We are honored and thankful that you are considering becoming a member of South Side Baptist Church. At SSBC, membership is more than a statement of where you worship. It is a commitment to our mission and ministries for the sole purpose of bringing Glory and Honor to God.
Our mission is the Great Commission given by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20). We strive to introduce all people to a real, personal relationship with Jesus Christ, to invite them into fellowship with other believers of Jesus Christ, and ultimately involve them in the work of Jesus Christ.
Our ministries are driven by the Great Commandment given by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 22:36-40). We want to cultivate a love for Christ as we live out our love for God and for one another.
We hope that this booklet will provide some helpful information as you seek God’s Will about joining South Side Baptist Church. We look forward to getting to know you better!
MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
Membership at South Side Baptist Church is a privilege and a responsibility. Active participation is encouraged as opposed to passively being placed on a church roll. Therefore, to give you the opportunity to get to know us and to give us the opportunity to get to know you, we welcome and encourage everyone to attend a Sunday school class, attend worship services, and be involved in our fellowships. If you have a desire to join our church, our Pastor and/or someone from our staff would love the opportunity to meet with you to discuss the matter in more detail.
The following is our membership process:
1. Regularly attend services of SSBC
Attending Sunday School classes and church services at SSBC is of the utmost importance in order to determine if God is leading you to join our church. Gathering with us on a regular basis gives God the opportunity to lead you through the preaching and teaching of His Word. In addition, as mentioned above, attending Sunday School and church services gives us the opportunity to get to know one another.
2. Complete our Church Membership Course
This series of lessons is intended to help you discover the Biblical truths about becoming a productive, growing, fulfilled servant of the Lord Jesus Christ as a member of South Side Baptist Church. You will discover God’s expectations of you as a member, as well as the church's responsibilities to its membership. These sessions will provide an opportunity to ask any questions you may have about SSBC.
Upon completion of all Church Membership Classes, those desiring to join SSBC are encouraged to submit a written testimony of salvation and sign that you affirm the Articles of Faith & Church Covenant.
3. Be approved by the members of SSBC
The authority to receive new members lies with the whole congregation of SSBC. Therefore, those who desire membership into this church must be approved by a vote of the members of SSBC. After sharing your salvation testimony with the church and affirming your willingness to strive to live in accordance with our church covenant, our Pastor will recommend that the church vote to receive you as a member. After that vote, you will be publicly and officially received and welcomed into membership by the current church members.
MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
1. Biblical Testimony of Salvation
Christ is the head of the Church. For this reason, it is imperative that only those who acknowledge Him as Savior are part of the membership. You will be asked to publicly affirm your testimony of salvation in Jesus Christ in order to become a member.
2. Scriptural Baptism (Believer's Baptism)
Scriptural baptism must meet the following conditions:
· Must be by immersion only - no sprinkling or pouring;
· Must be in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
· Must follow conversion - no infant baptism or baptism as part of salvation;
· Must have proper authority - under church authority, not individual authority;
· Must be from a church of like faith - no baptisms from other faiths will be accepted.
If your baptism does not meet these Biblical conditions, you will need to be baptized in order to become a member of South Side Baptist Church.
3. Approval by Current Membership
As stated above, the authority to receive new members lies with the whole church body, not the staff or leadership. Therefore, it is necessary for you to be presented to the current church members for approval based upon our Pastor’s recommendation. Upon approval by the church, you will be received into membership of SSBC.
MEMBERSHIP COVENANT
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior; and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do now, in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian Love; to strive for the advancement of this church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to give it a sacred pre-eminence over all institutions of human origin; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expense of the Church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements; and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale and use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage, and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Saviour.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation, and mindful of the rules of our Saviour, to secure it without delay.
We moreover engage that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other Church, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant, and the principles of God’s Word.
