"God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be."
1 Corinthians 12:18

Thank you for your interest in exploring what membership means at the Burlington Christian Reformed Church (CRC)!  We're excited about our church and what God is doing here!  We believe that, as you explore who we are, you'll discover that we have much to offer. 

 We consider it a joy and a privilege to welcome new members.  This page will examine the WHY, the WHAT, and the HOW of membership in our church, and also answer some frequently asked questions..

1. THE WHY OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

One of the Bible's favourite analogies for the Church is that of a human body (see 1Corinthians 12:12-27). In this analogy, Jesus is the head who provides direction to the body, the Church is the body itself, and each believer is a different body part. Of course, we consider each part in our human body valuable. In the Church, it is the same! Each believer is valuable - in fact, indispensable! - if the body of Christ, the Church, is going to function well.

The Apostle Paul, in Romans 12:5, says, "In Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." We who belong to the Burlington CRC try to take seriously the truth that, as believers, we not only belong to Christ but also to one another. We believe that being a Christian isn't just a matter of believing the gospel of Jesus Christ; it also a matter of belonging to the body of Christ, his Church.

For many people, the word "membership" has an institutional feel about it. Some think that membership means little more than having your name on some organizational list. But in our congregation, we like to think of membership as a living connection to Christ and His Church. To be a member of the Church is to be in fellowship with Christ and His body! To be a member of the Church is to share in the worship, ministry, and life of Christ's body. It's an exciting place to be!

Here are some reasons why we believe that being a member of a local Christian church is important:
. It publicly identifies you as a follower of Christ (Mark 8:38).
. It provides a spiritual family for you where you can receive support and encouragement in your walk with Christ (1Thessalonians 5:11).
. It gives you a place to discover and use your gifts in ministry (see 1Corinthians 12:1-11)
. It places you under the spiritual protection of spiritual leaders (Hebrews 13:7, 17).
. It helps you join forces and pool resources with more people for the sake of making a greater impact on our community and world for Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 5:14-16).

2. THE WHAT OF MEMBERSHIP

There are eight aspects to being a healthy member of the body of Christ at the Burlington CRC:

Faith:
To believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, and to trust that his death and resurrection were sufficient for your sins to be completely forgiven by God.

Bible Reading and Prayer:
To develop the discipline of Bible reading and prayer in order to maintain a living and growing relationship with Jesus.

Worship:
To participate in our weekly worship services, offering to God your heartfelt praise and listening for his guidance and direction.

Mutual Care:
To give and receive encouragement from fellow believers, praying for one another and building each other up. Because this is often best accomplished through Small Groups, we urge all members of the Burlington CRC to connect with other believers in a small group that meets regularly to pray for one another, minister to each other, study God's Word together, and encourage each other in their walk with God.

Service:
To discover your God-given gifts and to use them in ministry both within and outside the Burlington CRC.

Witness:
To live a life worthy of Jesus Christ and to look for opportunities to share His love with others, inviting and welcoming them to the Burlington CRC or another place of worship.

Unity:
To promote the unity of the body at the Burlington CRC by supporting its teaching, vision, and mission, and by praying for and submitting to its leadership.

Stewardship:
To give towards the work and ministry of the Burlington CRC locally and around the world.

These are the eight aspects of healthy membership in the body of Christ. We consider all eight of them to be vitally important. They are like the different food groups that make up a healthy diet. If one of them is missing, you may be able to survive for awhile, but you will not be able to thrive for long. Therefore, we ask all members of the Burlington CRC to pursue and grow in all eight aspects.

3. THE HOW OF MEMBERSHIP

If you are a new believer, you can be assured that the angels in heaven are rejoicing before the face of God on account of you (see Luke 15:7, 10)! Know that we too are rejoicing with you! As you begin to explore membership at the Burlington CRC, we will ask you to join one of our New Members' Classes. These classes are offered once or twice or year and last several weeks. You will have the opportunity to have many of your questions answered, as well as meet other people exploring membership at the Burlington CRC. The classes cover a lot of topics including the history of the Christian Reformed Church, the creeds and confessions that we believe are helpful summaries of biblical truth, and the privileges and responsibilities of church membership. In addition to the classes, you will also be asked to do a small amount of reading and to write a brief story of your "faith journey."

Our New Members' Classes are not just for new believers. We also ask the following people to be part of one of our New Members' Class as well:
      . those who are transferring their membership from another denomination to our church.
      . those who may have had membership in the CRC at a previous point in time and who now wish to have their membership re-established.
      . those who have grown up in the CRC and now, as mature believers, want to publicly profess their faith and become a full member of the church.

We try to adapt each New Members' Class to meet the needs of those who are participants. As a result, each time the class is offered, it will vary slightly in content and emphasis.

We also offer a one-session Welcome to the Burlington CRC Class that we ask people who are transferring from other CRC churches to attend before they become a member of our congregation. This class orients new members to our congregation's structure, our vision and mission, and opportunities that exist in our congregation for ministry and service.

Contact the church office or pastor if you are interested in attending either the New Members' Class or the Welcome to the Burlington CRC Class.

After the completion of the appropriate class, and upon your request, two or three of our congregation's leaders (known as "elders") will visit with you to informally discuss with you your personal faith and your place in the life and ministry of the Burlington CRC. After discerning together that this is the right move for you, we will celebrate your decision and welcome you into membership by one of the following means:
      . New believers will be invited to make a profession of their faith and be baptized.
      . Those transferring as active members from other denominations will be invited to make a re-affirmation of their faith and, if they have never been baptized, they will also receive this sacrament. The CRC accepts baptisms performed in any other Christian denomination and does not require people to be re-baptized.
      . Former members of the CRC who are now re-establishing their membership with our congregation will be invited to make a re-affirmation of their faith.
      . Those who have grown up in the CRC and, as mature believers, now want to become full members will be invited to make a profession of their faith.
      . Those who are transferring their membership from other CRC congregations will simply be publicly welcomed during one of our worship services.

Professions of Faith, Baptisms, and Re-Affirmations of Faith all take place during one of our worship services. This gives our entire congregation the opportunity to celebrate your decision and welcome you into our midst.


4. FAQ's - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

There are several questions that we often get asked in regards to membership. We have tried to answer some of those questions below:

      . What if I'm still not ready to become a member of the Burlington CRC?
That's fine! Please continue to participate in the life and ministry of the Burlington CRC to whatever degree you feel comfortable. We have had people who have been regular attenders sometimes for years before they took the step of formal membership. We have also had people who stayed only for a time and then went to other Christian churches that fit their preferences or met their needs better. Of course, we would love to see you become a member, but we will always respect the pace that you set in this. In the meantime, if you are attending worship regularly, regardless of whether you are a member or not, we will provide you with your own church mail slot. That will help us communicate with you and provide you information about the life of the congregation.
If you do choose to wait a time before becoming a member, please understand that certain teaching and leadership positions are reserved for those who are members and are therefore accountable to the church's leadership. Also, only members who are 18 years or older can vote at congregational meetings in accordance with our congregation's constitution and provincial law.

      . What if I disagree with something that is taught or practised at the Burlington CRC?
If you disagree or are uncomfortable with our teachings or practices, please discuss it with us! Maybe it is something we need to change. We are always open to re-evaluating our practices in the light of the Bible. If, on the other hand, your concern is strictly a matter of personal preference, we might simply have to agree to disagree. We do ask, however, that those who choose to join us will nevertheless help maintain the congregation's unity by supporting and promoting the teachings and vision of our congregation.

      . Why do you ask those who are transferring their membership from another CRC church to be part of the "Welcome to the Burlington CRC Class?"
Each CRC church has its own unique identity. Being part of a one-session class helps new people understand and affirm the vision, mission, and ministry of our particular congregation. It also allows us to get to know new members, to better understand their needs, and to discern how their gifts might fit into the ministry of our congregation.

      . Why do you ask those who are members of another Christian denomination to publicly re-affirm their faith in a worship service?
We believe it is important for a Christian to publicly assure their new church family that he or she loves the Lord and is willing to serve Him with them. The re-affirmation also allows for the public celebration of a new member's arrival into their new church community.

       . What questions are asked at a profession of faith or re-affirmation of faith ceremony?
1. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sent to redeem the world, and do you love and trust him as the one who saves you from your sin, and do you with repentance and joy embrace him as Lord of your life?
2. Do you believe that the Bible is the Word of God revealing Christ and his saving work, and that the teachings of this church are in agreement with the Bible?
3. Will you, with the help of the Holy Spirit, faithfully participate in the life and ministry of this church, supporting and submitting to its teaching, leadership, and vision?


We hope this page has been helpful for you. If you have any questions, please talk to any of us. We are here to help you find your place in our congregation. We have other literature available as well that will help familiarize you with our church's ministry and our denomination. Simply ask and we'll provide you with what you need!