CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

Members

The membership of the Old River Baptist Church shall be composed of that body of persons listed on the membership records. The membership records shall be electronically backed up daily both on and off site.  These records shall be maintained by office personnel as directed by the Pastoral staff.

The membership shall be collectively referred to herein after as the Church. Individually, church members will be known as “covenant members/covenant colaborers.”

Covenant membership of the Church shall be maintained by the Membership committee according to this article.

A member has the privilege of voting after completing the membership class, signing the covenant card, and are at least 16 years of age. The membership class may be taken any time after the the person is 13 years of age. Children under the age of 16 who have been saved are 'non-voting members' and may complete the membership class and sign the covenant card if they are at least 13 years of age. Once they have reached 16 years of age, they shall be a voting member.

If the person having reached the age 16 determines not to complete the class and/or sign the covenant card, the person shall be removed from the church membership roles.

A person being 16 years of age or older may not be a 'non- voting member’ of ORBC.

New Members

All persons uniting with this Church shall be made acquainted with the beliefs and ministries of the Church and shall be given opportunity to fulfill their stewardship obligations as to worship, service, and giving.  All prospective members shall be required to attend the new member orientation class. The new members’ class topics will be covered in an appropriate number of sessions.

The new member class shall include but is not limited to the following areas:

Unit 1

The Organization of the Church
Biblically Founded
Staff-led
Congregationally Served and Affirmed
Missionally Driven

The Leadership of the Church
Pastoral Staff
Grips the Vision
Guards Biblical Theology
Guides the Mission
Gives Leadership 

The Basic Beliefs of the Church

Brief Overview of Basic Beliefs
Bible
God
Man
Jesus
Holy Spirit
Church
Christian Living
Marriage
Eternity

Baptist Faith & Message 2000

  The Gospel

The Public Profession

Unit 2

The Missions of the Church

The Ministries of the Church

The Policies of the Church

Unit 3

 Covenant Membership
The Church’s Role
The Individual’s Role

Prerequisites of Local Church Membership

Gospel Conversion/Salvation
God’s Holiness
Offense of Sin
Saving Work of Jesus
Personal Decision
Eternal Consequences
Life Transformation

Baptism
Public Picture of your profession
By Immersion
After Conversion

Covenant CoLaborer (1 Corinthians 3:9)
Covenant Member = Covenant CoLaborer

 The Church Covenant

The Church covenant shall read as follows:

  “The agreeing and signing of the Old River Baptist Church CoLaborer Covenant is the
individual’s statement of agreement and understanding of membership of the church.”

The Covenant of a Member of Old River Baptist Church

  I have received Christ as the forgiver of my sin and leader of my life and demonstrated that publicly by baptism. I also agree with Old
River Baptist Church’s statements, strategy, and structure. I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to become a part of the Old River Baptist
Church family. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members to do ALL of the following to the best of my ability:

•       I will attend regularly. (Heb. 10:25, Acts 2:42-47)
Worship and a Bible Study fellowship

  •       I will walk faithfully. (1 Pet. 2:2-3)
   I will pursue holiness (1 Pet. 1:15-16). I will display the fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22-23).
I will discipline myself to pursue Christ instead of my sinful nature. (Rom. 12:1-2) I will
pursue biblical moral purity and flee from sinful behaviors (Rom. 13:14, Gal. 5:19-21)
including sexual immorality; if single, I will be chaste; if married, I will remain faithful to
my spouse; and in no case will I be involved in sexual immoral activity, including
unbiblical divorce, homosexual relationships, or pornography, that undermines the
sanctity of marriage. (Eph. 5:3-5, 22-33; 1 Thes. 4:3-8)

  •       I will live graciously. (Col. 3:12-17)
I will protect the unity of the church. I will extend love, grace, and mercy.

  •       I will pray fervently. (Phil. 4:4-7, 1 Thes. 5:16-18)

  •       I will serve selflessly. (Phil. 2:2-8)

  •       I will evangelize constantly. (Luke 14:23)

  •       I will give consistently. (Mal. 3:10; Matt. 6:19-21; 2 Cor. 9:6-7)
I will use the biblical precedent of the tithe as a goal to reach or exceed.

  •       I will submit willingly. (Matt.18:15-20)
If I fail to maintain this covenant, I agree to submit to Biblical authority as directed
by the Pastoral leadership in the hope that I will repent and be restored.”

Form of Admission

Admission to the membership of the Church shall be by the following:

Once an individual has (1) given testimony of his salvation displaying a basic understanding of the Gospel and (2) has been baptized according
to the Church’s understanding of the Biblical believers’ baptism, he/she are able to seek covenant relationship with the Church.

  The individual will be required to complete a basic information questionnaire which includes the following:

  Basic contact information
Personal information (such as birthdate, anniversary, marriage status, family members, etc.)
Spiritual information (personal testimony, baptism, prior church membership, etc.)

  After completing the membership questionnaire, a representative of the church will contact the prospective member(s) for a brief visit to be
scheduled at the family’s convenience. This visit will provide the church representative opportunity to verify all information given in the
questionnaire is correct, confirm the individual(s) plan to attend the next new members’ class, and to help the individual(s) find a Bible study
fellowship to begin attending.

  The individual will be required to attend the new members’ class as soon as possible. Upon completing the class and signing the Church’s
Colaborer Covenant, a covenant relationship between the individual and church has been established. At this time, the individual is accepted
as a covenant member of the Church.

Dismissal of Members

The Church’s desire is to continue in covenant relationship with every member. The desire leads the Church to be gracious and merciful, not full of
judgment. With this understanding, the Church will pursue every avenue to maintain a relationship with members of the church.

  With this understanding, the Church also understands covenant membership is a Biblical teaching and desires to maintain true covenant relationship
and avoid nominal relationships.

  Covenant members may be dismissed from the church membership roles for the following reasons:

  Member desires to join another church
Should any member in good standing desire to unite with another Church of like faith and order, this Church may grant a letter of transfer upon
request and be removed from the Church’s membership.  Should any member of this Church unite with another Church which is not of like faith
and order, his/her name shall be removed from the roll.

  Member desires removal from the Church’s membership
Should any member desire to be removed from the Church’s membership, the Membership Committee will do so after receiving written
confirmation from the member desiring removal or has two members who will give personal testimony of the member’s desire to be removed

  Member moves physically from the Church permanently
Should a member move more than 75 miles from the Church permanently and does not attend the Church in a consistent manner, the church
member will be removed from the church membership. The desire of the Church for the covenant member is for local church membership to be
established in the new area of residence. The Church will encourage and support the church member through the process of transition.

  Member dies
Should any member die, the Church member will be removed from the Church membership

  Member does not attend
Should a covenant Church member fail to maintain a consistent pattern of attendance, every effort will be made to recover of restore the Church
member into active attendance. If a covenant Church member has not been in attendance for 12 months, the Church member will be placed on
the “Not Attending” list for the Membership Committee to begin contacting the Church member regarding their intent to maintain covenant
membership. The Membership Committee will make every effort to find, communicate, and encourage the church member to remain in
fellowship and to recommit to the Church CoLaborer Covenant.  These efforts include but are not limited to the following: phone calls, email,
mail, visits, communication with family and friends. The Membership Committee will also take into account circumstances outside of the
covenant Church member(s) control. Examples of such circumstances include but are not limited to the following:
·       Homebound
·       Disability
·       Illness or disease; Health complications
·       Military service
·       Long term out of town work without permanent relocation
·       Education

If the Church member is able to be found and is communicating, the Membership Committee will encourage the Church member(s) to recommit
to the Church covenant. If they recommit to active participation, the Church member is removed from the “Not Attending” list and continue in
fellowship with the Church.

  If the Church member cannot be found or is not communicating, the Membership Committee will give a report at the next quarterly business
meeting stating the efforts made and will give a recommendation to the Church.

  If the Church member is contacted but refuses to return to active participation in the Church, the Membership Committee will give a report at
the next quarterly business meeting stating the efforts made and will give a recommendation to the Church.

Discipline

  It shall be the practice of this Church to emphasize to its members that every reasonable measure will be taken to assist any troubled member.  The
Pastoral staff, other members of the Church staff, and Deacons are available for counsel and guidance.  The attitude of members toward one another
shall be guided by a concern for redemption and reclamation rather than punishment.

  Should some serious condition exist which would cause a member to become a liability to the name of Christ and/or the general welfare of this Church,
the Pastoral staff and the Deacons will take every reasonable measure to resolve the problem in accordance with Matthew 18:15-20.

  15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or
two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or
three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to
listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to
you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth
shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything
they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are 
gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

  If it becomes necessary for the Church to take action to exclude a member, a two-thirds vote of the members present at a regular business meeting is
required, and the Church may proceed to declare the person to be no longer in the membership of the Church. A spirit of Christian love, kindness, and
forbearance shall pervade all such proceeds. The Church may restore to membership any person previously excluded, upon request of the excluded
person, and by recommendation to the Church by the pastoral staff and deacon body.

The Membership Committee

  The Membership Committee shall maintain the integrity of the Church membership quarterly. The Membership Committee will serve as the new
members’ class lead team. The Membership Committee will be nominated by the same method other Church committees are nominated.