The Definition of Church Membership (Tswvcuab yog dabtsi)
When an individual is saved, he/she becomes a member of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). Because he/she is united to Christ and the other members of the body in this way, he/she is therefore qualified to become a member of a local expression of that body.
To become a member of a church is to formally commit oneself to an identifiable, local body of believers who have joined together for specific, divinely ordained purposes. These purposes include receiving instruction from God’s Word (1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 4:2), serving and edifying one another through the proper use of spiritual gifts (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-31; 1 Pet. 4:10-11), participating in the ordinances (Luke 22:19; Acts 2:38-42), and proclaiming the gospel to those who are lost (Matt. 28:18-20).
In addition, when one becomes a member of a church, he/she submits himself/herself to the care and the authority of the biblically qualified elders that God has placed in that assembly.
Lus Hmoob
Thaum ib tus tibneeg los txais Yexus ua nws tus Tswv Cawmseej lawm, nws dhau los ua ib tug tswvcuab zwm thiab koom nrog tus Tswv Yexus lub cev (1 Kau. 12:13). Vim qhov uas nws tau koom uake nrog tus Tswv Yexus thiab lwm tus koom uake, nws muaj feem uas yuav koom tau uake ua ib tug tswvcuab nyob uas zwm rau hauv ib pawg ntseeg.
Qhov ua los ua ib tug tswvcuab yog nws txaus siab yuav muab nws lub siab los koom nrog ib pawg ntseeg uake los ib txoj haujlwm tseemceeb uas tus Tswv Yexus tau samhwm kom cov ntseeg ua. Cov hawjlwm no yog kawm Vajtswv Txojlus (1 Tim. 4:13; 2 Tim. 4:2), siv nws tej tswvyim thiab kev txawj los pab lwmtus (Loos 12:3-8; 1 Kaul. 12:4-31; 1 Petus 4:10-11), koom nrog cov ntseeg uake rau kevcai rausdej thiab tus Tswv roojmov (Lukas 22:10; Tegnum 2:38-42), thiab piav qhia txoj Moo Zoo rau cov uas ploj lawm (Mathais 28:18-20).
Dhau li ntawd, thaum ib tug twg los zwm ua tswvcuab rau ib pawg ntseeg lawm, nws txaus siab yuav txo hwjchim thiab los mloog cov thawjcoj lus thiab hwm cov Txwjlaug uas Vajtswv tau hu los coj thiab saib xyuas pawg ntseeg.
The Basis for Church Membership (Lub ntsiab rau kev zwm ua tswvcuab)
Although Scripture does not contain an explicit command to formally join a local church, the biblical foundation for church membership permeates the New Testament. This biblical basis can be seen most clearly in (1) the example of the early church, (2) the existence of church government, (3) the exercise of church discipline, and (4) the exhortation to mutual edification.
Lus Hmoob
Txawm yog Vajtswv Txojlus tsi tau hais meej txog kev zwm ua tswvcuab rau ib pawg ntseeg, los peb pom txog qhov tseemceeb rau kev uas zwm ua ibtug tswvcuab rau ib pawg ntseeg hauv Vajlugkub Tshiab. Peb pom qhov no tseeb xwsli (1) Cov pawg ntseeg lub sijhawm ntxov thaum ub, (2) tej kev tsa thawjcoj thiab muaj thawjcoj nyob hauv pawg ntseeg, (3) tej kev qhuab ntuag nyob hauv pawg ntseeg, thiab (4) kev txhawb thiab kev cobqhia tibneeg ua Vajtswv haujlwm.
APPLICATION PROCESS
To apply for membership, please complete application (below) and return to church office or email to tchac@outlook.com. (Yog koj txaus siab yuav ua tswvcuab rau hauv pawg ntseeg, sau daim application hauvqab no kom meej thiab xa tuaj rau peb.)