Our Care of Church Members

Membership in the Church

We believe that in order to maintain the purity of the church, a regenerate church membership has to be maintained. This is primarily accomplished through welcoming into the church only those who make a profession of faith in Christ, identify themselves as a Christian through believer’s baptism by immersion in water (Matt. 3:5-6; 28:19; Mark 16:16; John 3:22-23; 4:1-2; Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 36-39; 16:32-34; 18:8), and submit to the authority (Heb. 13:17) and discipline (Matt. 18:15-22) of the church. Therefore, infants cannot be counted as church members because they are not able to give testimony of their faith in Christ. The church is a place where believers can and should exercise their various spiritual gifts to the glory of God (I Cor. 12). Despite the great diversity of spiritual gifts, believers can and should live together in love and unity (Eph. 5:1-2; Rom. 12:5; I Cor. 10:17; 12:12; Gal. 3:28).

Discipline in the Church

Part of being transformed into the image of Christ is being separate from sin (the world, the flesh, human and demonic influences, etc.) and dedicated unto service for God (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 6:19-20; Eph. 5:11ff; 1 John 2:15-17). God’s Word and Spirit are vital to sanctification (Tit. 2:14; Heb. 13:20-21; Rom. 6:3, 5-7; 8:9-10 Col. 3:3; II Thess. 2:13; I Cor. 6:11). Christians should be separate from all people and groups that follow and practice worldly teaching (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1).

Christians are to watch out for and avoid people that are causing divisions by teaching false doctrines (Rom. 16:17). Christians and churches are not to tolerate the teaching of false teachers or allow it to remain in the church (Gal. 1:8-9). Christians are to continue teaching and obeying the teaching of Christ (2 John 9-10). The sheep need to be protected from error (Acts 20:28; 2 Pet. 2:1-2).

Christians must lovingly confront others when they are in open disobedience to Scripture (Matt. 18:15-17; 2 Tim. 2:25). The pattern of Matthew 18 should be carefully followed. The goal is always the restoration of the disobedient brother to a right relationship with the Lord and other believers. Christians cannot tolerate sin in the church. It is not loving to allow others to continue in sin (1 Cor. 5:1-13). Christians are to “withdraw” from a professing Christian that continues sinning against the teaching God has given through the apostles (2 Thess. 3:6), so he realizes his need to confess his sin (2 Thess. 3:14-15). He should be treated as a fellow believer and not like an enemy. If he refuses to confess his sin, then the steps of Matthew 18 should be followed.