Membership

• General
  • This is a sovereign and democratic Southern Baptist Church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  The membership retains unto itself the right of exclusive self-government in all phases of the spiritual and temporal life of this church.  The membership reserves the exclusive right to determine who shall be members of this church and the conditions of such membership.

• How to become a member of Central Baptist Church
  • If you believe God is leading you to unite with our church, we urge you to present yourself before the congregation as a candidate for membership.  This may be done during any worship service as the invitation is being offered.  If a clear testimony of God’s saving grace has been affirmed via conversation with the pastor or a church member, a vote shall be taken to receive you into the membership in the service you come forward.  If a clear testimony is not yet known, you shall be received as a candidate for membership, and after affirming a clear testimony with the pastor or church member you shall be voted on at the next possible service.

• By profession of faith
  • If you have received Christ into your life and have not yet been baptized by immersion, you will be received into the membership by your profession of faith and subsequent baptism by immersion.

• By statement from another denomination
  • If you are a Christian and a member of another denomination, you may present yourself on a statement of faith.  If you have already been baptized by immersion, you will be received into the fellowship by vote.  If you have not yet been baptized by immersion, you will be received as a member after your baptism.

• By letter
  • If you are a member of another Southern Baptist church of like faith and order, present yourself before the congregation and request that our church request your letter of membership from your present church.

• By statement from another Southern Baptist church
  • If you are a member of another Southern Baptist church of like faith and order and for some reason your name is not now on the membership roll of that church, you may come making a statement to that effect.  If a clear testimony of God’s saving grace has been affirmed via conversation with the pastor or a church member, a vote shall be taken to receive you into the membership.

• Qualifications
  • The membership of this church shall consist of those who (1) confess Jesus Christ to be their Savior and Lord.  (2) Give clear testimony of their salvation.  (3) Have been accepted by vote of the church.  (4) Have been baptized by immersion and, (5) Agree to enter into its covenant.  Should there be any dissent as to a candidate, such dissent shall be referred to the pastor and the deacons for investigation and the making of a recommendation to the church within thirty (30) days.  A three-fourths (75 percent) vote of those members that vote shall be required to elect such candidates to membership.

• Marriage and Family 
  • We believe that marriage was ordained by God at creation as the sacred union of one man and one woman.  All sexual relations must therefore be reserved for that union.  Christian marriage is a representation of Christ’s relationship to His church.  We also believe that children are a blessing from the Lord.  Thus, all human life is sacred and worthy of protection from the moment of conception. Genesis 1:26-28; 2:24; Psalm 127 & 128; 139:13-16; Matthew 19:1-10; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 5:22-23; Hebrew 13:4. 
  • “We believe that the term ‘marriage’ has only one meaning and that is marriage sanctioned by God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. 
  • “We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to only occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other.  We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
  • “We believe that any form of sexual immorality, such as adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, pornography or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, is sinful and offensive to God. 
  • “We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of the church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the church members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by the church in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, will abide by and agree to this Statement on Marriage and Sexuality and conduct themselves accordingly. 
  • “We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. 
  • “We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity.  Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are neither in accord with scripture nor the doctrines of the church.”

• Duties
  • Members are expected to do the following:  First of all, to be faithful in all the duties essential to the Christian life; Secondly, to attend regularly the services of this church; thirdly, to give regularly for its support and its causes, and to share in its organized work.

• Rights 
  • Members who are in good, full, and regular standing and do not hold letters of dismissal, may act and vote in the transactions of the church.

• Termination
  • Membership may be terminated only in the following ways:
    • By death.
    • By dismissal to another Baptist Church of like faith and order.  Letter of dismissal to members in good and regular standing may be granted but shall be addressed and mailed to the churches with which members desire to unite.
    • Exclusion by and from this church (See Article VI).
    • By affiliation with a church of another faith or denomination to which no letter can be granted.

• Restoration
  • Any person whose membership has been terminated for any offense may be restored by vote of the church, upon evidence of his repentance and reformation.