WHAT IS A CHURCH MEMBER?
At Mountain View, you'll hear us talk about church membership. Here's what we mean by that.
Church members are Jesus followers who have committed to walk out their faith in partnership with other believers at a local church — in this case, Mountain View Baptist Church. When you become a member, you become part of a family that chooses to care for and encourage one another. A church member is not just an attender of a Sunday service, but rather someone who actively participates, serves and assumes responsibility and love for others in the family (John 13:35, Hebrews 10:23-25). This is how we live out our faith together. Being a church member takes commitment.
A church member is also someone who chooses to follow the leadership of our pastors, recognizing that Mountain View's pastors have been called by God to teach His Word and equip His people for ministry (Hebrews 13:17, Ephesians 4:12). This means that you allow your pastors and fellow members to hold you accountable as you seek maturity in Christ (1 Corinthians 5).
WHY BECOME A CHURCH MEMBER?
We believe that church membership is biblical. Early believers clearly had an understanding of who was part of their community and who was not (Acts 2:41-47, Acts 6:3). And throughout the letters written by Paul, we see him writing to specific communities of believers. Together, then, these believers addressed problems in their communities and worked together to make disciples as Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19-20). Their commitment to one another also acted as a witness of Christian transformation to their cultures and contexts.
Becoming a church member today follows in that tradition by making a distinct commitment to Christ and His people through the local church. You become a church member because doing so helps you follow Jesus. It means you join a family of like-minded believers who will pray for you, celebrate with you and live life with you. It also gives you an opportunity to grow spiritually as you cooperate with other parts of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12). Just as each part of our body plays a unique role, each church member has something special to give.
At Mountain View, leadership positions are reserved for church members. Members can also participate in church life by voting on deacon selections and other church decisions at business meetings. And because we want to make sure that the members of our church family are cared for, each new member is entrusted to a deacon, who regularly checks in and helps with needs that arise.
HOW DO YOU BECOME A MEMBER AT MVBC?
Membership at Mountain View is open to anyone who has been saved by Jesus Christ. If you'd like to become a member, you can make an appointment with one of our pastors. During that meeting, we'll ask you to share your testimony and your faith journey so far. We also ask prospective members to attend a membership seminar held quarterly Sunday at 9 a.m. You can become a member simply through that statement of faith, by having your membership transferred from another Baptist church or through baptism at Mountain View.
To learn more about membership, please feel free to contact one of our pastors. We can also connect you with the book "I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes a Difference" by Thom S. Rainer.