Membership is at the heart of being connected at Cornerstone. While many churches may be downgrading their definition of membership (or doing away with it altogether), at Cornerstone we have sought to learn from our Baptist forefathers on the importance and value of church membership. They clearly saw the Biblical mandate for membership and the great protection, clarity, and help it offers to members, leaders, and even non-members.
- Membership Class
- Membership Interview
- Pastoral Recommendation
- Congregational Affirmation
It begins with a Membership Class. We typically do this during our Christian Growth Group hour and it takes about four to six weeks to complete.
In this class we walk through our Core Values, Statement of Faith, Church Covenant, structure of our church, ways to be connected, and other information we think those considering membership may find helpful.
After the Membership Class, those interested in joining the church will setup a time to meet with a pastor for a Membership Interview to help our pastors understand their background and their understanding of the faith.
The next step in the process is for the entire Pastoral Team to hear the prospective member’s testimony and background and to offer a Pastoral Recommendation.
Finally, at a church conference, the Pastoral Team brings prospective members before the church explaining each person’s testimony and seeks Congregational Affirmation.
It is at this point that a person comes under the official watch care of the Pastoral Team and the rest of the congregation.
By joining, a member makes commitments of faithfulness to the congregation and the rest of the congregation makes commitments of protection, accountability, and care for that member.