Membership at Liberty Baptist Church
…walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3
At Liberty Baptist Church, we believe the way Christians grow is through God’s good design of membership within the local church. As a member, the Christian is intentionally built up, lovingly held accountable, known and shepherded by his or her pastors, and assured of his or her salvation through participation each Sunday and through taking the Lord’s Supper with the church. Furthermore, members are able to fulfill all the “one another” commands in the New Testament because they know to whom they are called to fulfill these commands. Below is the membership covenant LBC Members renew with one another as we add new members through our Members’ Meetings and as we take the Lord’s Super together.
LBC Membership Covenant
Upon becoming a member in the body of the Liberty Baptist Church the members agree to the following covenant as our expectations of one another:
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to repent of our sins and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we do, in the presence of God and this assembly, solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.
We commit, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to:
● live together in Christian love and maintain the unity of the Spirit;
● continue meeting together regularly;
● work together for the continuance of a faithful evangelical ministry in this church,
as we sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines;
● confess our sins to each other and pray for each other;
● exercise an affectionate care and watchfulness over each other;
● bear one another’s burdens;
● cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech;
● be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation;
● contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations;
We further commit to:
● maintain family and personal devotions;
● educate our children in the Christian faith;
● seek the salvation of family, friends, and neighbors;
● be faithful and just in our transactions and exemplary in our conduct;
● live carefully in the world, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.
When we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
How to Become a Member of LBC
STEP 1 – MEMBERSHIP COURSE
If you are interested in pursuing membership with us, please consider participating in our Exploring Membership Course. The class is comprised of five sessions, held during the Equipping Group hour Sundays at 9am before our worship gathering, and is held three times throughout the year. Completing the course does not obligate you to join our church. Anyone is welcome to participate in order to get to know us better!
STEP 2 – MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
If, after completing all five sessions of Exploring Membership, you desire to pursue membership, you may complete a membership application, telling us about yourself and how God has saved you. We will make the application available to those who complete the Exploring Membership Course.
STEP 3 – MEMBERSHIP INTERVIEW & AFFIRMATION
If, after completing the application, you desire to pursue membership, you’ll get to meet with a pastor. During this interview, you will have a chance to share how you were saved, ask questions, and talk about membership at LBC. The final step is for the pastors to recommend you to the congregation during a members’ meeting. A summary of your testimony will be shared with the church members, and the church will affirm you as a new member.