Mission Statement:
Out of obedience to God's Great Commission, to produce disciple making churches that will lead our world to Christ.
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General Information
OF THE DISCIPLINE |
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700 MEMBERSHIP IN A LOCAL CHURCH Description and Purpose: The Primitive Methodist Church is a community of evangelical Christians, united for worshiping God, mutually building up the people of God, developing Christian character promoting vital Christianity in the earth and aiding in extending the kingdom of Christ throughout the world. Since Scripture teaches that the church is the body of Christ and we are placed into that body by conversion, a preprequisite for membership in the Primitive Methodist Church shall be confession of sin and repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Whenever this is fixed in the soul, it will be evident by its fruit in the life of the individual. Members of a local church covenant with one another to be the people of God, to be about the business of their Heavenly Father, and to support the local church with their regular attendance, prayers, and financial giving. The Primitive Methodist Church has 2 levels of membership: Adult and Junior. Adult members must be at least eighteen (18) years of age. Junior members are youth not younger than twelve (12) and not older than eighteen (18) years of age. Voice and vote at all congregational meetings shall be restricted to the approved active adult membership of the church, eighteen (18) years of age and over. Current active adult membership in a local Primitive Methodist Church shall be a prerequisite for election or appointment to any Conference office, board, or committee. 701 JOINING THE CHURCH The basic prerequisite for joining the church is found in the words of Jesus: "You must be born again." (John 3:7). Any and all persons wishing to become a member of the church shall make application on the form prescribed by the local church. All persons being received into membership shall give evidence of having been baptized. Those who have not been baptized shall be required to do so. Candidates shall complete the required membership study course. Membership instruction classes: The Pastor shall see that junior and/or adult membership classes be organized for all individuals wishing to join the church. He may appoint leaders to assist him in the instruction of these classes. These classes and leaders must be approved by the Quarterly Conference. The Membership Committee (see paragraph 601) shall review and approve (or disapprove) the application. Upon their approval, the candidate shall be received into membership in a public service of the church, covenanting to keep the duties of membership. Junior members, upon turning eighteen (18) years of age, may apply for adult membership by completing the required form. Upon approval by the Membership Committee they shall reaffirm their faith and renew their covenant with the church in a public service. Following that, they shall have all rights and privileges of an adult member. 702 TEST OF MEMBERSHIP The standard of active membership shall be regularly attending the services of the church, partaking of the Lord's Supper, and financially supporting the church and its various ministries, unless providentially prevented. 703 DUTIES OF MEMBERS Members of the Primitive Methodist Church are to live sincere, godly lives, attend the services on the Lord's Day and at mid-week, and promote family worship. They are called to support to the best of their ability, as God shall prosper them, all the ministries of the church. We see the practice of tithes and offerings as the Scriptural standard of obedience to this call. Members are to regularly participate in the observance of the Lord's Supper. They must observe the Scriptural injunction to do all the good they can by being merciful and kind, especially to those who are of the household of faith. It is their duty to visit the sick and minister to the needs of the poor as far as they are able. They are to pursue godliness and holy living. (Heb. 12:14; I Tim. 4:7-8; 6:11; II Tim. 2:22; I Pet. 1:15-16; II Pet. 1:5-9; 3:11; Eph. 4:17-5:21; Col. 3:1-4:6) Members are to follow Christ's example of loving the lost and sharing the gospel. (Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 19:10; John 13:15, 34-35; 14:12; 15:8; Matt. 9:36-38; 5:13-16; Luke 10:25-37; Rom. 13:8-10; I John 3:16-19) Because the body of the Christian is the temple of God's Holy Spirit, we strongly advocate total abstinence from the use of intoxicating beverages, tobacco, habit-forming drugs, and narcotics. Members are to meet the test of membership. (See 702 above). Members are amenable to the Quarterly Conference with regard to questions of moral conduct. (See chapter 9 for procedures.) 704 THE MEMBERSHIP ROLL Each local church shall maintain a current, approved membership list. This list shall show active adult members and junior members. Active members are those who meet the test of membership (see 702 above). The Membership Committee shall be responsible for maintaining this list throughout each year. No name shall be removed from the roll without Quarterly Conference approval. Members who have failed to meet the test of membership for a period of six months, unless away for military service, education, employment, or providentially prevented, should be approached by the Pastor and representatives from the Membership Committee by a personal visit and official letter. Such persons shall have six (6) months following this visit and letter to demonstrate their intention to meet the test of membership. If they do so, they shall remain active members. If they fail to do so, they may be removed from the active membership roll. Pastors may grant letters of transfer for members who want to transfer membership to another church. In the event the church does not have a Pastor, the Quarterly Conference may do so. No letters of transfer shall be granted by a Pastor leaving his church or by the Quarterly Conference in the period between the Congregational meeting for election of Pastor and the beginning of the pastoral year. Should a member join another church, whether Primitive Methodist or another denomination, the Quarterly Conference shall have authority to remove them directly from the membership roll. Junior members reaching the age of eighteen (18) and not wishing to become active members shall be removed from the rolls. The readmission of any person whose name has been removed from membership must be approved by the Quarterly Conference. |
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