On Membership

All people who confess faith on the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior and now seek to follow him as Lord are members of the universal church. Yet, we affirm that God wills the universal church to find expression in local churches. Such churches are marked by believers gathered together in covenant with God and one another and united by a personal and common confession of faith in Jesus Christ. Our method of walking out the priority of the local church is through formalized church membership.

Each member of Sojourners Church is privileged and expected to participate in and contribute to the ministry and life of the church, consistent with God’s leading and with the gifts, time, and material resources each has received from God. In doing so, each member enjoys the benefits of a spiritual family who will support, encourage, and hold them accountable in their walk with Christ. Each member also enjoys the spiritual care of Christ-centered elders devoted to praying for, protecting, teaching, and equipping them—for each member’s joy and progress in the faith and as elders who will give an account before God for each member’s soul.

Membership at Sojourners Church is most fully defined in our Constitution and Bylaws (adopted June 20, 2021).

Qualifications for Membership

To qualify for membership in this church, a person must:

  1. confess faith on the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior, be baptized in obedience to Christ, and give evidence of regeneration by living consistent with their profession and displaying a maturing, active, loving relationship with Jesus;

  2. wholeheartedly believe in the Christian faith as revealed in the Bible and summarized in the Doctrinal Essentials;

  3. agree to submit to the teaching of the elders consistent with the Doctrinal Distinctives and the Sojourners Elder Affirmation of Faith;

  4. agree to abide by the Sojourners Church Constitution & Bylaws, including the policies on church discipline and the Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality;

  5. and promise to keep the commitments expressed in the Membership Covenant.

Membership Covenant

Having, as we trust, been brought by divine grace to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to give up ourselves to him;

We do now, relying on his gracious aid, solemnly and joyfully commit ourselves to God and to one another to do the following:

We will protect the unity of our church (Romans 14:19; 2 Corinthians 12:20; Ephesians 4:3, 29; Hebrews 13:7; 1 Peter 1:22)

  1. By acting in love toward one another.

  2. By refusing to gossip.

  3. By following our leaders.

We will share the responsibility of our church (Luke 14:23; Romans 15:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:2)

  1. By praying for its growth.

  2. By inviting the unchurched to attend.

  3. By warmly welcoming those who visit.

We will serve the ministry of our church (Ephesians 4:11–12; Philippians 2:3–4, 7; 1 Peter 4:10)

  1. By being equipped to serve by our elders.

  2. By developing a servant’s heart.

  3. By serving through the gifts and talents given to us by God.

We will support the testimony of our church (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6–15; Philippians 1:27; Hebrews 10:24–25)

  1. By attending faithfully.

  2. By living a godly life.

  3. By giving regularly.