Membership

Members should have publicly professed their faith in the lordship of Christ Jesus, preferably through baptism.

Members should agree with the doctrine of 1st Street Church:

Bible –The Old and New Testaments of the Holy Bible are God-breathed and useful for teaching, critiquing, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. The Bible is perfect in its ability to reveal God and his mission to humanity. We believe it is the final authority on all matters to which it speaks. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21)

Trinity – Our God eternally exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are equal in divine perfection and perform distinct but harmonious roles. (Matthew 28:19)

God the Father – The Father is an infinite, holy, personal deity. He is the creator of all things and the author of life itself. He is perfect in goodness, power, wisdom, justice, and love. He is personally concerned with the affairs of all humanity, hears and answers prayer, deserves perfect obedience, and by the work of Jesus, he saves people from sin and death. (Acts 17:24-28)

God the Son – Christ Jesus has precisely the same nature, attributes, and divinity as the Father and Holy Spirit. He is truly God and truly human, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We believe that through his sinless life, his death on a cross, and his bodily resurrection, that he has achieved the possibility for all humans to find salvation from sin. This possibility is realized by entering into the family of God through faith in the lordship of Christ Jesus. We believe that Jesus is alive today, that he ascended into Heaven and sits beside the Father as High Priest to his people, and that he will physically return from Heaven in the last days to judge the living and the dead. (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-20)

God the Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit has precisely the same nature, attributes, and divinity as the Father and Son. We believe the Holy Spirit is present among humanity today as helper, advocate, teacher, and intercessor. The Spirit fulfills its role by dwelling within the people of God, thus regenerating and transforming them into holy people. Through this work the Spirit progresses the mission of God by empowering God’s people to spread the Gospel of Jesus by the gifts given to them. (John 14:16-17, 26; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11)

Salvation – The mission of God is ultimately concerned with saving humanity from sin. We believe sin is the greatest threat to life, bringing about suffering and death. We also believe that without intervention from God, there is no hope for ever ridding the world of sin. We believe that by the grace of God, he has decided to save humanity from sin. By faith in the lordship of Christ Jesus we are reconciled to God in relational unity. Being united with Jesus, the people of God are given power over the forces of sin, transformed into a sinless creation, and promised eternal life. By the power of God, we believe the whole world will be rescued from sin. By the grace of God, we believe the people of God can look forward to a time when they will live forever in God’s restored and perfect kingdom. (Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Revelation 21:1-4)

Church – The people of the church make up the body of Christ. As such, we acknowledge that Christ Jesus, himself, is the ultimate authority over the church. Those who make up the church are united by their confession of faith in the lordship of Jesus. Local assemblies are made up of members who proclaim faith in Jesus, work to spread the gospel, and gather regularly for worship. As part of our proclamation and worship, 1st Street Church engages in two ordinances: believer’s baptism by immersion in water, and the Lord’s Supper. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)

Christian Conduct – We believe all people are called to obedience to God. We do not believe the life we live can free us from sin, but we do believe that Jesus has freed his people from the power of sin. By proclaiming Jesus as lord, we recognize that his ways are better than our ways. Therefore, we believe all of God’s people ought to strive to live in obedience to God. Though we all fail to live in perfection every day, we entrust ourselves to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. As such we believe all Christians should work towards being good stewards of money, resources, and possessions. They ought to defend the flourishing of life, reject the perpetuation of abuse, and encourage proper sexual expression. All this is to be done in the interest of loving our neighbor as we love God—with love, selflessness, and generosity. We believe such conduct spreads the hope of the Gospel. (1 John 1:5 – 2:2)

Coming of Jesus – The return of Jesus is eminent and will bring about the bodily resurrection of everyone who has experienced death. Upon resurrection, Jesus will judge all people. Out of an abundance of grace and generosity, he will grant eternal life in his perfect kingdom to those who have been made innocent by faith in his lordship. Those who reject the lordship of Jesus will be exiled to Hell in accordance with his perfect justice. (1 Corinthians 15:21-28)

Members should be participating at 1st Street Church in the following ways:

Regular attendance  – Members should attend Sunday Services at 1st Street Church on a regular basis (at least two services a month).

Connected with ministry – Members should either be serving in a ministry of the church, engaged relationally with a community focused ministry of the church, or both.

Giving generously – Members should be financially supportive of 1st Street Church.

Inviting Neighbors – Members should intentionally be inviting their neighbors to attend the services or ministries of the church.

Attending Business Meetings – Members should attend at least one of the regularly scheduled business meetings each year.

Members should agree to the following Membership Covenant:

Obligation of 1st Street Church to its members:

1.  We covenant that your pastors and staff will meet the criteria assigned to them in the Scriptures (1 Tim. 3:1-13; 5:17-22; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4).

2.  We covenant to seek God’s will for our church community to the best of our ability as we study the Scriptures and follow the Spirit (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-5).

3.  We covenant to care for you and seek your growth as a disciple of Christ, in part by equipping you for service and praying for you regularly, particularly when you are sick and in need (Eph 4:11-13; James 5:14).

4.  We covenant to provide teaching and counsel from the whole of Scripture (Acts 20:27-28; Gal 6:6; 1 Tim 5:17-18).

5.  We covenant to be on guard against false teachers (Acts 20:28-31).

6.  We covenant to exercise church accountability in the pursuit of unity and restoration when necessary (Matt 18:15-20; 1 Cor 5; Gal 6:1)

7.  We covenant to set an example and join you in fulfilling the duties of church members (1 Cor 11:1; Phil 3:17; 1 Tim 4:12).

My Obligation to 1st Street as a member:

1.  I understand the mission and beliefs of the church and will not be divisive to its teaching. I also understand the importance of submission to church leadership and will be diligent to preserve unity and peace (Eph 4:1-3; Heb 13:7, 17).

2.  I covenant to submit to the authority of Scripture as the final arbiter on all issues (Ps 119; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21).

3.  I will maintain a close relationship with the Lord Jesus through regular bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and practice of spiritual disciplines. My relationship will be evident through my participation in worship services, communion, engaging in community, service, and a life that glorifies Jesus (Ps 105:1-2; 119:97; Acts 2:42-47; Heb 10:23-25; 2 Peter 1:3).

4.  I will worship at 1st Street Church at least twice a month.

5.  I will actively pursue steps of connection through participation in a community of fellow believers.

6.  I will steward the resources God has given me, including time, talents, and treasure (Prov 3:9-10; Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:22-26; Eph 4:1-16; 5:15-18). This includes regular financial giving, service, and participation in community that is sacrificial, cheerful, and voluntary (Rom 12:1-8; 2 Cor 8-9; 12:7-31; 1 Peter 4:10-11).

7.  I will attend at least one business meeting each year.

8.  I covenant to submit to discipline by God through the Holy Spirit, to follow biblical procedures for church discipline in my relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ, to submit to righteous discipline when approached biblically by brothers and sisters in Christ, to submit to discipline by church leadership if the need should ever arise (Ps 141:5; Matt 18:15-17; 1 Cor 5:1-5; 2 Cor 2:5-8; Gal 6:1-5, 8; 1 Tim 5:20; 2 Tim 2:25; Titus 1:9; 3:10-11; Heb 12:5-11; Rev 2:5-7, 14-25).

9.  I agree, by God’s grace, to walk in holiness as an act of worship to Christ Jesus, who has saved me from my sin that I could live a new life (2 Cor 5:17).

My commitment to the mission:

1st Street Church exists to worship Jesus and bring hope to our community.

I have read the mission statement above and commit to participate in this mission as a diligent, faithful disciple of Jesus, that my identity would be in him, my worship would be for him, my fellowship would be through him, and my interaction with the culture would be for his glory.

Members should be at least 18 years of age.