Membership Commitments

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MEMBERSHIP COMMITMENTS

By the members of Village Bible Church, our commitments to one another in the sight of God.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, it is my sincere desire to unite with this church in membership. God, by His grace alone, has led me to repent of my sins and believe in Jesus Christ,¹ trusting Him alone as my Savior and Lord.² I have confessed my faith and have been baptized.³ Therefore I joyfully and thoughtfully enter into a bond of mutual upbuilding,⁴  fellowship⁵ and accountability⁶ with the other members of this body.

I recognize that I will be part of a larger group of believers who are together making this commitment to each other.  The church is not just one person but it is a group of people who are called to love each other and relate to each other in a way that is faithful to Scripture.

Even though I know my sin nature will cause me to fail at times, it is the desire of my heart to love the Lord God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love others as He loves me. Therefore, in humble reliance upon the Holy Spirit and with help from my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, I intend to the following:

1. I will faithfully participate in worship, prayer, study, fellowship and the ordinances of baptism and communion.⁷ I will strive to use my spiritual gifts for the common good.⁸ Through my involvement, and even sacrifice, I will endeavor to illustrate to my family and to a watching world the immense significance of life in the body of Christ.⁹
2. I will endeavor to diligently train myself and my family in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, seeking to develop Christian character, knowledge and skills.¹⁰
3. I will strive to accept and fellowship with all members, regardless of race, gender, background, social status or level of education, since all are of equal value in Christ.¹¹
4. I desire to pursue peace with all people, and especially with other believers, striving to be slow to take offense and eager to reconcile.¹² I will strive to shun gossip and divisive words, knowing that they are destructive to Christian fellowship.¹³
5. I will seek the salvation of my family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances and people of all nations.²⁶
6. I will endeavor to live a life that is above reproach. I will strive to be just and honest in my dealings and faithful in my responsibilities and commitments. I will abide by the standards of sexual purity and ethical integrity taught in the Bible.¹⁴
7. I will seek the preservation of marriage, knowing that God hates divorce, and will submit to biblical regulations regarding divorce and remarriage.¹⁵
8. I will endeavor to watch over the other members in love, as they watch over me.¹⁶ I will strive to remember them in prayer,¹⁷ help them in sickness and distress, ¹⁸promote their spiritual growth,¹⁹ restrain them from sin²⁰ and stir them up to love and good deeds.²¹
9. I will endeavor to be a faithful steward of my time, talents, treasures and testimony. I will contribute cheerfully and regularly to this church for its general ministry and expenses, the relief of the poor, the cause of reformation and revival and the spread of the Gospel throughout the world.²²
10. If I am called by God and affirmed by this congregation to serve in a leadership capacity, I will strive to faithfully and responsibly shepherd God’s flock here at Village Bible Church in accordance with the guidelines set forth in God’s Word and in the role set forth in our church constitution.
11. As the leaders of this church faithfully and biblically shepherd this flock, I will respectfully follow and submit to them, trusting and supporting their leadership and God’s appointment of them to their role.²³
12. I will submit to the church's discipline upon myself and lovingly assume my responsibility to participate in the discipline of other members, as taught in Scripture.²⁴ If I am offended in connection with a disciplinary matter, I will seek resolution within the church as laid out in the VBC Relational Commitments. I will not initiate or pursue civil legal action against the church in response to its disciplinary measures.²⁵
13. I acknowledge that implicit within this commitment is the consent to be governed by the Relational Commitments of this church that address peacemaking and reconciliation, marriage and divorce, the protection of our children, counseling and confidentiality, accountability and church discipline, pure Christian living.
14. I will be in full agreement with the VBC Statement of Doctrine. I will also abide by the policies and procedures of the church constitution.
15. I will work toward doctrinal unity with a humble and teachable spirit,²⁷ showing a willingness to be taught according to the VBC Statement of Doctrine, VBC Relational Commitments and the VBC Teaching Positions, which this church believes to be an accurate summary of biblical truth. If I teach within the church, I will do so in a manner that is faithful to these documents.²⁸ Where there is disagreement or a lack of understanding regarding doctrinal convictions, I will ask questions and engage in edifying discussion.²⁹
16. I will remain faithful to this church in membership. Should I ever sense that God is directing me elsewhere, I will have an honest dialog with an elder to share the reasons for my decision. If I must leave, I will strive to unite with another Bible-believing church.³⁰

In summary, I will strive to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love others as Christ loves me.³¹ I will not allow my weaknesses and failures to deter me from my intention to abide by these Christian standards. I will pursue holiness through genuine repentance and persevering faith in the One to whom I owe all obedience for time and eternity, the Lord Jesus Christ.³²

The VBC Statement of Doctrine, VBC Relational Commitments, and other Village Bible Church Teaching Positions can be found on our Teaching Positions Page.