Church Membership Information

If you are a believer and a resident of this area, and do not have a church home, we invite you to prayerfully consider becoming a member of First Presbyterian Church. You may join as a full communicant member with all the privileges and responsibilities of communicant membership (including voting at congregational meetings), or if you are only temporarily residing in the area you may become an associate member of First Presbyterian without ceasing to be a member of your home church. An associate member has all the rights and privileges of a full communicant member with the exception of voting in congregational meetings and becoming a church officer.

In most cases a Christian who is interested in joining the church will attend our services and meetings regularly for a period of time. Then you should make known to the pastor, assistant pastor, or one of the elders that you would like to discuss church membership. You will then be given the opportunity to learn more about the beliefs and ministries of FPCB, and the procedure and requirements for becoming a member of the church. This information may be communicated on an individual, family, or class basis.

Next there will be an interview with our elders. You will be asked to give a short verbal testimony of your faith. They will want to be assured, as far as possible, that you have a credible profession of Christian faith. They will seek to be assured that you are trusting in Christ alone for salvation and have a life that indicates that you are trying to follow Christ. Then they will ask you to express agreement to the following five questions:

1. concerns your conviction of sin: Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving his displeasure, and without hope save in his sovereign mercy?
2. concerns your faith in Christ as Savior: Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon him alone for your salvation as he is offered in the gospel?
3. concerns your commitment to live for Christ: Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes a follower of Christ?
4. concerns your pledge to support the church: Do you promise to support the church its worship and work to the best of your ability?
5. concerns your regard for our church's government and order: Do you submit yourself to the government and discipline of the church and promise to study its purity and peace?

When you have agreed to these questions you will be received into membership by vote of the elders and enter into the covenant of membership with God and the church. Following your reception you will be asked to make a public profession of your faith by answering these five questions again in the presence of the congregation. If you have not previously been baptized you will be given the sacrament of baptism when you appear before the congregation. If there are minor children in your household who have not received baptism, they may if you desire be baptized at that time.