Christ Reformed Fellowship

Membership

The New Testament presupposes church membership. The shepherd must know his flock; the flock knows their shepherd. Membership is the formal identification of a Christian to a specific church body.

The New Testament assumes you belong to A church.

Every command to submit to elders assumes specific elders to which you are submitting. Commands to care for the saints assume specific saints for which you are caring. Every warning about church discipline assumes a specific body to which you are accountable.

Formal church membership is not a tradition invented by institutions; but the only coherent way to obey what Scripture commands about the local church. The New Testament does not envision a Christian who floats between congregations with no accountability or commitment to anyone

At CRF, membership is the formal expression of that covenant commitment — the moment a believer publicly places themselves under the care of these elders and within the accountability of this congregation.

Hebrews 13:17

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account."

1 Peter 5:2–3

"Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight... not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock."

Acts 2:41–42

"Those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship..."

1 Thessalonians 5:12–13

"We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work."

What membership gives you

Membership is not a burden. It is a gift.

When you become a member of CRF, you receive pastoral care with accountability, boundaries, and intentionality that cannot exist outside of a defined relationship. Membership includes covenantal commitments to you by the Elders.

Pastoral Oversight

The elders of CRF are responsible to keep watch over your soul (Hebrews 13:17). Membership formalizes this relationship. You know your shepherds, they know their flock; you know your responsibilities, they know your comittment.

Congregational Accountability

Membership means obligates your brothers and sisters in Christ to care for you, warn you, encourage you, strengthen you, and walk alongside you. The Membership Covenant binds the whole body to mutual watchfulness.

Member Care Priority

Members receive priority in pastoral care, biblical counseling, and elder attention. "Let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." (Galatians 6:10)

Voice in Church Life

Members participate in congregational affirmations, viz. the appointment of elders and major financial decisions. The wisdom of the membership is a gift the elders desire.

Confessional Clarity

You know what this church believes and what it will teach. The 1689 Confession is our secondary standard. Membership means you understand our doctrine and have disclosed any disagreements to the elders.

Covenant Community

Membership is the formal entry into a covenant household. Our congregation is a family with shared obligations, joys, labor, trials, and victories. We advance Christ's kingdom as one. Membership is participation in this.

What you commit to

Membership is a covenant with mutual obligations.

When you sign the CRF Membership Covenant, you are making specific, binding commitments before God and this congregation. These are nothing more than what any faithful, growing Christian should want for themselves; they are the basics of growth in Christ. Expect that we will expect these standards of you.

Read each one carefully before you pursue membership. The elders will discuss them with you as well.

Submit to church leadershipObey and honor those who labor in the Word and have charge in the Lord, esteeming them highly in love because of their work. This submission is limited and defined in the membership covenant. We do not care what toothpaste you use, but we do care whether you cheat on your academics, taxes, or wife.Hebrews 13:7,17 · 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13

Watch over one anotherExercise Christian care over fellow members: faithfully warning, exhorting, and admonishing one another as occasion requires.Colossians 1:28 · Hebrews 3:13

Not forsake the assemblyUphold the public worship of God by participating in weekly services, communion, and the corporate life of the church. We expect members to come to church most weeks.Hebrews 10:23–25 · Acts 2:42–47

Family devotion and covenant parentingNot omit personal and family devotions at home, nor neglect the biblical training of children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.Ephesians 6:4 · Deuteronomy 6:6–9

Proclaim the GospelWalk in obedience to the Great Commission, making the most of every opportunity to proclaim Christ. We all have a role to play in this great task, either directly or indirectly.Matthew 28:16–20 · Ephesians 5:16

Confess sin and pursue holinessConfess sins to brothers and sisters at CRF, seek help in putting sin to death, and walk in holiness before God, as is defined by the Scriptures.James 5:16 · Romans 8:13 · 1 John 1:6–10

Give cheerfully and sacrificiallyContribute regularly to the support of the ministry, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel: as God has prospered.1 Corinthians 16:2 · 2 Corinthians 9:6–7

Who may become a member

The qualifications for membership at CRF

Membership at CRF is open to any believer who meets the following qualifications. The Council of Elders is responsible for evaluating each candidate according to these standards.

A credible profession of faith

You must be a disciple of Jesus Christ who gives biblical evidence of regeneration. The elders will evaluate your profession through a written or recorded testimony, your character of life, and such other evidence as they deem appropriate.

Believer's Baptism

Membership at CRF requires believer's baptism: normatively by full immersion, in obedience to Christ's command. If you have not been baptized as a professing believer, this will need to be addressed before membership.

Knowledge of our confession

You must understand the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith and the CRF Constitution and Bylaws. You do not need to agree with every point, but you must understand what we teach and disclose any disagreements to the elders before membership.

Commitment not to be divisive

Where you disagree with our Level Two distinctives, you may still be welcomed as a member, but you covenant not to sow disunity or undermine the elders' teaching on those matters. Iron sharpens iron; division destroys the body.

How it works

The path to membership at CRF

The membership process is a series of steps designed to ensure that both you and the elders have confidence that this is the right covenant home for you.

Express interest

Inform an elder or deacon that you wish to pursue membership. This begins the process.

Submit your testimony

Prepare a written or recorded testimony answering two questions: What is the Gospel? What has been your experience with the Gospel?

Meet with the elders

The Council of Elders will meet with you to hear your testimony, discuss the confession, and evaluate your readiness for membership.

Presented to the congregation

If approved, your name and testimony are presented to the current membership for a minimum two-week period. Members may raise any concerns in writing.

Public covenant signing

If no valid concerns are raised, you publicly sign the CRF Membership Covenant as part of a corporate observance of the Lord's Table.

Preparing your testimony

What we ask you to write

Before meeting with the elders, you will prepare a written or recorded testimony. This is not a theological exam or a PHD thesis, but an honest account of your encounter with the Gospel and the grace of God in your life.

The elders are looking for evidence of regeneration; not eloquence, nor theological precision, nor a dramatic conversion story. They want to hear that you know what the Gospel is and that you have personally received it.

There is no set length requirement. Give a sufficient and thorough answer to the best of your ability. The elders look forward to hearing how Christ has saved you.

Question 1

What is the Gospel?

Describe what you understand the Gospel to be: what you actually believe about who Christ is, what He has done, and how a sinner is saved.

Question 2

What has been your experience with the Gospel?

Describe your own encounter with the Gospel: your awareness of sin, your coming to faith in Christ, the ways in which God has been at work in your life since. Faithfulness and growth over time is more evidence of grace than a dramatic conversion.

Once you have prepared your testimony, contact an elder to schedule your meeting. We look forward to sitting down with you and hearing of your desire to become a member and how Christ has saved you.

What we require and what we permit

Three levels of doctrinal importance

CRF distinguishes between doctrines essential to Christianity, doctrines that define us as a congregation, and doctrines on which members may charitably disagree.

Level One

Essential to orthodoxy

These define Christianity. Agreement is required for membership. There is no charitable disagreement here; these are the fundamentals of the faith once delivered to the saints.

Scripture alone as supreme, sole, infallible rule and authority for faith and practice in the church today

Salvation by God's grace alone, received through the means of faith alone, accomplished by the work of Christ alone

The Trinity — one God in three Persons

The Virgin birth, perfect life, bodily resurrection of Christ

Penal substitutionary atonement

Six-day recent creation

The future bodily return of Christ and final judgment of all

The eternality of heaven and hell

Level Two

Defining distinctives of CRF

These distinguish CRF from other orthodox churches. We hold them with conviction and they will be taught here. Members who disagree must disclose this and covenant not to sow disunity.

Believer's baptism

Elder-rule church polity

Biblical patriarchy in the city, church and home

Cessationism of sign gifts

Family-integrated corporate worship

The First day of the week as the Lord's day Sabbath

Postmillennialism and theonomy

Level Three

Charitable member variety

These are matters of ongoing discussion among faithful believers. CRF permits a range of views, though the elders hold their own positions and will teach them from the text.

Differing views of eschatology (elders are committed postmillennialists)

Views on the ecnomies of the covenants

Head coverings

Celebrating Christian holidays

K–12 education approaches

Vaccines

Raw Milk

Nephilim

The Membership Covenant

What you will publicly commit to

"Having been brought by divine grace to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ, and to give myself wholly to Him, I do now solemnly and joyfully covenant with CRF, to walk together in Christ Jesus, with brotherly love, to His glory, as our common Lord."

I willSupport the Constitution, Bylaws, and Confession of Faith of CRF.

I willSubmit to church leadership and be diligent to preserve unity and peace, esteeming the elders highly in love because of their work. (Hebrews 13:7,17)

I willExercise Christian care and watchfulness over other church members, faithfully warning, exhorting, and admonishing one another. (Colossians 1:28)

I will notForsake the assembling together, but uphold public worship, the ordinances, and a joyful life that glorifies the Lord Jesus. (Hebrews 10:23–25)

I will notOmit personal and family devotions at home, nor neglect the biblical training of my children for the service of Christ. (Ephesians 6:4)

I willWalk in obedience to the Great Commission, making the most of every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel. (Matthew 28:16–20)

I willConfess my sins to brothers and sisters at CRF and seek help to put sin to death. (Romans 8:13 · 1 John 1:6–10)

I willContribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel. (1 Corinthians 16:2)

I willIn all conditions, even till death, strive to live to the glory of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

Ready to begin? Reach out to an elder or deacon and let us know you would like to pursue membership at Christ Reformed Fellowship.

Get in Touch