Become A Member

Church membership is about a church taking specific responsibility for a Christian, and a Christian for a church.

There’s no prooftext in the Bible that teaches church membership, and it isn’t explicitly commanded. At the same time, the idea of experiencing salvation (and growth in the Christian life) without belonging to a local church is foreign to the New Testament. When individuals repented and believed in Christ, they were “added” to the church (Acts 2:41, 47; 5:14; 16:5) - it seems that someone was keeping a numerical record of those who were being saved and thus joining the church.

Moreover, in the book of Acts, much of the terminology fits only with the concept of formal church membership. Phrases such as “the whole congregation” (6:5), “the church in Jerusalem” (8:1), “the disciples” in Jerusalem (9:26), “in every church” (14:23), “the whole church” (15:17), and “the elders of the church” in Ephesus (20:17), all suggest recognizable church membership with well-defined boundaries (also see 1 Corinthians 5:4; 14:23; and Hebrews 10:25).

Bottom line: We believe there’s a strong Biblical basis for church membership, and though it’s not required of Christians, it’s certainly recommended. Not only does it help to keep us accountable within the context of a loving family of faith, but it also makes a powerful statement in our radically-individualistic, commitment-phobic culture. It’s a way of saying, “My preferences aren’t primary, and my faith can’t be privatized. I’m committed to this group of people and they’re committed to me.”

A member of Legacy Bible Church is someone who has made a formal commitment to:

Protect the unity of Legacy Bible Church

• By acting in love toward others (John 13:34-35, 1 John 4:7)

• By refusing to gossip, slander, gripe, or complain (2 Corinthians 12:20, James 5:9)

• By resolving conflicts using Matthew 5:22-24, 18:15-17, 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Galatians 6:1, 2 Timothy 3:16, 1 John 5:16

• By submitting to leadership as we all submit to one another (Hebrews 13:17, Ephesians 5:21)

Share the responsibility of Legacy Bible Church

• By praying for its spiritual health and growth (Philippians 1:9)

• By inviting non-Christians to attend (Luke 14:23)

• By warmly welcoming those who visit (Romans 15:7)

• By giving regularly and cheerfully as an act of worship (1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 8-9)

Serve the ministry of Legacy Bible Church

• By discovering their gifts and using them with joy as an extension of grace (1 Peter 4:10, Ephesians 4:11-12)

• By fostering a servant’s heart in serving God and others (Philippians 2:3-4)

Support the testimony of Legacy Bible Church

• By attending faithfully (Hebrews 10:24-25)

• By growing in a godly life (1 Timothy 4:14-15, Philippians 1:27)

If you know and love Jesus, and you’ve been coming to our church for awhile, we’d encourage you to pursue church membership. If you’re interested, please listen to the audio recording from our membership class, and download and read the following document.