Membership

Membership is very important to who we are as a church. If the Bible is the cornerstone of our church, then membership is the cement that holds us all together. Both Christ and Paul pointed us toward membership for our encouragement, our protection, and our instruction. We seek to carry out this vision through our four-step process by which to join CoaH.

Membership Class – All prospective members must attend our Membership Class. The class generally lasts about 2.5 hours and includes topics such as:

• The History & Vision of our Church

• Our Statement of Faith

• Our Church Covenant

• Why Join a Church?

• Life as a Church

Courses are usually offered on Friday evenings or Sunday afternoons. Upon completion, those who attended the class are able but not obligated to sign up for a membership interview, the second step of the membership process.

Membership Interview – In a 45 minute meeting, the prospective member meets with an elder to provide basic biographical information and recount God’s converting work in his or her life. The prospective member would then sign the statement of faith and church covenant, and the application would go to the elders.

Elder Recommendation – At a regularly scheduled elders’ meeting, the elder will review the applicant’s testimony with the other elders. Upon receiving their collective approval, the candidate’s application proceeds to the next step: congregational affirmation.

Congregational Affirmation - Prior to our quarterly member meetings, any names of prospective members are submitted to the membership. Then, at the meeting, barring any reservations from the congregation, the prospective members are welcomed and affirmed.

*This Membership process has been highly influenced by Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington DC.