Grace Church Membership Class

Grace Church Membership Class

Introduction:

· Here are four key truths to being a member of Grace Church

· Ephesians 2:19 (The Living Bible) — 19 …but you are members of God’s very own family, citizens of God’s country, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.

Ephesians 2:19 LBP

Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God’s very own family, citizens of God’s country, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.

· Key words are

“Member”

“Family”

“Belong”

“Household”

· Here’s what the bible says about the church

I. Part 1 –

Why Join a Church?

a. The church is a family

i. "God's household"

1. It doesn't say the church is like a family.

2. It says the church is a family

3. It's a spiritual family

b. God expects me to be a member of a family.

i. "You are a member of God's very own family."

1. This is God’s will not an option

c. A Christian without a church family is an orphan

i. "You belong in God's household with every other member of the church."

1. This is all about commitment

d. Every family has its odd balls

i. I can talk about my family, but you can’t

ii. I’m closer to people in this church than I am with some of my own family

iii. You need a family

e. Take it from another perspective

i. The church is a body. Christ is the head of that body (It’s who leads this church)

ii. What if you said, “I don’t need my right hand”

iii. You could still function but you’d be handicapped

iv. What if they took out your heart – then you’re dead.

v. When a church loses it’s heart they die.

vi. Many are just existing because they have cut off their right hand.

II. Part 2 –

Who is Grace Church

a. Story of how we started

Let’s ask the Question?

b. What kind of church are we going to be?

i. A church that reaches the

Unchurched and Dechurched

Shouldn’t we target everybody?

ii. Our Worship services are and will be designed for that person

1. I’m going to preach practical messages. I want to give you something you can use on Monday

2. E.g. Paul message to Timothy and Titus “Preach the word” Encourage people to live godly lives loving one another. 2 Timothy 4:2

3. Paul said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” 1 Corinthians 9:22

Discipleship

Training to a follower of Christ not just a fan.

1. Mid-Week Bible Study - Online bible class

2. Daily Devotional on Facebook and the website

Fellowship

We are better together

1. Sunday Morning at 9:30

3. Say hello

4. How we welcome new people.

Ministry

Ministry is where you serve the church and community

1. “Feed my Lambs”

2. Door Greeter

3. Parking Lot Attendant

4. Grace Café Host

Missions

Your missionis Acts 1:8 (Going beyond these four walls)

1. Check in on Facebook

2. Planting Churches

3. Evangelism sharing you story

The five circles of commitment

Community – Unchurched and Occasional

Crowd – Regular Attenders

Congregation – Members

Committed – Maturing Members

Core – Lay Ministers

d. Notice this example

i. John 1:39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

1. Vs

ii. Luke 9:23 “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

iii. The pastor’s mission and responsibility is to move you from community to core

III. Part 3 –

Grace Church Structure

Pastor’s Council

i. A member of the pastor’s council shall be appointed by the pastor and current pastor’s council members. All members shall serve for a term of one year. Council members may be reappointed. The council shall consist of both male and female members.

ii. Four Members currently

b. A church is not a democracy.

i. A church is a theocracy.

ii. This is a foreign idea to many Baptist

1. Mostly because we live in a “democracy”

iii. God is in charge and our whole job is to find out what God wants us to do and then do it.

iv. We are a “Pastor Council” lead church not a congregation lead church

v. There is no voting in New Testament

vi. Every time there was a vote taken the majority was wrong.

vii. Here are the things we will vote on.

1. The annual budget of the Church

2. Affirmation of a Senior Pastor

3. Affirmation of all new Personnel

4. The disposition of all substantial assets of the Church

5. The merger or disbanding of the Church

6. The acquisition of real property

7. Any indebtedness

8. Amendments to the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Church

What about deacons?

i. Yes, Lord willing

ii. They are servants

iii. Hospital worship setup etc.

Ministry Leadership Team

i. These are the folks that lead a ministry

1. Feed my Lambs

2. Grace Kids

3. Grace Café

4. We will want you to find your place of ministry

5. You don’t sit and soak at Grace Church.

ii. They have a free hand to run their ministry as the Lord’s leads

1. However, Ministry Leaders answer to the Lord first and foremost but then to the Pastor and/or Pastor’s Council.

e. Other offices

i. Trustees

ii. Clerk

IV. Part 4 -

Our Purpose.

a. Our Slogan

A church of second chances

b. Our Purpose Statement

i. To bring people to Jesus and membershipin his family, develop them to Christlike maturity, and equip them for their ministryin the church and life mission in the world, in order to magnify God’s name.

Our Five Principles

Membership

We incorporate God’s family into our fellowship

Maturity

We educate God’s people through discipleship

Ministry

We demonstrate God’s love through service

Mission

We communicate God’s Word through evangelism

Magnify

We celebrate God’s presence in worship (temple courts)

1. Acts 2:42–47 (NIV) — 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Our Mission

i. A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission build a great church

The Great Commandment

Matthew 22:37–40 (NIV) — 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37–40 NIV

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The Great Commission

a. Matthew 28:19–20 (NIV) — 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Our Statement of Faith

i. We affirm the Holy Bible as the inspired Word of God, and as the only basis of our beliefs. We accept the "The Baptist Faith and Message", a 1963/1998 affirmation of basic Christian beliefs, as a general statement of our faith.

Our Affiliation

i. This Church is autonomous and maintains the right to govern its own affairs, independent of any denominational control. Recognizing, however, the benefits of cooperation with other churches in world missions, this Church voluntarily affiliates with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Illinois Baptist State Association, and the Union Baptist Association.

V. Part 5 –

Membership Covenant

a. Personal faith in Jesus Christ

b. Believers Baptism (immersion)

c. To be a member you must sign a covenant

i. I will protect the unity of my church

1. By acting in love toward other members

2. By refusing to gossip

3. By following my leaders

ii. I will support the testimony of my church

1. By attending faithfully

2. By striving to live in a Christ like manner

3. By financially supporting the Church through tithes and offerings

iii. I will serve the ministry of my church

1. By discovering my individual gifts and talents

2. By being equipped to serve alongside my pastor and leaders

3. By developing a servant's heart

iv. I will share the responsibility of my church

1. By praying for its health

2. By inviting the un-churched to attend

3. By warmly welcoming those who visit

MEMBERSHIP COVENANT

This church is comprised of persons who profess a personal faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, have been baptized by believer's baptism (immersion) according to the New Testament and actively follow the Lord Jesus Christ in discipleship.

Each member hereby states:

Having individually received Christ as my Lord and Savior and having been baptized in obedience to Him, I the undersigned, being led as I believe by the Holy Spirit to become a member of Grace Church, do now in the presence of God enter into a solemn covenant with the other members to do the following as enabled by His Spirit and study of His inspired Word:

I. I WILL PROTECT THE UNITY OF MY CHURCH

A. By acting in love toward other members

B. By refusing to gossip

C. By following my leaders

II. I WILL SUPPORT THE TESTIMONY OF MY CHURCH

A. By attending faithfully

B. By striving to live in a Christ like manner (On social media, at work, in the home etc.)

C. By financially supporting the Church through tithes and offerings

III. I WILL SERVE THE MINISTRY OF MY CHURCH

A. By discovering my individual gifts and talents

B. By being equipped to serve alongside my pastor and leaders

C. By developing a servant's heart

IV. I WILL SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MY CHURCH

A. By praying for its health

B. By inviting the un-churched to attend

C. By warmly welcoming those who visit

Signature______________________________________ Date____________________

Mr/Mrs/Miss_______________________________________________

Address___________________________________________________

City__________________________State__________Zip____________

Phone______________________

Email_______________________