Membership

We believe it is essential for a Christian to belong to a local church through formal membership. After all, New Testament letters are predominantly written to churches or church leaders.

Much of the language in Acts fits only with the concept of formal church membership. Phrases such as 'the whole congregation' (6:5), ‘the church in Jerusalem’ (8:1), ‘the disciples’ in Jerusalem (9:26), ‘in every church’ (14:23), ‘the whole church’ (15:17), and ‘the elders of the church’ in Ephesus (20:17), all suggest recognisable church membership with well-defined boundaries

New Testament believers are depicted as deeply committed to each other, both in principle and in practice.

Membership at Lewsey Pentecostal Church is based upon personal commitment to Jesus and public confession that He is Lord.

Membership is an expression of commitment to partnership, service, and covenant relationship. Specifically, when you say that you want to be a member, it is because you believe this is where the Lord wants you to worship and serve Him.

Becoming a member means you agree with, and accept our Statement of Faith which can be found here.

Becoming a member means commitment to, and identification with, the Lewsey Pentecostal Church family.

Becoming a member means you are accountable to the Pastor and Elders who are responsible for all aspects of church life.

Becoming a member means you participate fully in the life of Lewsey Pentecostal Church.

Members are eligible to attend the Annual General Meeting.

Criteria for membership:

• Know and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord;
• Be baptised in water by immersion;
• Be empowered and filled with the Holy Spirit for daily living;
• Subscribe to our Statement of Faith

A person who is a member of another AOG church may transfer membership to Lewsey. The member shall request a letter from the Pastor of the church they are leaving that confirms membership status. The letter shall be presented to the Pastor of Lewsey where membership is desired. New members shall be formally introduced to the church during a public service. Likewise, a member who wishes to transfer/withdraw their membership from Lewsey may request a letter of reference from the Pastor.

Transfer letters from non AOG denominations will be considered at the discretion of the Pastor.

We would love to discuss membership with you and welcome you into the Lewsey family. The first step is to speak with the Pastor or one of the Elders who will explain more and answer any questions.

If you then want to proceed, the Pastor and two Elders will meet with you for a formal membership interview. They will want to hear about how you became a Christian and your subsequent spiritual journey - and also to discuss what being a member means. After that, when your application is accepted, the Pastor will welcome you into membership during a public service.

Membership is not a matter of putting your name down on a church register; it is entering into a covenant with other believers to serve the Lord together at Lewsey. In this way we express the real meaning of church membership.

Active and Inactive Members:

An Active Member is a person who has been received into membership and fulfills the following responsibilities:

• follows the Lord in living a Christian life;
• is regularly involved in church life;
• regularly participates in financial support of the church;
• is submitted to the spiritual leadership of the church.

An Inactive Member is a person who no longer meets the criteria for membership:

• An Active Member forfeits the designation and privileges of Active Membership when he/she fails to meet the criteria for Active Membership.
• An Inactive Member may be removed from the Membership Register for the following reasons: death or written resignation or transfer of membership; failure to comply with criteria of an Active Member.

The Pastor shall ensure that the Membership Register is reviewed annually prior to the Annual General Meeting to determine the active or inactive status of members.

• When a member is considered inactive for a period of one year, they may be removed from the Membership Register.
• A member who has submitted a resignation or transfer of membership request, or who has died are to be removed from the Membership Register immediately.