Membership Within The Covenant Community

At Mission, we believe that “The Church” (all believers everywhere) is the means by which God is giving a foretaste to the world of the eventual fullness of the Kingdom to come. Participation within “The Church” for the individual happens at a local level within their local church body (a particular group of believers in a particular locale with a particular gathering). By pursuing, following, and imitating Jesus Christ in growing fashion, we evangelize the world around us by our covenantal love, one for another. The weekly proclamation of the gospel, backed by the love and activity of the church is God’s stated method of spreading the good news that He is real and has brought justice, restoration, and reconciliation through his death and resurrection. As individuals within the covenant community at Mission Fellowship, we see ourselves as each playing a part as members of the whole body. This is where the phrase “membership” has its roots. One of the best and most explicit statements along these lines is found in Romans 12:45: “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” We desire that for all believers everywhere, they are able to find a home in a local body, whether at Mission, or elsewhere.  Below, you will find the process for becoming a covenant member within the body of Mission Fellowship. Please read through the entirety of the process below.

Step #1: Attend The Welcome Class (Required)

Our Welcome class is offered every few months as an opportunity for those who are new to the Mission Fellowship family to be introduced to the basic information around history, culture, mission, vision, values, leadership structure, finances, core doctrine, secondary issues, and general information about getting involved. These classes are offered once per quarter on Sundays after the gathering and lunch is provided. If you would like to sign up for the next available Welcome Class, check the events page or email info@missionsalem.com. This class is required for membership at Mission Fellowship.

Step #2: Attend, The Covenant Membership Class (Required)

The Covenant Membership Class is also offered every few months. This is an opportunity to be introduced to the necessity of belonging to a local church, God’s plan and picture of the local church that are found within scripture, and the motivation behind creating a covenant community at Mission Fellowship. The class includes a guided walk through the Mission Fellowship Family Covenant, which can be found here. This class is required for membership at Mission Fellowship.

Step #3: Begin Attending A Community Group (Not Required But Highly Suggested)

If you are not already attending a Community Group, now is the best time to get connected into one. Community groups are at the core of how our church functions. Community Groups generally meet on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month in various locations throughout the greater Salem-Keizer area. These groups are centered around being a generous community of faith that can model the love of Christ to one another in simple ways such as a regular meal together and reaching out to the surrounding neighborhood. These gatherings provide ample time to get to know others in our fellowship, with the purpose of laying the foundation for relationships that encourage spiritual growth, transparency, accountability, and overall discipleship. It is from these “Jesus Communities” that we are sent out to our neighborhoods, places of work, and city to spread the good news of the inaugurated Kingdom of Jesus.  To find the Community Group near you, please visit our Community Group page, found here.

Step #4: Fill Out The Membership Application Form (Required)

We encourage prospective members to attend Mission regularly for at least six months before taking this step. That will give you enough time to truly see if Mission is the church family to whom you would like to commit. Then, if you feel as though you are well acquainted with the church through the Welcome class, as well as the membership covenant and process through the Covenant Membership class, you can initiate a membership application by clicking here. One form must be filled out for each prospective member (i.e. married couples need to still fill out two applications). This communicates to the elders that you are ready for your membership conversation.

Step #5: Participate In A New Member Conversation (Required)

Within a few weeks of submitting your information for membership via the membership application form above, our administrative assistant will contact you to see if you would like to schedule a New Member Conversation with two of the elders. This will be around 45-60 minutes in which the prospective member is able to recount (1) their knowledge of the Gospel and their testimony of knowing Jesus (2) whether or not they have been baptized by believer’s baptism (3) and why they believe that they exhibit to the outside world the fruit that shows them to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Other follow-up questions may be asked as well regarding doctrine and practice of faith. At the conclusion of the meeting, the prospective member would also sign the Mission Fellowship Family Covenant.

Step #6: Attend An Elder Meeting To Observe (Optional, But Highly Suggested)

Each month, there are two regularly held Elder Meetings in which the elders of the church pray for the members, exhort one another in co-discipleship, and conduct the oversight and leadership of the church. This includes reviewing the application and prospective membership. We have found that it is helpful for new members to meet the elders, if they have not already, and observe how they lead the church. This also encourages future participation in these meetings. You can find the upcoming elder meetings by looking on our church calendar. Upon collective approval by the elders, the application proceeds to the congregation for their affirmation.

Step #7: Attend The Congregational Meeting (Required)

The next step is to attend the congregational meeting at which the prospective member’s application will be voted upon. At the congregational meeting following a membership conversation, the covenant members will hear the Elder recount the testimony of the applicant, and the existing congregation votes on whether to receive the prospective member into membership. This vote is conducted by electronic ballot at the end of the meeting. The Elders will then notify the prospective member of the outcome of the vote.

Step #8: Join A Discipleship Group (Optional, But Highly Suggested)

Once a member is affirmed, we highly recommend stepping into our smaller men’s and women’s discipleship groups. These groups discuss life-application of recent sermons or helpful theological books, pray for one another, and enter into the deeper parts of accountability, edification, and encouragement. Once your membership is affirmed, one of our staff will be in touch with you to see how we can help you step into one of these groups.