Church Membership
At King’s Cross Church, we believe membership matters. The New Testament presents the church not as a casual gathering but as a committed body of believers united in Christ.
Membership is how we live out the New Testament vision of a church.
It is a joyful commitment to live as a family of faith under Christ. We believe the New Testament teaches that a local church should be a gathered, regenerate, and committed body of believers who covenant together to follow Jesus, care for one another, and advance His mission.
What is Church Membership?
Membership is for those who have personally trusted in Jesus Christ, been baptized as believers, and are committed to living out the gospel in community. As members, we join together to worship God, grow in faith, serve one another, and advance the mission of the church.
Membership & Congregational Role
Members don’t just “attend”, they participate in the governance of the church. Together, the congregation votes on key matters such as leadership, membership, finances, and discipline. Membership ensures that our church remains faithful, accountable, and united in mission.
Each year, members gather at an annual meeting to review ministry priorities and vote on the proposed budget. Members are given time to ask questions, provide feedback, and then affirm the budget by majority vote. In this way, financial accountability and transparency are preserved.
Each year, members gather at an annual meeting to review ministry priorities and vote on the proposed budget. Members are given time to ask questions, provide feedback, and then affirm the budget by majority vote. In this way, financial accountability and transparency are preserved.
Who Can Be a Member?
Membership is open to anyone who:
• Personally trusts Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord
• Has experienced believer’s baptism by immersion
• Agrees with the KCC Church Covenant, Constitution, and bylaws
• Regularly attends worship services
• Actively participates in the life and ministry of the church
The Membership Process
The Church Covenant
Every member of KCC affirms the following covenant together:
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.
We pledge, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and faith; to promote its well-being and spiritual maturity; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly, in the measure that God prospers each of us, to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel throughout all nations.
We also pledge to maintain family and private devotions; to teach our children the Christian truths; to seek the salvation of our family and friends; to walk with discernment in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, a godly example in our behavior, and zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.
We further pledge to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to seek God's help in avoiding anything that might harm our own or another's faith; to be slow to take offense but always ready for reconciliation and to seek it without delay.
We, moreover, pledge as individuals that when we move from this community, we will seek out some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word.
We pledge, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and faith; to promote its well-being and spiritual maturity; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly, in the measure that God prospers each of us, to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel throughout all nations.
We also pledge to maintain family and private devotions; to teach our children the Christian truths; to seek the salvation of our family and friends; to walk with discernment in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, a godly example in our behavior, and zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.
We further pledge to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember each other in prayer; to aid each other in sickness and distress; to cultivate sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to seek God's help in avoiding anything that might harm our own or another's faith; to be slow to take offense but always ready for reconciliation and to seek it without delay.
We, moreover, pledge as individuals that when we move from this community, we will seek out some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word.
Why Membership Matters
We believe that formal church membership is biblical and vital. It allows us to:
Identify those who belong to this local body (Acts 2:41–47).
Practice meaningful accountability and care (Hebrews 13:17).
Uphold gospel witness in the world (Philippians 1:27).
Join together as one family on mission for the glory of God.
Ongoing Commitment
Every year at our Annual Meeting, members reaffirm their commitment by signing the Church Covenant again. This renewal ensures that membership remains an active, joyful covenant, not a passive formality. It also provides a yearly opportunity to reflect on God’s work in our lives and to recommit ourselves to Christ and His people.
Ending Membership
Membership may end in one of the following ways:
- By personal decision (written notice or joining another church).
- By non-renewal (failing to sign the annual covenant commitment).
- Through the church discipline process, if someone persists in unrepentant sin that is incompatible with gospel faith and practice.
Even when membership ends, our hope is always for reconciliation and restoration in Christ.