Grace Baptist Church: Membership Request

Grace Baptist Church
Membership Request
Instructions: Please fill out this information sheet as completely as possible. It will help enable us to minister to you. If you need additional space, please write on the back of these pages and reference the appropriate section and line. Once the form is submitted, Krisa Sands from our church office will work with you on setting up a time to meet with a deacon.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Please select one option.
Salvation:
 
 
 
 
 
Baptism:
 
 
Previous Church and Ministry Involvement:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gifts & Training:
 
 
 
 

Disclosure:


Acknowledging that we all have things in our past for which we have been forgiven and that will not be held against us any longer, full disclosure of past crimes or personal issues helps us as a church to protect your reputation, the church’s reputation and other members.


Please list (in confidence) anything that the church should know about you so we can best serve and protect you and the church (specifically, criminal behavior such as stealing / burglary, sex crimes of any sort, drug/alcohol abuse, battery, etc.)

 
 
 
 
Please select one option.
Your request is very important to us and will receive prompt and thorough attention. You will be provided information about our church - including our doctrine, statement of faith, membership class, and a copy of our constitution. You will also be assigned a deacon to work with you and the pastoral staff in reviewing and finalizing this request as soon as possible.
Affirmation of Articles of Faith
Instructions: Please read the articles of faith from the Grace Baptist Church Constitution completely. If you have any questions, be sure to clarify those with Pastor Stevens before or during the membership interview. When you are finished, select the response that indicates your affirmation the articles of faith.

ARTICLE IV: CONFESSION OF FAITH


Section I: Of the Scriptures


We believe that the Holy Bible as originally written was verbally inspired and is the product of Spirit-controlled men; the Holy Bible therefore, has truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the true center of Christian union and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions shall be tried. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21)


Section II: Of the True God


We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence and love; that in the unity of the God-head there are three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Exodus 21:2-3; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; I John 5:7)


Section III: Of the Holy Spirit


We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; that with God the Father and God the Son, and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the Evil One until judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, and helps the believer. (John 14:16-17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26)


Section IV: Of the Devil or Satan


We believe in the personality of Satan, that he is the unholy god of this age, and the author of all the powers of darkness, and is destined to the judgment of an eternal justice in the Lake of Fire. (Matthew 4:1-3; II Corinthians 4:4)


Section V: Of the Creation


We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by direct creation of God and not by evolution. (Genesis 1 & 2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3)


Section VI: Of the Fall of Man


We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker but by voluntary transgression, fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not only by constraint, but of choice, and are therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 5:19; Romans 5:12; Romans 5:10-19; Romans 1:18; Romans 1:32)


Section VII: Of the Virgin Birth


We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin; as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman; and that He is the only begotten Son of God. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:4; John 3:16)


Section VIII: Of the Atonement for Sin


We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; that through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God who, by appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law of His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the Just


dying for the unjust; that Christ the Lord bore our sin in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and is uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate and an all-sufficient Savior. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11)


Section IX: Of Grace in the New Creation


We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth, the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made a partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 5:1; John 3:6-7)


Section X: Of Justification


We believe that the great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification. Justification includes the pardon of sin and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness. It is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood; His righteousness is imputed to us. (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 51:11; Zechariah 13:1)


Section XI: Of Faith and Salvation


We believe that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only condition of salvation. (Acts 16:31)


Section XII: Of the Local Church


We believe that the local church is a congregation of immersed believers associated by covenant of faith and fellowship in the Gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ; governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are Pastors and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties, are clearly defined in the Scriptures. We believe that the true mission of the church is the faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of self-government, free from the interference of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; that the one and only superintendent is Christ through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the Gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; that on all matters of membership, of polity, of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 2:41-42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11)


Section XIII: Of Baptism and the Lord's Supper


We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a church creation. We believe that the Lord's Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Acts 8:26-39; John 3:23)


Section XIV: Of the Security of the Saints


We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:35-39; John 10:28-29)


Section XV: Of the Righteous and the Wicked


We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of our God and are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked and under the curse; that this distinction holds among men both in after death in the everlasting felicity of the saved and the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. (Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23, Romans 6:17-18)


Section XVI: Of the Civil Government


We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed, except in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ--who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth. (Romans 13:1-7; II Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21-22; Acts 23:5)


Section XVII: Of the Resurrection and Return of Christ and Related Events


We believe in and accept the sacred Scriptures upon these subjects at their face and full value. We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ rose bodily from the tomb on the third day; that He ascended into Heaven; that He is now at the right hand of God the Father as our only sufficient mediator and advocate; in the personal, imminent, premillennial coming of Christ for the Church; the resurrection and physical glorification of the saints; the great tribulation; after which He will return with His saints to this earth where He will sit on the Throne of David and shall subdue all enemies and reign in righteousness for a thousand years; after this shall be the judgment of the Great White Throne when the unsaved dead shall be raised and judged, that this will result for them in eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire which is the second death; that the saved shall then enjoy eternal glory with God.


Places in the Bible these truths are taught:


(Matthew 28:6-7; Luke 24:30; John 20:27; I Corinthians 15:4; Mark 16:6; Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9-11; Hebrews 12:2; 8:1; Hebrews 7:25; I Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:3; I John 2:1; Hebrews 8:6; 2:17; 5:9-10; Romans 8:34; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:51-53; Philippians 3:20-21; II Corinthians 5:10; I Corinthians 15:20-58; Matthew 24:21-22; Revelation 7:14; Luke 1:32: Isaiah 9:6-7; Acts 2:29-30; I Corinthians 15:25; Revelation 20:1-4,6; Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19:11-16; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21 & 22; Romans 6:23; John 5:28-29; II Corinthians 4:17; Hebrews 4:9; I Corinthians 13:8-10; Revelation 21:27; 22:3; 19:1; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 21:3; 22:14; John 14:1-3; Revelation 21 & 22


Section XVIII: Of Marriage and Sexual Purity


We believe that God has designed the marriage relationship to portray the profound mystery of Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:31-32), to produce godly offspring (Genesis 1:28), to provide helpful companionship (Genesis 2:18), and to promote sexual purity and fulfillment (1Corinthians 7:2-5). We believe that marriage is designed by God to join one man and one woman in a lifetime covenant of love (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:3-9; 1 Corinthians 7:10-11).


We believe that God forbids intimate sexual activity outside of marriage. We believe any form of adultery, fornication, incest, polygamy, homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, pedophilia, abortion and pornography are sinful perversions of God's gift of sex (Genesis 2:24; Genesis 19:5,13; Genesis 26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Psalm 139:13-16; Romans 1:26-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4). We believe that attempts to alter one's gender by surgery or appearance reflect a heart that does not submit to God's good and sovereign right to determine our gender and thus are disapproved of and forbidden by God (Genesis 1:27; Jeremiah 1:5; 1 Corinthians 6:9).


Please select one option.
Ministry Opportunities
Please put a check next to the ministry areas that you would be interested in serving (or continuing to serve).
Please select all that apply.
 
 
 
 

Description

Grace Baptist Church
Membership Request