Discovering Church Membership

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Discovering Church Membership

• Session Four
• THE NEW LIFE
• CHURCH STRUCTURE

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• For God is not a God of disorder
• but of peace.
• As in all congregations of the saints
• But everything should be done in a
• fitting and orderly way.
• 1 Corinthians 1433, 40

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HOW OUR CHURCH IS STRUCTURED

• The nature
• OF THE CHURCH DETERMINES ITS
• Structure.
• The church is a fellowship. Acts 242
• A top priority in a fellowship is unity and love.

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ANY attitude that causes disunityis sin.

• A good structure promotes unity and downplays
  division. I Corinthians 1117-18
• At New Life we have a concept of elder
  leadership.

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• The church is a family.
• I Peter 38
• I Timothy 51-2
• I Timothy 34-5

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• The church is a body. Romans 124-6
• We are a body
• not a business!
• We are an organism
• not an organization!
• Therefore, at New Life we seek to maximize
  ministry and minimize maintenance. Ephesians
  411-12

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• The church is a flock.
• Therefore, the church is cared for and led by
  Jesus Christ.
• John 2116-17

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OUR AFFILIATIONS

• The Baptist Convention Of NC
• The Southern Baptist Convention

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WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MEMBER

• The difference between attendees and members can
  be summed up in one word commitment.

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We ask you to commit to membership for four
reasons

• A Biblical reason
• Christ is committed to the church.
• A cultural reason
• (It is an antidote to our society.)
• A practical reason
• (It defines whom we can count on.)
• A personal reason
• (It produces spiritual growth.)

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WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME AS A MEMBER?

• At New Life Church we never ask our members to do
  more than the Bible clearly teaches. We only
  expect our members to do what the Bible expects
  every Christian to do. These responsibilities are
  spelled out in the Membership Commitment.

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MEMBERSHIP COMMITMENT

• Having received Christ as my Lord and Savior and
  having been baptized, and being in agreement with
  New Lifes statement, strategy, and structure,
• I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with
  the New Life Church family.
• In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the
  other members to do the following

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• I will protect the unity of my church
• Romans 1419
• Romans 155
• I Peter 122
• Ephesians 429

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• I will share the responsibility of my church
• By praying for its growth
• By inviting the unchurched to attend
• By warmly welcoming those who visit
• I Thessalonians 11-2
• Luke 1423
• Romans 157

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• I will serve the ministry of my church
• By discovering my gifts and talents
• By being equipped to serve
• By developing a servants heart
• I Peter 410
• Ephesians 411-12
• Philippians 23-5, 7

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• I will support the testimony of my church
• By attending faithfully
• By living a godly life
• By giving regularly
• By adhering to New Lifes Church Covenant
• Hebrews 1025
• Philippians 127
• I Corinthians 162
• Leviticus 2730

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