"They devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." - Acts 2:42

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Are you thinking about becoming a member of EPBC? This page will tell you about us as a church, what our wider links are and what we believe to be the most important privileges and responsibilities of Church Membership.

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Please take your time in prayerfully reading onwards. We want to help you find your place in the fellowship and service of Christ. If you want to talk through anything that you read on this page, please speak to one of our Deacons. You will need to ask them specifically to become a member and you will be given a form to fill out.

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Membership

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Being a Christian is not just a matter of finding personal salvation. It involves becoming part of a project through which God is working in the world. That project is the Christian Church and it occupies a central part in God’s purposes.

 

When we become Christians we enter into the Church’s life and become a part of it. We are like the parts of a body that are intimately connected to each other and are directed by the head, which is Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:12-21. None of us can say we have no need of it or of each other. By believing in Christ we have committed ourselves to belong to Christ’s people and this deserves the best that we can bring. Church membership is about committed belonging to the Church in general and to a local congregation in particular. 

 

 

Church Membership...

 

• Demonstrates that we have understood the importance of the church in the mission of God.

• Demonstrates the reality of our personal commitment as declared in baptism. It shows therefore, the sincerity of our commitment to Christ and to Christ’s people.

• Helps to build strong churches by making sure that each church is supported by a core of people who are prepared to commit time, energy, finance and their own Spiritual gifts and talents to the building up of the body of Christ.

• Ensures the support of other Christians in sustaining our discipleship and in enduring testing times of illness, bereavement and crisis when they come to us.

• Connects us to other church members in the local Christian community and more widely with other such communities.

• Enables us to challenge the modern tendency to see ourselves as consumers rather than as contributors.

 

Taken from BUGB Baptist Basics, Church Membership document.

 

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We hope that you would prayerfully consider baptism, if you have not already been baptised as a believer.

 

If you wish to become a member of EPBC, we will ask you to complete a short application form and will then arrange a deacon and another church member to meet with you. This will give us a chance to get to know you better and allow you the opportunity to ask us questions. We will ask about how you became a Christian and check if you agree to our church beliefs. Those visiting you will then take a recommendation to the next Church Member’s Meeting and the church will vote. We will then formally welcome you into church membership during a Sunday service.