Becoming a member of a local church means that you enter into a covenantal relationship with that body of believers. In the Bible, a covenant is a formal agreement in which each party takes on specific responsibilities to the other:
According to the Bible, only baptized believers in Jesus Christ who have turned away (repented) from their former way of life, and believed in Him as Savior and Lord of their lives, are eligible to become members of a local church.
Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
If you are a believer but have never been baptized in water based on your own confession of faith in Christ, being baptized here at Harvest will be an important step both in your spiritual life and in becoming a member of the church.
A church’s statement of faith is a declaration of what it believes and teaches about the fundamental truths of the Christian faith. For the church to be a truly united family, its members must be in agreement about these principles. The Bible puts it this way:
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
The elders of a local church are required to take spiritual care of the members of that church, helping and guiding them in their development as mature disciples of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 5:1-3 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
For the elders and leaders of the church to carry out their God-given responsibilities toward each member, all members must willingly and appropriately submit (as specified in Scripture) to the spiritual authority of those leaders.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
This form records some basic information about you, including contact information and your spiritual/church background.
This is a three-session class, meeting Sunday mornings 11:30 - 12:30, that provides basic information about what it means to be a mature Christian and a member of Harvest Church.
This is a brief meeting with one of the leaders in our church to help us get to know you, and to allow you to ask any questions you may have about the church.
You’ll have the opportunity to review and indicate your agreement with the church statement of faith and covenant.
If you need to be baptized, we’ll schedule you to be included in an upcoming baptismal service.