant to aid us in preserving the unity of the church and in being good stewards of our relationships with the new folks God brings our way.

1. Member candidates are received either 1) by professing repentance and faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, and then being baptized by immersion; or 2) without re-baptism by a transfer of letter from a sister church of like faith and practice.

In the New Testament, Jesus commands believers to be baptized after their conversion experience. Scripture gives a clear picture of what that is supposed to look like. New Testament has always been through immersion (being placed under the water).

2. Member candidates are examined by faithful church members to see if the candidates are in the faith.
This might sound intimidating, but all we really want to know is that you know and have responded to the Gospel. Of course, only the Lord truly knows the heart of a person. But what a tragedy it would be if we received folks as members and never had a conversation with them to find out if they had ever heard and responded to the Gospel.

3. Member candidates are expected to signal their agreement with the church’s confession of faith and the church’s covenant of membership.

Joining a church means making oneself accountable to the church. The church unity described in the New Testament is not primarily a touchy-feely feeling of unity, but rather a unity of mind and purpose. Church members are expected to be in agreement with the essentials of the faith. Additionally, authentic unity in a church is built on the agreement of the members to grow together more and more into the likeness of Christ. This means challenging one another, praying for one another, teaching one another, and even rebuking one another in love when the need arises. Membership in the church looks nothing like the radical individualism we experience in our culture. You can read the church’s confession of faith, and the membership covenant.

4. Should a person who has been attending and does feel they have been born again (saved) but looks back to perhaps another type of baptism (sprinkling or pouring) either prior to or after their conversion experience and is unwilling to be immersed – they can remain attenders and will be accorded the usual graces involved in Christian fellowship. They will not, however, have voting rights afforded to membership.