WAYS TO BECOME A MEMBER

1. Baptism – The believer who has confessed Christ as Lord and Savior presents him/herself to the pastor as a candidate for baptism. Upon admission into the church, normally during a worship service at the meeting place of the particular congregation, the person is accepted, and subsequently is baptized in water by immersion by the pastor or his appointed minister. Upon presenting him/herself as a candidate for baptism, the person agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of the church, which are generally taken to be the teachings and tenets of the Bible. Also, the candidates agree to submit to training necessary for new members.

2. Letter – This means of entrance into the Baptist church is dependent upon prior membership in a Baptist church. Under normal conditions, the prospective member is granted a letter from his/her membership church due to relocation from one city to another. Conditions may present themselves when the prospective member relocates from one section of a city or county to another, thus making it necessary to place his/her membership elsewhere. Such conditions would require a letter from the pastor and/or church from which the person is leaving so he/she can be free to associate with another congregation. The letter from the previous congregation assures the new pastor and congregation that the individual was in good and regular standing when released from his/her membership there.

3. Christian Experience – This manner of entry into the Baptist church presupposes conversion on the part of the person applying for membership. In all likelihood, this person is one who has strayed from the church or for whatever reason is one who has been inactive as a member. The applicant requesting membership on this basis does not require re-baptism or a letter from his/her previous church connection.