“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
– Hebrews 10:23-25
Membership
Do you want to be encouraged, protected, and instructed in the Christian life?
Well, we have good news for you! God’s Word teaches us that the best context in which a Christian can grow in faith and godly maturity is through joining together in covenant membership with other believers in the local church.
We seek to carry out this God-given vision for the church through our five-step membership process.
1. Discovery Class*
All prospective members must attend our membership class, called Discovery Class. In this class, an elder will teach through our church’s Statement of Faith (what we believe), our Church Covenant (how we commit ourselves to one another), and what church membership and church life will look like at UBC.
You can sign up for the next Discovery Class HERE.
2. Member Profile
After completing the Discovery Class, prospective members can fill out a member profile and they will be assigned to an elder for a member interview.
You can fill out the Member Profile HERE.
3. Membership Interview
In a 45-minute meeting, the prospective member meets with an elder to provide basic information, share his or her testimony, and clearly articulate the Gospel. This meeting is typically a large encouragement to prospective members! It allows them to know their leaders and to be known by them. At the end, the prospective member will sign UBC’s Statement of Faith and Church Covenant.
4. Elder Recommendation
At a regularly scheduled elders meeting, the elder who conducted the interview will review the prospective member’s testimony with the other elders. Upon receiving their collective approval, the candidate’s application proceeds to the next step: congregational affirmation.
5. Congregational Affirmation
At the next congregational meeting, the congregation hears the elder recount parts of the candidate’s testimony. Then, they vote to receive them into membership—a commitment to care for them as they care for us in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you’d like to think more about why you should join a church, check out this article.
*Attending Discovery Class does not obligate you to move forward in the membership process.