Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25
We hold membership classes throughout the year to help those interested in church membership understand the biblical foundation of our denomination and the direction of our church. We also assist people in finding their way into the life of the church by connection them with others and providing opportunities for them to use their gifts to build up the church.
To become a member of Christ Community Church, please contact Pastor Mike Smith or Melinda Youngs, Administrative Assistant for Congregational Care. The next class will be held on May 5, 2013 from 12:30 - 2:30. Anyone attending needs to register for the class and for childcare. Contact Melinda Youngs (615.468.2256) for more information about the class or to set up an appointment for you to meet with Pastor Smith.
The next Membership Class will be held on Sunday June 2, 2013 from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Lunch will be provided and childcare is available.
To register - please contact Melinda Youngs @ 468-2256 or melinda.youngs@christcommunity.org
Position Statement on Baptism
We affirm that Christian baptism signifies our being grafted into the Body of Christ. It symbolizes the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, the removal of sin's guilt and the resurrection of the believer to newness of life.
We affirm that baptism is to the New Covenant what circumcision was to the Old Covenant, a sign and seal of God's covenant of grace with those that He redeems by the blood of Jesus Christ. As circumcision was administered to male infants before their exercising faith unto salvation in the Old Covenant, so we affirm the appropriateness of administering baptism to infants born to believers in the New Covenant before their exercising faith unto salvation.
We affirm that baptism, as a sacrament, does not save, whether it is administered to an infant or to a new believer. We affirm that we are saved by God's grace through faith, alone.
We affirm that baptism is appropriately administered by sprinkling or pouring water upon the head of the candidate for baptism, or by immersing the candidate in water.
We affirm that baptism is to be administered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and only once to each person.
We affirm that there are many areas in doctrine about which equally committed and sincere believers in Jesus Christ disagree. Baptism is one such area of doctrine. We affirm that each Christian's conscience about such matters must be bound only by the Word of God, the Bible, through the Holy Spirit. Accordingly, even as the leadership of Christ Community Church will continue to affirm the appropriateness of infant baptism and encourage Christian parents to have their infants baptized, so also will the leadership respect the scruples of Christian parents who wish to have their children baptized only after they have exercised faith in Jesus Christ.
We affirm our commitment as a local expression of the Body of Christ to work for and to guard the peace, love and respect among ourselves as brothers and sisters in Christ in this area of doctrine and others about which we may hold different convictions.
Reference Articles on Baptism
"Baptism" by Frances A. Schaeffer
"A Brief Position Statement" on Baptism by Kevin Twit
For more information on becoming a member contact Melinda Youngs (615.468.2256).