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Church Membership Section V Page 9 CHURCH MEMBERSHIP There are three ways in common use, by either of which persons may be admitted to the church, according to their religious standing and their relation to a profession of faith. The following are the THREE MODES OF ADMISSION: 1. By Baptism - A person may be admitted to the church, on a profession of faith in Christ, by baptism. This is the more common method. 2. By Letter - In the change of social and domestic life, which are constantly transpiring, members often remove from the vicinity of the church with which they have united. Then it becomes their duty, and should be their desire, to connect themselves with a church of the same faith near their new home, where they can conveniently work and worship. By the comity of Christian fellowship, and by that courtesy which each church owes to each other, the one of which he is a member gives him a letter of commendation and demission, by which his membership may be transferred to the other. This letter certifies to his good Christian character and regular standing and commends him to the confidence of, and membership in, the other church. 3. By Christian Experience - It sometimes happens that persons who have been baptized, but by some means have lost their membership, desire to unite with a church. They bring no letters, nor are they re-baptized; but give an account of their conversion and Christian life, which, being satisfactory. They are received on their confession. No human authority can hold one in church, who resolves to go out of it. The church is more than a mere assembly of men and women: "it is the body of Christ,” where each one, “is a member in particular.” Provision is, however, made for a transference of membership from one church to another. There are three ways, by either of which the relation of members to the body may be dissolved: 1. By Letter - A member may, on application, receive a letter of commendation and dismission from his church, with which to unite with another of the same faith, and thus, not pass out of good church relations, but be transferred from one fellowship to another. 2. By Exclusion - When the church, in the exercise of its lawful authority and discipline, withdraws fellowship from one proven to be an unworthy member, his connection with the body is dissolved and thenceforth ceases. 3. By Death - The death of members of course dissolves the relation and transfers them from the church on earth, to that above. Section V Page 10 WHAT PART WILL YOU PLAY IN OUR CHURCH? Greater Providence is your church by choice. One day you chose to become a part of this family of baptized believers. You decided to remain a member over passing time. Now that you are here and you've had time to see the church in action in Sunday Worship and weekday services, my question is, What part have you played? Have you given anything or done anything that has helped or harmed the church's ability to minister and worship? Are you a part of making the Sunday School, choirs, worship and ministries what they are? Or do you come in not so much as a critic or hinderer of progress but as a sideline spectator? Not doing anything is synonymous to hindering progress. Your church needs your help now and urgently so. We have many ministries that are not doing what they have the potential to do because they need You! You must join in and help make this church God's best. You may not be a public member or able to stand in front of the crowd person, but perhaps you want to usher or sing in the choir. Although we need additional members in all our choirs and on all our usher boards, there are other ministries and service jobs you can be a part of and help to make a difference. Let's find a place for you! Here's a list of some of our ministries: • Alpha Fitness • New Members Pastoral Assimilation Ministry • Christian Education • SAMSON Men’s Ministry • Dance Ministry • Sewing/Quilting Guild • Drama Ministry • Sunday School • First Responders • True Vine Ministry • Flower Guild • Usher Ministry • Intercessory Prayer Ministry • Web (website) Ministry • Life Enrichment • Women’s Ministry • Missionary Circle • Youth Ministry • Music Ministry When every member gets involved, we will make a real difference in this world. Jesus taught us to pray “... THY Kingdom come. THY Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” Section V Page 11 UNDERSTANDING THE CHURCH COVENANT The Church Covenant we recite each first Sunday is a public declaration of some very powerful beliefs about our commitment to our relationship with God and the people of God. This covenant only becomes truth when we allow it to live through us. It becomes a living covenant when it defines our intention, warrants our continuous attention, and determines our actions. Join us in exploring a deeper meaning of the Church Covenant! Our journey through the Church Covenant gives us an opportunity to individually and corporately Discover who we are and what we have in Christ Jesus. These deep truths about our God, our relationship with Him, and each other ought to be the driving force that shapes our decisions and actions. Certainly, it is our relationship with Christ that determines our eternal destination! The African American National Anthem records our struggle against a societal evil that devalued and diminished us. It is the story of a people whose faith in God preserved them in the midst of persecution. It tells of a God that comforted them in a time of deepest sorrow and grief. It portrays a God whose hand was a constant guide amid utter chaos. Its overriding theme is one of hope and triumph through saving grace! It is a praise testimony of the sovereign power of the Living God. What can we learn together from our study through the Church Covenant? What truths can we uncover? We can find answers to some of the following questions: • Who are we in Christ Jesus? • How does our relationship with Christ place us into a covenant relationship with each other? • How should this covenant shape our attitudes, behaviors and actions? • How does it shape our interactions with each other? • When we enter into covenant together what obligations do we have as stewards of the church? • What ought to be the witness of a covenant people to the world? “A church covenant is a declaration or pledge made to GOD, the church body and one’s self. It is based upon the congregation’s faith and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is a commitment of how we agree to live as fellow Christians and how God expects us to live. The church covenant is based on the scriptures of the Bible and we know that all scripture is God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). The Holy Spirit is the source that empowers the church to be obedient to the covenant. The Holy Spirit is also essential for life in the church. As believers of the covenant we are responsible and held accountable to live according to God’s Word. We are to encourage fellow Christians to live holy and righteous lives (1 Timothy 5: 11). It is also our responsibility to correct or admonish our brothers and sisters who remain in sin (Matthew 18:15-17, I Corinthians 5). The covenant people of the church should consist of believers who have been transformed and renewed through the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:2). This represents the body of believers who have been truly born again.” Our journey begins . Section V Page 12 THE REVISED CHURCH COVENANT As members of the Greater Providence Baptist Church, we affirm this covenant with one another by God’s grace for our good and ultimately for God’s glory. Having been brought by divine grace to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to surrender our lives to Him, and having been baptized as Christians in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we covenant together to glorify God by disciplining all nations. Together, we will draw near to God in worship. We will delight in the glory of God, depend on the presence of God, grow in the knowledge of God, and submit to the Word of God as the all- sufficient authority in our lives and in His church. Together we will hold fast to the hope we profess. We will regularly participate in communion as we solemnly and joyfully remember the past work of Christ on the cross, celebrate the present work of Christ at the Father’s right hand, and anticipate the future work of Christ in his return for His bride. Together, we will stir one another up to love and good works. We will meet with one another consistently, pray for one another regularly, and serve one another unselflessly. We will share each other’s joys and bear each other’s burdens. We will listen carefully to one another, build one another up with our speech, and encourage one another with our example. We will humbly and gently confront one another and receive correction from one another in accordance with a New Testament understanding of church discipline and restoration. We will give cheerfully and generously to the support of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel to all nations.
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