When a local group of believers join together by promising to care for each other, pray for each other, and serve others together, they are doing two things. First, they are expressing their commitment to the mission of God to see the world come to worship him. Second, they are living out their belief that the church is God’s main avenue for making us more like Jesus, which takes place as we trust him and experience the renewal of the gospel in all areas of life. 

The desire for membership begins with the realization that Jesus did not die to rescue you only but to create a new community of people who are eager to do good (Titus 2:14). It includes joyful obedience to Jesus’ commands to selflessly give from your resources (2 Corinthians 8:1 – 9:15) and your abilities in order to edify, or build up, his church (1 Corinthians 14:12; 1 Peter 4:10). It means desiring to belong to something bigger than yourself so that you can contribute to the health and growth of other people who are promising to do the same for you. 

Membership enables us to have a healthy church where those who have covenanted together work in different ways taking ownership of the mission that God has given us.

• Membership is family - it means calling a specific church "home" and taking responsibility to ensure the health and growth of those in your household.
  
• Membership is a sign - it is a visible sign of an invisible reality, where the covenant relationship (what is seen) identifies something unseen (a new identity as God's children). 
  
• Membership means belonging - it identifies us as bricks of God's building (Ephesians 2:21), members of a physical body (Romans 12:4-5), and brings both the responsibilities and the benefits of being a part of something bigger than self.
  
• Membership is a promise - it is to publicly promise (covenant) to live according to the Word of God and to support the work of the church as a local "gospel community," which forms the basis for an enduring relationship of mutual accountability and edification.
  

At Redeemer, membership is signified through a covenant relationship where we formally and regularly agree about what we believe and how we plan to live together according to God's Word. This covenant gives us unity or purpose and affinity, but does not require anything more than what Jesus has asked of all His followers to do.

If you have questions about becoming a member of Redeemer, please contact us and we will share with you next steps and connect you to the process of membership.