Why Membership?
 | | Why do we encourage membership?
We believe that membership is an important way for you to identify your commitment and involvement in Calvary Temple. It is also one of the important ways that you can acknowledge your commitment to Calvary Temple's mission and direction. In doing so, it helps us to clarify the church's responsibility to you as a follower of Jesus. |
Church-Family Adherents: A Starting Point
Many people begin their involvement at Calvary Temple by being "church-family adherents". When they consider Calvary Temple to be their church home, they declare their voluntary, informal association by completing the "A Place to Belong" form.
There is no statement of personal belief or commitment required to be a church-family adherent.
Membership
Membership is the way that we officially identify ourselves with a local community of Christ's church. It involves additional opportunities including mutual commitment and accountability to the church body, the privilege to hold office, the legal privileges of voting and responsibility in addition to the benefits and privileges of constituency.
At Calvary Temple we recognize the need for a formal membership.
There are four reasons to commit to membership:
1. A Biblical Reason: Christ is committed to the church. The New Testament shows us that from its earliest days the church was an organized community. They had identified members, leaders and even roles. They also had clear requirements for what a person must believe and do to join this community, to be a leader in it and to remain a part of it.
Church membership is our way of living out the New Testament model.
2. A Cultural Reason: It is an antidote to our society. We live in a selfish culture that teaches us to avoid commitment. This attitude has influenced the church by producing a generation of “church shoppers”. Membership swims against the current of North America’s “consumer religion”. It is an unselfish decision that challenges us to realize our part in the much bigger community.
3. A Practical Reason: Accountability. Every team must have a roster. Every school must have an enrolment. Every business has a payroll. Every army has an enlistment. Membership identifies who can be counted on to share in the work of ministry. 4. A Personal Reason: It produces spiritual growth. The New Testament places a major emphasis on the need for Christians to be accountable to each other for spiritual growth. You cannot be accountable when you’re not committed to any specific church family. | |  |
How can I become a member of Calvary Temple?
Your Steps:
1. Attend the "What we believe" series on Sundays mornings (given in January each year)
2. Have been baptized--we believe that God's word clearly teaches believer's baptism. Baptism is a command of our Lord. It is a step of obedience in identifying with Jesus Christ.
3. Complete the following two documents:
- Membership Application
- Community Covenant
4. Commit to serving in the church (if you are not already doing so as an adherent)
- If you would like help finding a place to serve suited to you, we highly recommend you enroll in a session called "Shaped to Serve". This session is held throughout the year.
The Final Process:
1. After steps 1-3, all names of those applying for membership are submitted to the board for approval.
2. The newly members will be notified upon acceptance.
- This final process is completed in the beginning of February prior to the annual meeting, so as to give new members an opportunity to exercise their membership privilege of voting
3. In one of our services we will welcome those who have been approved for membership.
 | | What is expected of me as a member?
At Calvary Temple we never ask our members to do more than the Bible teaches. We expect members to do what the Bible expects every Christian to do. These responsibilities are spelled out in the community covenant. |
