Becoming a member
First, let us say thank you for your interest in church membership at Grace Bible Fellowship. It is always an encouragement to know that people are excited about what God is doing in the ministry of this church and desire to become a committed part of that ministry.
Please note that couples who are interested in membership should each complete an individual application.
We are thankful that you are considering becoming a member of our fellowship and we look forward to serving with you in the body of Christ.
Praying for God’s richest blessings upon you,
The Elders of Grace Bible Fellowship
Paul Francisco and John Gardea
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Membership
What is Church Membership?
We believe that church membership is a decision by a born-again Christian to associate with a local expression of the universal Body of Christ in a commitment to follow and obey what the New Testament commands of believers. Broadly, this means that members will commit to uphold what the church teaches, will use the spiritual gifts that God has entrusted to the believer in this ministry, will give financially to support the ministry, will live in community with other believers, and will submit to the local church leadership that God has established.
Why Require Church Membership?
While the New Testament has no membership process, it also does not recognize a Christian living outside the context of a local church. To be a Christian in the early church was to be “added to their number” (Acts 5:14; 16:5) and to be committed to the local church through active service. Therefore, the practice of being ‘committed’ to a local church is not debatable in the New Testament. The challenge for us is that the early church had only one option: the local expression where each person lived. In the greater El Paso area there are hundreds of churches from which to choose. Because of this fact, we have adopted a membership process to enable us to know those who are aligning themselves with this body of believers at GBF.
Furthermore, as Elders of GBF, God commands us and holds us accountable to “shepherd the flock of God among us.” (I Peter 5:1) Numerous demands occur on our time as Elders; however, we believe that a commitment to church membership is an effective way to assist us in identifying those among us whom we should be shepherding.
What is entailed in the membership process at Grace Bible Fellowship?
If you would like to pursue membership at GBF each individual (16 years and older) will need to complete the following:
Ask about membership
Attend membership class
Complete membership application and Elder interview
Present to members for a vote, and sign Relational Covenant
Affirm membership during Sunday service
Can such a membership process be shown from the scriptures?
This is an excellent question - we believe that it is not shown in scripture.