Membership
Why join a church?
Christ did not merely die to save an assorted collection of individuals. He sacrificed His physical body to make a Body of believers - the Church. Our growth and maturity in Christ are inextricably connected to our brothers and sisters' growth and maturity. None of us can carry our burdens or fight our sins alone; we are to grow up together towards maturity in Christ.
Not only is the Church a Body, but we are also a family. Those who are washed by the blood of Christ now have God as their Father (2 Corinthians 6:18; Matthew 6:9) and Christ as their Brother (Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:29). As members of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19), the Bible tells us we now belong to one another. Such a family - united not by a common interest, race, or experience, but by Jesus's blood - is beautiful and profound, but it comes at a cost. To experience all that God has designed for us, we must lay down some freedoms and commit to one another in the service of a greater good - the glory of God and the joy of all people.
How Membership Works
Each Covenant Member goes through the following process.
Membership Class
Offered several times a year, our Membership Class gives Redeemer attendees a better idea of who we are, what we believe, what we value, where we're headed, and an explanation of Covenant Membership.
Baptism
Jesus commanded that all those who follow Him be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. At Redeemer, we believe that baptism matters, and therefore, we require that all members are baptized in obedience to Jesus's command.
We believe that baptism's best practice is for those who have personally repented and believed to express their union with Christ by being immersed in water. That said, we acknowledge the validity of the two modes practiced throughout the Church's history: believer's baptism and infant baptism. We welcome into membership those who affirm their Christian baptism as practiced by orthodox traditions, but Redeemer will only teach and practice believer's baptism by immersion.
If you were baptized as an infant or have never been baptized, one of our pastors would love to meet with you!
Testimony
Membership at Redeemer is open to everyone who has confessed with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in their heart that God raised Him from the dead. As part of the membership process, we would love to celebrate with you the story of God's grace in your life and learn how we can best care for you in membership. We ask everyone to fill out a small packet, which is read by a pastor, an elder, and your future Home Group Leader.
Elder Meeting
We would love for you to have a chance to get to know the leadership of our church! Before anyone joins the church, we ask that they sit down with one of our elders. We hope each meeting allows us to:
Rejoice alongside you at what God has done in your life
Confirm that you understand the meaning of Covenant Membership
Verify that there are no biblically warranted concerns with your joining Redeemer as a Covenant Member
Allow you to connect with Redeemer's leadership
Answer questions or help you find opportunities to learn and serve at Redeemer
Interested in Membership
We hold quarterly membership classes! If you would like to be a part of the next class, let us know!
Not sure if membership is right for you? That’s totally fine! Signing up for the class is a great opportunity to learn more about Redeemer, regardless of your final decision.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Amy.