Membership at Village

When Jesus sent His followers out into the world, he didn’t tell them to seek to private spiritual lives. They were to create communities where people shared a common way of life, appointed leaders, worshiped together, and bore one another’s burdens. As followers of Christ, we are called to actively seek out opportunities to mentor, guide, and connect with those around us.

The Bible doesn’t mandate any specific process for formalizing someone’s belonging to a church or a denomination. But it is beneficial to leaders and congregants to turn the belonging that people seek in a church family into a more lasting commitment to one another.

Membership validates this new relationship, clarifies expectations, and encourages participation. It is also a way of making visible what is often unseen in our individualistic culture—following Jesus means committing to God’s people. Making statements in front of Session may seem formal, but words matter. Committing oneself to a real and imperfect community is taking Jesus’ command to “love one another” seriously.

Membership at a gym or big-box store gets you privileges; you pay dues, you get perks. But church membership is different. There are no monthly fees or dues. There is no “platinum level” membership. There are unwritten responsibilities. But those responsibilities—such as welcoming others, worshiping wholeheartedly, serving our neighbors—go hand-in-hand with joy, growth, and lifelong faith formation.

Because we belong to God, we belong to God’s church. We also belong to real communities with real needs, brokenness, and joy. Membership here is an official way of saying to your fellow church family, “I will follow Jesus with you. I claim this community as my own, with all its faults and gifts.” And it is Village Church’s way of saying, “We see you. We affirm your faith journey and will help you follow Jesus. We claim you as a beloved child of God with all your strengths and weaknesses.” We want to do life together as your chosen family.

A person who has received the Sacrament of Baptism, in this congregation or elsewhere, and who has enrolled as a baptized member by the Session—but has not made a profession of faith.

A person who has made a profession of faith in Christ, has been baptized, has been receieved into membership of the church, has voluntarily submitted to the church’s government, and participates in the church’s work and worship.  

A member of another Presbyterian congregation or Christian body/denomination who has temporarily moved from that community, has presented a certificate of good standing from that congregation, and has been received by the Session as an affiliate member. Affiliate members may participate in the life of the church but may not vote in congregational meetings or be elected to ministry or other offices in the congregation.