MEMBERSHIP

HOW TO BECOME A COVENANT CHURCH MEMBER AT SHERIDAN HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH

COVENANT MEMBERSHIP AT SHERIDAN HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH IS A COMMITMENT TO ONE ANOTHER—A PLEDGE TO GUARD, CARE, SUBMIT, SUPPORT, AND MINISTER TOGETHER FOR THE GROWTH AND UNITY OF OUR CHURCH BODY. FOLLOW THE STEPS BELOW TO JOIN US AS A COVENANT MEMBER:

ATTEND A STARTING POINT CLASS
"STARTING POINT" IS OUR MEMBERSHIP CLASS, DESIGNED TO:
INTRODUCE CHURCH BELIEFS: LEARN ABOUT WHAT OUR PASTORAL STAFF, CHURCH, AND BAPTISTS IN GENERAL BELIEVE ON VARIOUS TOPICS. EVERYONE IS WELCOME, WHETHER OR NOT YOU’RE INTERESTED IN MEMBERSHIP.
CONNECT WITH MINISTRY: MEET A PASTOR WHO CAN HELP YOU GET INVOLVED WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE CHURCH'S MINISTRIES. COMPLETING THE “STARTING POINT” CLASS IS REQUIRED FOR CHURCH MEMBERSHIP. LEARN MORE ABOUT STARTING POINT HERE.

BAPTISM (IF NEEDED)
IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BAPTIZED AS A BELIEVER BY IMMERSION, THIS STEP IS NECESSARY TO PROCEED TOWARD COVENANT MEMBERSHIP.

NEW MEMBERS INTERVIEW
YOU'LL MEET WITH ONE OR TWO PASTORS FOR A MEMBERSHIP INTERVIEW, WHERE YOU WILL:
SHARE A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH AND YOUR TESTIMONY OF GOD'S WORK IN YOUR LIFE.
DISCUSS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP.
ENSURE THERE ARE NO BIBLICAL CONCERNS WITH YOUR JOINING SHBC AS A COVENANT MEMBER.
ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SERVING IN THE CHURCH OR CONNECTING WITH OTHERS.

COVENANT AFFIRMATION
AFTER DECIDING TO JOIN SHBC, YOU WILL SIGN THE CHURCH COVENANT AND BE AFFIRMED BY THE CONGREGATION DURING A SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SERVICE. THIS PROCESS INCLUDES:
CHURCH-WIDE COVENANT AFFIRMATION: DURING OUR WEEKEND WORSHIP SERVICES, EACH POTENTIAL NEW MEMBER WILL PUBLICLY AFFIRM THE CHURCH COVENANT AND BE RECEIVED INTO MEMBERSHIP BY A CONGREGATIONAL VOTE.

COVENANT AFFIRMATION

AS A COVENANT MEMBER OF SHBC, YOU WILL AFFIRM THE FOLLOWING:

OUR IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST
"WE BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR AND, ON THE PROFESSION OF OUR FAITH, HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT. WE JOYFULLY ENTER INTO A COVENANT WITH ONE ANOTHER AS ONE BODY IN CHRIST." (TITUS 3:8; MATTHEW 10:32-33; JOHN 3:16; MATTHEW 28:19-20; ROMANS 6:3-10; ACTS 2:38)

OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH CHRIST
WE COMMIT, BY THE HOLY SPIRIT'S AID, TO WALK IN CHRISTIAN LOVE, ADVANCE THE CHURCH'S MISSION, SUPPORT ITS WORSHIP AND MINISTRY, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE CHURCH'S WORK.
(JOHN 13:34-35; ROMANS 12:5; 1 CORINTHIANS 3:17; LUKE 14:15-24; JOHN 4:23-24; 1 CORINTHIANS 5:6-7; GALATIANS 5:19-21; TITUS 1:10-16; 2 TIMOTHY 3:16; MALACHI 3:8-10; 1 CORINTHIANS 16:2; 1 TIMOTHY 5:17; HEBREWS 13:17; MARK 16:15; MATTHEW 28:19-20)

OUR CHRIST-LIKE PRACTICE
WE WILL MAINTAIN FAMILY AND PRIVATE DEVOTIONS, BUILD BIBLICAL MARRIAGES, EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN IN THE FAITH, AND STRIVE TO LIVE JUSTLY AND EXEMPLARILY. WE WILL AVOID GOSSIP, EXCESSIVE ANGER, DRUNKENNESS, RECREATIONAL DRUGS, AND PORNOGRAPHY, COMMITTING OURSELVES TO ADVANCING GOD'S KINGDOM.
(GENESIS 1:27-28; EPHESIANS 5:31-32; PSALM 1:1-2; DEUTERONOMY 6:7; PROVERBS 22:6; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:22; MATTHEW 5:13-16; GALATIANS 5:19-21; ROMANS 1:28-32; EPHESIANS 5:18; MATTHEW 18:6; MATTHEW 5:27-28)

OUR CHRIST-CENTERED FELLOWSHIP
WE WILL WATCH OVER EACH OTHER IN BROTHERLY LOVE, REMEMBER ONE ANOTHER IN PRAYER, AID IN TIMES OF NEED, AND PURSUE RECONCILIATION AND UNITY IN OUR CHURCH FAMILY.
(HEBREWS 10:24-25; 1 CORINTHIANS 10:10; JAMES 1:19; ROMANS 12:10, 13; MATTHEW 18:15-17; ROMANS 15:1-4; LUKE 9:23)

OUR FUTURE BEYOND HERE
WHEN WE MOVE AWAY, WE WILL UNITE WITH ANOTHER CHURCH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, CONTINUING TO LIVE OUT THE SPIRIT OF THIS COVENANT AND THE PRINCIPLES OF GOD’S WORD.
(MATTHEW 6:33; HEBREWS 10:24-25)

SHBC CORE BELIEFS

COMMUNITY GROUPS

AT SHERIDAN HILLS, WE ENVISION EVERY COVENANT MEMBER DEVELOPING MEANINGFUL, CHRIST-CENTERED RELATIONSHIPS WITH FELLOW MEMBERS WHO LIVE NEARBY. THESE COMMUNITY GROUPS ARE DESIGNED TO FOSTER MUTUAL CARE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND COLLABORATION IN MAKING DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. COMMUNITY GROUPS ARE EXCLUSIVE TO COVENANT CHURCH MEMBERS.