Scripture speaks a lot to believers being “members of one another.” There is a bond that all Christians have through Jesus Christ, but there is also something a bit unique about the way that believers interact with and relate to each other in the context of a church community. Each church does membership a little bit differently.

Here at PBC, we believe in a meaningful membership.  What does that mean?

Well, we believe it’s more than having your name on a list or having discounts on room reservations for personal events.  We believe that membership is family – we are all brothers and sisters of each other because of Christ.  Membership in a church is also a body – we all have been gifted uniquely to serve the Lord and one another in unique ways – some visible, some less visible.  Membership in the church is also a building – we are being built up together as a holy temple unto the Lord.  These metaphors carry with them the idea that as members of Poolesville Baptist Church, we are together in our spiritual growth and our care for one another.

What is the membership process?

We have a multi-step process.

1. Membership Class – Offered periodically throughout the year, this multi-session class covers the beliefs, leadership, practices, and history of PBC.  This is a helpful place to start.  Click here to register for a class or contact Pastor Joel for more information.
2. Membership Application – This is a helpful way for the Elders to learn a bit about you, your spiritual journey, and how God has worked in your life in the past.  Click here to see our members application online.
3. Conversation with a couple of the Elders – The next step is a brief conversation with 1-3 of our Elders.  This conversation is designed to help us understand how God has been working in your life and is a way for you to ask any questions that you might have of the elders.
4. Baptism (if needed) – We believe that baptism is an outward sign of our covenant and identification with Jesus Christ.  If you’ve “gone public” with your faith in baptism at a previous church, then you’re all set.  If yo’ve not yet “gone public,” then we’d walk you through what baptism is and means.  When you’re ready, we’ll arrange a time in the service (or in a special setting), to make your faith public.
5. Presentation and Affirmation with the Members – The next step is for the Elders to present you as a candidate for membership to the current members of PBC.  We typically meet quarterly.  By this time, you will have likely met many of the members and hopefully feel at home.  Being an elder-led, congregational church, this is an important step as we will all covenant together.
6. Covenant Ceremony – During one of the next Sunday worship services, all of the members, including you, will recite together an abbreviated version of the covenant in order to publicly affirm our membership together.

Whether this PBC feels like your church home yet or you’d just like to get information, we’d love to answer any questions you may have and would love to walk you through the process.  Please feel free to contact Pastor Joel if you have any questions.