Commit
If you would like to download the commitment packet click here
Though the New Testament does not formally condone church membership, many passages appear to show clear distinction between people who are considered a part of a local church assembly and those who are not. We at Austin Bible Fellowship hold membership in high esteem because we believe it is the responsibility of believers to bear each other’s burdens, to spur one another on to love and good deeds, to join together in ministry, and for the elders of the church to oversee the spiritual health of the congregation.
At this stage of the church, people committed to Austin Bible Fellowship will be called the Launch Team. The Launch Team is committed to doing “whatever it takes” in order for this church to fulfill its God-directed unique vision. Once leadership is in place to properly shepherd the congregation, and biblical standards for membership are established, the Launch Team will have the opportunity to become Members. Membership is not a “next step”, but rather more of a formalization of the Membership Process.
As leadership establishes the process in the future, new people will have the opportunity to go through a “Membership Class” which will clearly lay out the Vision, Values, Theology, and Distinctives of Austin Bible Fellowship.
The Launch Team will be the primary crafters of the culture of the church. As the Launch Team goes, so goes this church. In three, ten, twenty years from now, the health of this church will be directly traced back to how the Launch Team functioned together. Did we live out our values? Did we make any impact on this city for the sake of the gospel? Did our relationships reflect a spirit of unity and love for one another? Were we intentional in our relationships with those without Christ?