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Is membership biblical? Why should I join? What are the five purposes? Do I have to become a member? What if I disagree with something? What do you believe about women in leadership? What’s in it for me? What’s in it for the church?
The questions might seem endless concerning this concept of membership at The Father's House, here are a few that have been asked:
1. What is expected of members?
2. When should I become a Covenant Member?
3. I was baptized as an infant. Why do I have to be baptized again?
4. I’m still growing… am I ready to be a member?
5. Why would I give 10% of my income to the church?
6. What’s in it for me?
7. Where does the Bible speak of being a member in a local church?
8. What if I disagree with The Father’s House view of women in leadership?
9. What is your statement of faith? What if I disagree?
10. What if I disagree with a leadership decision in the church?
1. What is expected of members?
Our members make explicit their commitment to Jesus Christ and to this local church. We evaluate this through the Five Purposes which are the essential “marks” of someone who is committed to following Jesus Christ. It is the commitment to this lifelong process that is solidified in membership, not a standard of perfection. To our members, the expression of these purposes has become their way of life… in keeping with the teaching of the scriptures.
The 5 purposes of the church:
CONNECT
The Membership Covenant is a commitment to Christ and the Father’s House family (our church).
“You are members of God’s very own family...and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.” Eph. 2:19 (LB)
“We are all parts of Christ’s Body, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other and need all the others.” Rom. 12:4-5 (LB)
GROW
The Maturity Covenant, explained in Class 201, is a commitment to the habits necessary for spiritual growth.
“Continue to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18
SERVE
“Take the time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.” 1 Tim. 4:7 (Ph)
The Ministry Covenant, explained in class 301, is a commitment to discovering and using my God-given gifts and abilities in serving God and others.
God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other...” 1 Pet. 4:10 (LB)
“There are different kinds of service to God...together you form the Body of Christ and each one of you is a necessary part of it.” 1 Cor. 12:5,27 (LB)
SHARE
The Missions Covenant, covered in class 401, is the commitment to share the Good News with others.
“...you will be my witnesses for me...to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (GN)
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do it with gentleness and respect...” 1 Peter 3:15
WORSHIP
Worship is expressing your love to God.
"Worship the Lord, your God, and serve Him only." Matthew 4:10
"The Father seeks worshipers and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
So, loving God with all your heart demonstrates your worship.
2. When should I become Covenant Member?
There is no standard answer for this question. It’s up to your personal development. When you have built a relationship with Jesus Christ and are expressing your commitment to Him and to this local body, then you may be ready to be recognized as a covenant member here. You would want to be involved in the church either through a small group or a serving team… Class 101 gives prospective members additional vision on the value of membership
3. I was baptized as an infant. Why do I have to be baptized again?
While recognizing the right for other churches to practice infant baptism, if it conforms to their theologies, the family at The Father’s House understands the Scripture to teach only professing believers qualify for baptism.
In passages such as Acts 2:41, 8:12 and 10:47-48, it is evident that baptism follows an individual’s decision to trust Christ alone for salvation. The New Testament records the baptism of adult believers only. Baptism was never intended to provide salvation for an individual, but rather to publicly identify a person with Christ.
Baptism is an act of obedience to the command of Christ, fulfilled by individuals who have subjected themselves to His sovereignty.
It symbolizes the spiritual cleansing through divine forgiveness and newness of life experienced by believers by virtue of their identification with Christ in His death and resurrection.
4. I’m still growing… am I ready to be a member?
Join the humanity of Kingdom-life. As members, imperfect people who are committed to life in the new community join together in a local body and make that journey together. Spiritual formation is a life-long, whole-life process. We are all still growing.
Covenant members have entered into their own journey of spiritual formation. They have fixed their eyes on Jesus, the “author and perfector” of their faith.
Though they are not where they want to be, they’re not where they used to be—and they’re assuredly headed where they’re meant to be.
5. Why would I give 10% of my income to the church?
The Old Testament provides the backdrop for TFH’s understanding of giving—instructing God’s people to give the first 10% of their income back to Him. (Genesis 14:18-20; Leviticus 27:30, 32; Malachi 3:8-10)The New Testament understanding was even more communal… when discussed, it appears believers had everything in common, and gave resources to the local church as it had need. We hold to the goal of a tithe: giving a tenth of our income back to the ministry of the local church.
We see the tithe as an outward expression of their gratitude to God and acknowledgement of their role as stewards of everything they’ve been given, including financial resources.
6. What’s in it for me?
The primary reason to become a covenant member is not to gain a personal advantage, but to identify with the characteristics of biblical maturity and commitment to the mission and future of this local church. Covenant Members are our vision owners or “stakeholders.”
7. Where does the Bible speak of being a member in a local church?
The Bible actually infers two kinds of members. At the instant of our conversion, we become “positional members” in the universal church of Jesus Christ, based solely on His merit and grace. If you are a Christ-follower, then you are already this kind of member. This is eternal and unchanging (I Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 2:13-22; 4:3-6; Colossians 1:13-22).
However, the Bible also assumes those “positional members” become deeply involved in the participation of a local assembly (Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians. 12:25-31; 14:12, 26; Hebrews 10:24-25; I Tim. 3:14-15).
Hence we become “Covenant Members” of The Father’s House, recognizing that we are also positional members of the body of Christ at large.
8. What if I disagree with THE FATHER'S HOUSE view of women in leadership?
It is and has historically been the position of The Father’s House Christian Center that the Bible, when interpreted comprehensively, teaches the full equality of men and women in status, giftedness and opportunity for ministry. Therefore, The Father’s House affirms the participation of women in all levels of leadership, including teaching positions (based on spiritual qualification and giftedness).
We recognize that this is a complex issue and has historically been the subject of much debate among godly believers. While we respect the right of individuals to hold a different position, we ask that Covenant Members of The Father’s House minimally be able to affirm with integrity the following:
- That they can joyfully sit under the teaching of women teachers at The Father’s House
- That they can joyfully submit to the leadership of women in various leadership positions at The Father’s House
- That they refrain from promoting personal views in ways that would be divisive or disruptive
9. What is your statement of faith? What about areas of disagreement?
The Father’s House statement of faith is a solidly evangelical statement of faith. In essence, it puts a fence around our core doctrinal non-negotiables. If an individual is in specific disagreement with anything in that statement, that is a significant issue and membership should not proceed unless there is resolve.
Apart from those core doctrinal essentials, there are, however, many areas of faith and practice on which intelligent and godly believers hold different views (various end-times scenarios, predestination and free-will debates to name just a few.) With these issues, members of The Father’s House are free to hold their own opinions and engage in respectful dialogue as long as they are not disruptive to the body. The following attitudes or behaviors, however, would signal a larger problem:
- Attempts to win over others in the body - “crusading” for their viewpoint
- Divisiveness/disruptive behavior
- Holding to a position with such intensity that they will simply be unable to submit to the policies, decisions and leadership of the church
10. What if I disagree with a leadership decision in the church?
The New Testament is clear that the church is to be led by a plurality of godly leaders. They are given ultimate responsibility and authority to see that the church remains on a true course biblically, that its members are being appropriately shepherded, that the body is being fed through insightful and accurate biblical teaching and that the life of the church is being well managed with the assistance of other competent and godly leaders.
In response to the biblical pattern of leadership, members of the body are taught in Scripture to lovingly support their leaders and submit to their leadership.
While Scripture indicates that elders bear the ultimate responsibility for the watch care of the church, the board of directors shall be specifically delegated by the elders to oversee legal and financial matters and to provide for the care and maintenance of all properties owned by The Father’s House. We believe that the elders, board, staff and senior pastor of The Father’s House Church have been called by God to North Central Florida and to its unique mission and vision. What makes The Father’s House work smoothly is the humble, servant-like spirit of these groups of people. Whether as a leader or a follower, everyone in the church is submitted to Jesus Christ.
The decisions that are made regarding the day-to-day church affairs, as well as for the future of The Father’s House, are bathed in prayer and there is a unity among the leadership before decisions are final.
If a potential member is not in agreement with a particular decision, we invite the person to have respectful dialog with pastoral staff or pastor, or to write a letter to investigate further the reason the particular decision has been made. If, after that dialog has come to a conclusion, the person either agrees with the decision, or agrees to disagree, trusting that God is working through the plurality of leaders, then membership can be sought.
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