Church Membership at FFBC

What is Membership & Why Does It Matter?

The concept of a follower of Jesus who is not actively committed to, and participating in, the life of a local community of believers in Christ—which the Bible calls a “church”—is entirely foreign to the New Testament. Rather, that believers are committed to one another in the context of the local church is assumed, expected, and commanded in the New Testament. This dynamic of commitment is what we call “church membership.”

At Firm Foundation, church membership is a formal covenant between the individual believer (you), the body, and the leadership of this local assembly. It is an formal, official affirmation that we are all accountable to each other and committed to each other:

  • Our leaders are committed to shepherding, serving, leading, and protecting you.
    (Jn. 21:15-17, Ac. 20:28, 1 Pet. 5:2)

  • You are committed to following, supporting, and submitting to our leaders.
    (1 Thess. 5:12, 1 Tim. 5.17-18, Heb. 13:17)

  • We are all committed to serving one another with our time, talents, and treasures.
    (1 Cor. 12:4-25, Eph. 4:11-16, 1 Cor. 16:1-2)

  • We are all committed to holding one another accountable to walk in obedience to the Lord Jesus.
    (Mt. 18:15-20, 1 Cor. 5)

Is Church Membership Biblical?

There are those who reject the idea of church membership as unbiblical. While we certainly grant that the term “church membership” does not appear in the Bible, the concept is no less present than the concept of the Trinity, another term which does not appear in the Bible. For instance, if Christians are not expected to belong to a local church, which leaders are they to obey and sumbit to (Heb. 13:17), and to which assembly of believers are they to commit (Heb. 10:25)? If a Christian is not expected to belong to a local church, church discipline (Matt. 18:15-20, 1 Cor. 5:1-12) is a pretense at best, and meaningless at worst.

Listen:  Is Church Membership Biblical?

These are only a few examples, but suffice it to say that church membership is simply the formal way in which we recognize the relationship of commitment between followers of Jesus in a local church that is incumbent upon believers according to the Bible.

In other words, if you have placed your faith in the Lord Jesus, it is God’s will for you that you be a member of a local church. What membership looks like may vary from congregation to congregation, but the obligation of membership is clearly the scriptural model.

“Church membership is the formal way in which we recognize the relationship of commitment between followers of Jesus in a local church that is incumbent upon believers according to the Bible.

How to Become a Member

Becoming a member at Firm Foundation Bible Church is an easy 4-step process:

Step 1:

Read our Bylaws and Doctrinal Statement.

Read our Bylaws and our full Doctrinal Statement entitled “What We Teach.”

Step 2:

Fill out the Membership Application.

Complete the Membership Application (along with the Ministry Interest form; attached) and return it to one of our elders.

Step 3:

Attend a Membership Class.

2-hour Membership Classes are held quarterly after the Sunday morning service, or as needed. Click the button to register for an upcoming class.

Step 4:

Interview with one of our elders.

You can interview with one of our elders right after the Membership Classes, or schedule an interview for a more convenient time by contacting our elders.

“We must re-grasp the idea of church membership as being the membership of the body of Christ and as the biggest honor which can come man’s way in this world.”
–Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Membership & Ministry FAQ’s

Frequently-asked questions about membership and ministry opportunities at Firm Foundation.

There are plenty of ways you can lend a casual helping hand if you’re not a member. Regular, official ministry opportunities, however, are reserved for members of FFBC. For a list of service opportunities that are available for members, fill out the Ministry Interests Form and return it to one of our elders.

Generally speaking, we don’t believe it’s always possible or even necessary for believers to know their spiritual gift. First, none of the passages that explicitly list spiritual gifts—Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, Ephesians 4:11, and 1 Peter 4:11—seem to be exhaustive; in each passage there is a broader point than the identification of each and every gift, and the mention of gifts is merely to serve that broader point. Second, and more importantly, the New Testament’s expectation and exhortation is that believers serve wherever there is a need and wherever they’re able, knowing that God is at work in and through them to build up his people (1 Cor. 12:11, Eph. 4:16). The important thing is that if you see a need and you’re able to meet it, do so.

Some have said that God redirects our natural talents and abilities after conversion, and this is certainly one of the ways our spiritual gifts may manifest themselves. In practical terms, we might put it like this: what are you good at and what do you enjoy doing? The answer to that may be an indication of what your spiritual gift is, though, at the very least, you should feel all the freedom in the world to look for opportunities to serve in those areas, and then serve with a clear conscience and a thankful heart to the glory of God.

Yes, serving on the worship team or in music ministry is exclusively for members of FFBC. For questions or details, contact Pastor Tony.

Children’s ministry is reserved exclusively for members of FFBC who have passed a background check and who have successfully completed children’s ministry training. For questions or details, contact Pastor Lloyd.

Those who have been members of FFBC for at least 18 months, and who meet the biblical qualifications outlined in 1 Timothy 3:8-13, may be selected as deacons or deaconesses. For details on the diaconate, see Article 6 of our Bylaws.

Yes. We are always praying and looking for those who are able to help build up God’s people through the public teaching of God’s Word. As our church continues to grow, we increasingly have needs for small group leaders, Bible study teachers, and especially children’s ministry servants.

To find out more about what we are looking for in those who teach publicly, read our article entitled “Who Should Teach?: Thoughts on Teaching and Leadership in the Church.”

For other details and questions about teaching at FFBC, contact Pastor Lloyd. To learn more about eldership at FFBC, click the next toggle.

Those who have been members of FFBC for at least 18 months, and who meet the biblical requirements outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, may be selected as elders. For details on eldership, see Article 5 of our Bylaws.

To begin the membership process, simply scroll up to How to Become a Member at Firm Foundation and start working on the four steps.

To schedule your interview with an elder, contact Pastor Lloyd.