Being a Member

As a new and growing congregation, NorthHaven wants to make certain we clearly communicate what it means to be a member of our church. Therefore, we recently passed new membership policies within the last few years. During this process questions arose, “What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Has church membership overtaken the importance of being a disciple? And, should our Baptist identity hinder our fellowship with Christians from other traditions that want to be a part of our church?”

The church carefully studied these issues, while listening and considering the input of each church member. This process was both challenging and rewarding. The church discovered there is not a standard process churches set forth in developing criteria for membership. Each church develops their own standards, while taking into account their understanding of Scripture and its application to their church culture.

This process has also been incredibly rewarding. NorthHaven addressed a serious topic confronting churches: “How can we best promote our faith distinctives while existing in a post-denominational culture?” We never questioned our commitment to the four fragile freedoms of Baptist tradition, but the more difficult question for our congregation was in creating an environment that will best foster those distinctives while reaching out to a community that has grown tiresome of denominational rhetoric.

Therefore, after careful study and deliberations, NorthHaven adopted the following policies for those interested in joining our fellowship. First, individuals can partner with NorthHaven by making a profession of faith, followed by baptism. Second, individuals can reaffirm their faith and baptism, even when their baptism comes from another Christian tradition. We will continue our practice of believer’s baptism by immersion, but will honor the conscience of those coming from other traditions. We would love to have you be a part of the exciting opportunities at NorthHaven Church. Come and visit, we will be looking for you.