As a Reformed and Baptistic local church, Holy City takes church membership seriously.
The Bible teaches that the new covenant community of Jesus Christ is fully-regenerate—that is, everyone who truly belongs to Jesus has been made a new creation by the Holy Spirit. Only those who have trusted Christ by faith and turned from their sins in repentance are made members of Christ’s new covenant community, the church.
In light of these truths, Baptists believe the local church should (as much as it is up to us) be comprised only of Christ-professing and repenting people. Each local church is responsible for guarding her membership since Jesus Christ gave the authority of the keys of the kingdom of heaven to the local church (Matthew 18:17-20).
Therefore, Holy City Church’s membership process seeks to reflect these theological commitments in our membership and church discipline processes. Meaningful membership and church discipline guard the purity and testimony of the local church, as well as provide assurance of salvation to local Christians who love Christ, his gospel, and his church.
