9.1 Becoming a Christian and joining a Church is a serious and lifechanging commiunent, and should not be undertaken lightly. Commitment to a Church as a member involves:
- living a life which is under God’s rule, fulfilling our responsibilities at home and at work in a manner which pleases God;
- submitting to and learning from the teaching and practice of the Church, as far as it is in agreement with Scripture;
- giving priority to being present at (and taking part in) the regular meetings of the Church (without neglecting our duties at home and at work);
- loving support of the Church and its members by prayer, mutual encouragement and correction, giving (in proportion to income – 10% is recommended as a guideline found in the Bible), practical involvement, submission to the pastoral care of its leaders, and assent to the Church covenant (see Appendix A);
- participating regularly in the Lord’s Supper (we invite to the Lord’s Supper those who are baptised members of this Church, and, at the discretion of the elders, visitors who are baptised members in good standing with other Bible-based Churches);
- witnessing to our faith in Christ as opportunity arises, and sharing in the Church’s evangelistic work;
- using the spiritual gifts which God has given us to build up the members of the Church; and breaking with any secret societies (such as the Freemasons) or non-Christian religious groups and practices (such as the occult) in which we may have been involved.