Joining a Body
In the New Testament, to be a Christian is to belong to a local church.
As believers in Jesus Christ, then, we are members of his body, or members of his church. Therefore, if we say that we are part of the body of Christ, then we must commit to be part of a local body of Christ.
A local church is a clearly defined assembly of people who profess true faith in Christ and are committed to Christ and to each other. This commitment is carried out by regularly gathering in Christ’s name to officially affirm and oversee one another’s membership in Jesus Christ and his kingdom through preaching the gospel and celebrating the ordinances.
Members of HMCC of Jakarta commit to one another as a local church by affirming our Statement of Faith and Membership Covenant, and adhering to our Constitution.
Step 1: Membership Classes
All prospective members must attend our Experiencing Membership class and Five Solas class. Upon completion, those who attended all classes are able but not obligated to sign up for a membership interview, the second step of the membership process.
Step 2: Membership Interview
If you decide to move toward membership, you will be interviewed by an elder, who will confirm your understanding of the Gospel, listen to your testimony of how you came to trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, answer any questions you may have, and help you find opportunities to get connected at HMCC.
Step 3: Elder Recommendation
At a regularly scheduled elders’ meeting, the elder will review your testimony with the other elders. Upon receiving their collective approval, your application proceeds to the next step: congregational affirmation.
Step 4: Congregational Affirmation
At a regularly scheduled members’ meeting, an elder will recommend you for membership by sharing an extraordinarily short summary of your testimony. A vote is taken, and with a majority secured, you will be admitted into membership (pending baptism, if applicable).
Step 5: Baptism (if needed)
If you have not yet been baptized as a believer, baptism is the next step to proceed toward membership.
All baptism candidates must attend our Baptism Class and go through the above steps of membership before our Baptism Service, where each baptism candidate will briefly share his or her testimony during the service before being baptized.
Step 6: New Members’ Recognition
The final step is being publicly recognized as a new member in our New Members’ Recognition during our Sunday Celebration, where each person joining will sign our Statement of Faith and Membership Covenant before the congregation.