Membership

Become a Member of Mt. Chapel

Joining a church is a big decision, and we are honored that you are considering connecting with us. Each week, we extend an opportunity for a person to respond to the gospel during one of invitations:

Salvation – Accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive forgiveness of your sins. (Romans 10:9-10)
Baptism -“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This scripture encourages us that when we are baptized, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit and he becomes part of us. (Acts 2:38)
Re-dedication – Anyone who has accepted Christ, but has strayed in their walk with Him, can rededicate themselves to Christ. (1 John 1:9)
Assurance – If you’re unsure of your salvation status, you can receive absolute assurance. (1 John 5:13)
Church Membership – Membership is extended to anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. (Hebrews 10:25)

The New Testament presents a picture of definable groups of people who, once committed to the Lord, identified themselves with and joined themselves to a particular local body.
(Romans 16:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 8:1; Philippians 1:1; Acts 11:26)

In order to implement the principles of accountability and commitment to the local body of Christ, as defined in the New Testament and practiced in the early churches, the Church recognizes the need for an official membership body.

Therefore, the Church shall have one class of membership. Membership in this Church shall consist of all persons who have met the qualifications of membership and are listed on the membership roll.

Qualifications for Membership
The qualification for membership is a profession or commitment to the following:

Faith in Jesus Christ for salvation;
Baptism by immersion as a testimony of salvation;
Spiritual growth in the Lord Jesus Christ through discipleship;
Regular attendance at weekly Church services;
Financial support of the Church with tithes and offerings;
Use of one’s gifts and talents in the service of the Lord;
Completion of the Church’s New Member Orientation class; and
Submission to the Constitution and Church’s membership covenant.

Procedures for Membership
All persons who have personally received Christ as their Savior and Lord, who have received baptism by water immersion as a testimony of their salvation, and who desire to be committed to the Church as a local body of believers may become members of the Church through the following procedures:

Come forth during or following any worship service, bible study or share with a deacon or ministry leader a desire to join the Church.
Meet with a deacon or appointed ministry leader, to verbalize their understanding and acceptance of Jesus Christ as God’s only Son and provision for salvation and the forgiveness of sin, and to verbalize their desire to commit to this Church as a local body of believers.

To become an official member of the Church each candidate must complete a Membership Enrollment Form. The data contained therein will be entered into the official church membership roll database and a letter of acknowledgment sent to the new member. Upon a profession of faith and completion of the Enrollment Form, the candidate will immediately be accepted as a new member and may begin participation in the ministries of this Church, prior to attendance of New Members Orientation or its counterpart.

Baptism

Although He knew no sin, Jesus demonstrated to us that baptism is an outward expression of the spiritual change that takes place when a person receives the free gift of salvation. The Bible tells us we don’t get baptized to get saved; rather we are baptized because of our relationship with the One who died so we can have eternal life. It is therefore extremely important that baptism occur after a person has made a conscious decision to repent of their sins and profess their faith in Jesus Christ.

Our Baptism service is normally held every 4th Sunday at the 10:30am in the sanctuary. Baptismal candidates should arrive at least one hour prior to their scheduled time. For more information, contact 318-635-1555 and ask to speak with the a Deacon, or Deaconess.