Be A Member
When a person is born again by the Spirit, they are joined to be a member of the invisible universal church body. We are fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household (Ephesians 2:19-20). Christ left an institution in place that both affirms us as believers and helps to grow us in our Christian walk, which is the local church.
We are to belong to a spiritual community. Church membership is a formal covenant of a believer to a local visible church body for mutual growth and accountability.
Why is Church Membership Important?
Although the word “membership” is not mentioned explicitly in the Bible, scriptures in New Testament mention about the biblical basis for church membership. It can be seen:
- In the example of the early church: believers are joined together with other believers in a local assembly (Acts 2:42-47).
- The existence of church government: elders are given the responsibility to oversee God’s flocks (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; 1 Timothy 5:17).
- The exercise of church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 1 Timothy 5:20; Titus 3:10-11).
- The exhortation to mutual edification (Hebrews 10:24-25).
God calls us into covenant, not only to Himself but also to each other. We are to live a life of service to the good of the body, by serving the church with our gifts and talents. Becoming a member means making a commitment to the church, and it also means the church is making a commitment to you. We have put in place resources, trainings and a mentoring system to help you grow as a member of the church. (Click here to read more on “To Be Mentored”.)
How Do I Become A Member of Hope?
Step 1:
Attend “Join The Vision” class.
The purpose of this membership class is:
- To hear and understand the fundamental beliefs and core values of Hope Church.
- To learn about what it means to be planted in a local church.
- To discover how you can practically grow and serve in Hope Church.
*This membership class is mandatory for membership.
Step 2:
Water baptism and baptism of the Holy Spirit (if needed).
Baptism is your next step toward membership if you have acknowledged Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, and have not been baptised. At Hope Church, we practice water baptism by full immersion and we believe that baptism of the Holy Spirit comes with the initial sign of speaking in tongues.
Step 3:
Apply for membership.
You will receive a membership application form at the end of the membership class. Express your interest to your leaders in becoming a church member. Once filled and submitted, join other new members as we celebrate you on one of our “Join The Vision” services!
How do I Transfer My Membership from Another Church?
You don’t have to transfer membership. As long as you meet the criteria described above, you can become a member here.
Can I be a Member if I were Water Baptised in Another Church?
If you were water baptised in another church through the method of sprinkling and wish to become a member of this church, we request that you agree to be water baptism by immersion. For immersion is the actual meaning of the Gk baptizo from which the English translation baptize is derived. We believe it fully reflects Jesus’ own water baptism and is a closer representation of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.
This in no way negates your spiritual experience and choice of being previously baptised in a different way. We are not denying or questioning your spiritual experience. But encouraging you to come into a more complete obedience to God. All of us are on a journey of faith with God. And we are only able to respond and obey Him to the extent of our understanding at any point of time. In Acts 19:1-7 in Ephesus we find a similar situation where some believers were only water baptized by John the Baptist for repentance. Apostle Paul instructed them more fully and they all were water baptized by immersion into the name of the Lord Jesus.
We are all on a journey in our understanding of God and in our faith. Being sprinkled may just be part of that journey of your faith. Thank God for your sincerity. Now you discover a more complete way. Like for Apollos who eventually gained a more fuller understanding of Christ through Priscilla and Aquila. It is like studying a particular aspect of science in primary school. Then we cover the same matter in high school and then in university. And each time it is with much greater detail, more comprehensive, more complex, more fully. What we learnt in primary was a great simplification, incomplete. It wasn’t wrong. But it was part of the educational journey. Similarly, we encourage all to come into a fuller obedience and experience of water baptism by immersion.