Faith and membership

In This We Believe, a statement of belief of our church body, we state: “We believe…that individuals through their membership in a church body commit themselves to the doctrine and practice of that church.” Church membership sends the signal that the individual member’s faith and the church’s teachings are in harmony with one another.

We reflect that consistent profession of faith in our rite of Confirmation. At the Confirmation of youths and adults, there is often a question that asks the confirmands if they acknowledge that the doctrines and teachings the church presented to them are in line with God’s word. It would make sense that a person who disagreed with our teachings would not want to join our church. On the other hand, an acknowledgement that our church teaches biblical doctrines accurately would welcome and also receive church membership.

It is possible that a person who intends to join one of our churches struggles with a particular teaching of the Bible. If the person was willing to be instructed in God’s word, it is possible that the person could join the congregation under those circumstances. That would be a pastoral decision.