As pastors and a congregation, we will commit to affirming you in the gospel by publicly identifying and covenanting with you as a baptized member and follower of Jesus Christ.

As pastors, we commit to overseeing you in the gospel--as those who will one day given an account to God (Hebrews 13:17). We will do this through: the preaching and teaching of God’s Word in our worship services, mid-week studies, relevant small groups, podcasting, discipleship, mentoring, counseling, and holding you accountable in living a God-glorifying, cross-centered life.

As a congregation, we commit to overseeing you in the gospel through transparent relationships, which cultivates an environment where accountability, speaking the truth in love, mutual encouragement, and bearing one another’s burdens can happen.

As pastors, we commit to engaging you in the work of the gospel by providing opportunities for service in the kingdom work God has given us to do both locally and globally. We will discern with you the ways God has gifted you and how you should be using these gifts in the context of this local church to build the body of Christ and spread God’s fame.

As a congregation, we will engage with you in the work of the gospel. Although we are many members, we are one body and commit to working with you with the same mind, love, and purpose (Philippians 2:3) to proclaim to the world character and gospel of God through the ministry of First Baptist Church of Jones.

As pastors, we have a reputation to uphold. It’s not ours. It’s not yours. It’s not the church’s. It’s Christ’s. While we commit to constantly engage in formative discipline (teaching, preaching, counseling, encouraging, discipling, exhorting), we also commit to guarding you and the gospel through corrective discipline (removal of privileges, call to repentance, excommunication) where and when necessary. The purpose of this is always restorative (Galatians 6:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13). Should any member become entangled in persistent, unrepentant sin we will take appropriate steps to guard the testimony of Christ’s church in the local community.

As pastors, we also commit to guarding you and the gospel by refuting false teaching and keeping a close watch for wolves in sheep’s clothing who would seek to come in and destroy the flock of God (Acts 20:28-31, 2 Timothy 2:14).

To gather for weekly worship services, prayer, relevant small groups, events and members meetings where possible (Heb. 10:24-25).

Using the spiritual gifts God has given you to build up the body however you are able (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Submitting to the body of Christ and being transparent with other church members in which you care for, encourage, rebuke, teach and learn from each other (Ephesians 5:21, 4:15-16; Hebrews 13:7, 17).

Giving of your time, money and resources regularly, cheerfully, generously and at times sacrificially for the work of the gospel (2 Cor. 9; 1 Cor. 16:2).

To respect and submit to the spiritual authority of those in leadership (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5).

Praying for the work and victory of the gospel (Luke 18:1-8).

Living a lifestyle of faith and repentance; putting to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13); resisting the devil (Ephesians 6:10-20; James 4:7); and not loving the world or desires of the world (1 John 2:15-17).

Meaningful membership provides a clear picture to elders of who they are to watch over as those who will give an account to God (Heb. 13:17).

Meaningful membership provides a clear, public picture of who is committed to the local church and who the local church is committed to.

Meaningful membership commits you to the church, commits others to you, provides you with the spiritual protection of pastors, provides spiritual leadership and provides you with the comfort of knowing that a whole group of people would rather remove you from membership than tolerate unrepentant sin! Given the deceitfulness of sin, this is an encouraging reality!

Meaningful membership is important because it is the only way for a church to corporately tell the truth about God and the gospel. The only satisfying explanation for why we live this way and how we are able to live this is way is that the transforming power of the gospel is real. And that Jesus Christ did come to earth, die on a cross, save us from God’s wrath, rise from the dead, ascend into heaven, and will one day return.

Great question!

Steps #1 and #2 may not apply to you, so you will need to do steps #3-#5 plus the following (as it applies):

Transfer of Membership Letter from Another Baptist Church:

If you have already accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, have already been baptized by immersion as a believer, and are a member of another Baptist church of like faith and practice, we will welcome you as a member of FBC Jones

Statement of Faith:

If you come from another denomination or your letter in a Baptist church is no longer available, we will welcome you by statement. Those coming by statement must meet the requirements for membership as listed above (salvation by faith and believer's baptism by immersion).

Church membership is like a covenant relationship. By becoming a member, you are committing yourself to the local church in certain ways.

Our Membership Covenant:

Having received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and having been baptized, in agreement with this faith family’s doctrine, structure, affiliations, mission, and strategy, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with FBCJ JonesBaptist Church. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members of this faith family to do the following:

1. I will protect the UNITY of my church …

• by acting in love toward other members.

• by refusing to engage in gossip.

• by following our leadership.

• Romans 14:19 “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”
• Romans 15:5 “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus...”
• 1 Peter 1:22 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”
• Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
• Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

2. I will share the RESPONSIBILITY of my church . . .

• by praying for its growth.

• by sharing the gospel and inviting others.

• by warmly welcoming guests.

• 1 Thessalonians 1:2 “To the church...we always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.”
• Luke 14:23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.’”
• Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, even as Christ has accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
• Acts 2:46—47 ”And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."

3. I will serve the MINISTRY of my church.

• by discovering and using my spiritual gifts and talents in the FBCJ Discipleship Pathway.

• by being equipped to serve.

• by having a servant's heart.

1 Peter 4:10 “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

Ephesians 4:11—13 “And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

Philippians 2:3—5, 7 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus...taking the very nature of a servant.”

4.I will support the TESTIMONY of my church.

• by attending faithfully.

• by living a godly life of discipleship.

• by giving regularly.

• Hebrews 10:25 “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another . . .”
• Philippians 1:27 “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ...”
• Corinthians 16:2 “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income...”
• Corinthians 9:6-7 ”The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

The Bible teaches that church membership is a commitment for Christians to attend, love, serve, and submit to a local church.

While the word “membership” isn’t found in Scripture, the concept is. Membership involves being part of a covenant community, and we see this throughout the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul talks about removing someone from the church, implying a formal membership. Acts 6 mentions an election, showing an “in/out” distinction. 1 Timothy 5:3-16 includes instructions about creating a roster to care for widows, further supporting the idea of belonging to a specific group.

The New Testament doesn’t explicitly say, “Become a member,” but every letter assumes believers are actively part of a local church. Instructions on submitting to church leadership, addressing sin, and elders shepherding the flock (1 Cor. 5, Heb. 13:17, Acts 20:28) all imply the need for belonging to a local body to follow these commands.

The Bible shows the importance of church membership in several places:

• In the Old Testament, God set His people apart from the world (Lev. 13:46, Num. 5:3, Deut. 7:3). The New Testament continues this distinction (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).
• Jesus taught that being part of the church is essential for entering the kingdom of God (Matt. 16:16-19; 18:17-19).
• The first church began at Pentecost, where people were baptized and “added to their number” (Acts 2:41). The Lord’s Supper marks those who belong to the body of Christ (1 Cor. 10:17).
• The epistles were written to specific churches like “the church of God in Corinth” (1 Cor. 1:2) or “the churches of Galatia” (Gal. 1:2), showing the church is a defined group.
• The New Testament mentions some being “inside” and others “outside” the church and speaks of “removing” members (1 Cor. 5:2, 12-13; 2 Cor. 2:6).
• There are many “one another” commands, outlining what church membership should look like in practice.

Biblical church membership is important because the church is where God reveals Himself and shows His glory to the world. Through the church’s members, non-Christians should see God's holiness and grace, and witness the power of His gospel to save and transform sinners.

In our experience, many people resist joining the church because they approach it with a consumer mindset. They don’t want to belong or have expectations placed on them; they just want to receive something—like biblical teaching. While consumer relationships are fine for things like fast food, applying that mindset to deeper relationships—like marriage or family—creates problems.

The church is not a consumer relationship. It’s a family, and families are committed to one another.

Certainly! But there are certain privileges of membership that come being a member.

If you're hesitant to join a local church because it's full of imperfect people, you'll be waiting a long time. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said there are three stages of growth in engaging with the church.

• First, disgust at the sins of others.
• Second, disgust at your own sin. These stages can push us away.
• But the third stage is where we see we can return to the church as instruments in the Redeemer’s hands—redeemed from being self-righteous Pharisees.

Don’t wait for the perfect church. It doesn’t exist. And if it did, the moment you joined, it wouldn’t be perfect anymore! Instead, find a church with solid biblical preaching, community, accountability, and a heart for ministry. Then dive in fully!