There is no explicit Scripture that says “become a church member”; however, church membership is biblical! In fact, when the Bible speaks about the church, it speaks of it as a body, composed of individual members united to each other under the head, Jesus! To be a follower of Jesus means being brought out of the world into Jesus visible body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)!

In the Old Testament, the people of God were distinguished as citizens and members of God’s kingdom. They were called out of the world and into God’s visible kingdom on earth (Deuteronomy 7:6)! In the New Testament, Peter uses this same language to talk about God’s church composed of both Jewish and Gentile believers (1 Peter 2:9-10).

As members of Jesus’ church body, the Bible calls us to attend, submit, love, and serve our local church. Hebrews says that members of the church should “not neglect to meet together as is the habit of some” and “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls” showing membership as a commitment to worship God with others and submit to faithful church leadership (Hebrews 10:25 & 13:17). Members are also bound to one another and called to serve one another in love for the common good of the church (1 Corinthians 12:7).

In the Christian faith, there is an interesting blend of both inclusivity and exclusivity. While it’s true that Jesus welcomes everyone (Matthew 11:28), He still clearly distinguishes between those who have taken up His offer and those who have not (John 3:36). Therefore, church membership is meant to make those two groups distinct, not to assert that those who have taken up His offer are better than those who have not.

In other words, the purpose of church membership is not to assert the members’ superiority to others, but rather to assert their association with the Savior and the people who He has covenanted to save—an association open to all who believe!

(Cruse, Church Membership, p. 109)

We believe that the standards for church membership should be no higher or lower than the standards for being a Christian. For that reason, you do not have to believe everything we believe as a church in order to be a member. A Christian is someone who has repented of their sin and believes in Jesus as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9).

The best summary of what it means to believe in Jesus and follow Him is found in The Apostles’ Creed, The Ten Commandments and The Lord’s Prayer.

The process for becoming a member at Elevate Hope is very simple:

First, join our membership class interest list. Once we form a group we will contact you to coordinate a four-week membership class that goes over the basics of the Christian faith, some distinctives of our Presbyterian tradition and the DNA of Elevate Hope.

Second, talk with one or a group of our elders. During this time you will have a conversation about your faith background, how you came to faith in Jesus, and how the Gospel has shaped your life.

Third, make a membership commitment. We ask members to affirm The Apostle’s Creed as a statement of their beliefs, and to affirm The Ten Commandments and The Lord’s Prayer as trustworthy guides for their life as a follower of Jesus.

Finally, be celebrated. We invite all new members up front on a Membership Sunday to make vows together as the church. This gives us the chance to affirm God’s work in your life and welcome you into our Elevate Hope community.

In the Presbyterian tradition we believe it is appropriate to make vows or oaths in the context of a worship service to underscore our commitment to keep a promise. When it comes to membership vows, these vows make us think more carefully about the responsibilities we bear as members of a local church, spurring us to greater fidelity to Christ and His people (Psalm 50:14 & 76:11).

(Cruse, Church Membership, p. 101)

At Elevate Hope we have our members take these five vows:

1. Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy?

2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?

3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes a follower of Christ?

4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?

5. Do you submit yourself to the government and discipline of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?

We do not require anyone from another PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) church or NAPARC (North American Presbyterian and Reformed Council) church to take our membership class. You can simply request a transfer of membership from your previous church to Elevate Hope and meet with our elders to discuss your testimony.

However, we highly recommend that even those transferring membership from another church take our membership class for several beneficial reasons:

1. The class will introduce you to several distinctives of our particular congregation.

2. The class affords a great opportunity to meet other potential members of our church and get to know them, especially our elders leading the class.

3. The class is a crucial first step of submitting to the leadership of our church and humbly acknowledging their authority in your life, which is a condition of your membership vows for the duration of your membership at Elevate Hope.

4. The class is a wonderful opportunity to study the Gospel, God’s Word and His church alongside your fellow brothers and sisters as we commit ourselves to one another.

(Cruse, Church Membership, p. 101-102)

Absolutely! We believe that baptism is a sign and seal of membership in the church, the body of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). For that reason, we believe baptism makes a person a member of the Church!

Since many people come to faith for the first time at Elevate Hope, we celebrate God’s work of grace in their life by baptizing them on the same Sunday that they become a member during our worship service. We also believe children are members of God’s family, and so we baptize children of believing parents (Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:38-39).

We believe that baptism is a sign and seal of a person’s entrance into the Church (1 Corinthians 12:13). So if your child has simply been baptized, they are considered non-communing members of Elevate Hope. If your child has made a public profession of faith, they are then considered communing members of Elevate Hope.

Presbyterian churches make the distinction between noncommunicant members and communicant members of the Church (sometimes referred to as baptized members and professing members). Both are members, but noncommunicant members are so by virtue of the profession of their parent(s), while communicant members are so by virtue of their own profession.

The term noncommunicant finds its meaning in relation to the sacrament of Communion. Those who are members of the church by baptism but who have yet to profess their personal faith in Jesus are not permitted to come to The Lord's Table. This is because we do not necessarily equate membership with conversion; while the children of believers are considered members of the church, certain privileges of that membership are withheld until they demonstrate and profess a personal faith in the Lord, which is required in order to come worthily to The Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:28-29). And yet this must be done without calling into question the reality that these children do indeed belong to God’s people and that the promise of God (baptism in Christ, forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit) belongs to them (Acts 2:38-39)

To become a communing member and make a public profession of faith, kids can participate in our five-week Communicants’ Class. This class is designed to teach kids the basic truths of Christianity. At the conclusion of the class, your child will meet with a group of elders to answer some questions from the class and make a profession of faith in Jesus, after which they will be welcomed that Sunday as a communing member.

(Cruse, Church Membership, p. 103-104)