WHY MEMBERSHIP?

The Church is the community of Christians who throughout all of time have been saved by Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:25)…so why does Element have members?

We believe that all Christians should be vitally involved in a local church. Hebrews 10:25, while not specifically addressing modern churches as we envision them, reminds us, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Our current culture is individualistic and tends to push community and friendships aside for autonomy. But, we are not called to live the life of salvation in isolation; we are called to live in community.

The Bible is clear that every Christian is a part of the larger church body of Christ and is expected to participate in the life of what we today call “the local church.” We do this with the gift(s) God has given us (I Corinthians 12:1-31). Biblically speaking, part of how we are to show fruit and life is by being together and learning how to live. God calls us to be one, in unity, because we love Christ. Our God doesn’t only stand as a sovereign individual, but is a community within Himself (trinity).

Members of a church community are the Christians who are actively participating in the life of the local church so that it is built up for God’s purposes (I Corinthians 12:1-31 especially 12:24).

The issue of membership is questioned in many circles today. In Element’s view, the members do the primary work of the church. Many see the primary work of the church as SUNDAY, but that is not true. The primary work of the church is all of us, living our lives. Our primary mission is to be out in the world displaying Jesus.

PURPOSE

When anyone enters into relationship with God by grace from, and faith in, the person and work of Jesus Christ, they are entering into two covenants: 1) to journey with God for the rest of their lives and love Him fully; 2) to journey with His children in the community of the local church. Your membership in a church is an official recognition of this, and the purposes of the Element Christian Church Membership Covenant are:

1) To join the Spirit in forming authentic community that reflects the relationship between the Father, Son, & Spirit
2) To clarify the ongoing blessings & responsibilities of each member
3) To encourage consistency, accountability, and loving unity within the church family
4) To accomplish God’s call for the Element church family

Element Christian Church holds the issue of church membership in high regard. Members function as the primary missionaries to our surrounding culture.  Members live, eat, and breathe the climate of the Santa Maria Valley every day, and are placed in the culture to emulate Christ. We are called corporately, as ambassadors of Christ, to share and live the Gospel to those God—in His sovereignty— has placed in our lives. (Romans 12: 1-8)

Element is committed to creating a model that reflects God’s heart for His children. Membership is not a status symbol or social club; a member who enters into a covenant with their local church is called to a higher degree of responsibility. (I Peter 4: 8-10)

To transition from a regular attendee to an official member of Element Christian Church, we have three requirements:

1) That you profess faith in Jesus Christ.

2) That you have been baptized (this doesn’t have to have taken place at Element). We believe that one of the first acts of a Christian should be baptism. The model was followed in the early church and by the apostles. If you have question about baptism, please see our baptism page.

3) That you attend The Weekender. The Weekender is a 2-day event intended for anyone who wants to move beyond simply attending services and explore how to get better connected. Friday night includes dinner with staff, elders, and other leaders, as well as an introduction to Element’s vision and core values. On Saturday morning, we’ll share the theological beliefs that shape those values, how your role and spiritual gifts can fit within our community, and answer any questions you might have. Learn more about, or RSVP below: