We define what people on the road to full devotion look like, and then affirm all among us who are on that road. We call these people "participating members." They are no longer spectators. They're even more than sideline cheerleaders. They're down on the playing field, and are now unhesitatingly part of the game. Only it's not a game. It's our very reason for being on earth.
Where does membership fit in? Becoming a member is the culmination of a series of important steps, but it's not an end in itself, any more than finally being hired means your work is finished. To become a participating member of Riverside Community Church is to affirm both, where you are spiritually, and where you are going. It's a step of discipleship, a milestone on the lifelong path that was laid out by Jesus on which all true believers walk with dedication and resolve.
Step One; The Membership Booklet and/or Class will cover the basics of Membership and why.
Step Two: Fill in the Personal Response Section of the Booklet.
Step Three: Fill out the application for membership
Step Four: Schedule a one on one meeting with a pastoral staff member Here
"So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."
Romans 12:5
As a Registered Canadian Corporation, we are required by law to have formal membership to authorize certain legal transactions, such as property purchases and sales.
This is a legitimate question that needs some clarification, since the Bible actually describes two kinds of "membership". We who are in Christ are technically already full members of the body of Christ. There is an invisible, unbreakable bond that links us to Christ, and to each other. This is "positional membership".
The Bible also urges positional members to continue growing by becoming "participating members" in a specific local assembly (Rom. 12:4-8). Obviously you may be a participating member of several different bodies during the course of your lifetime while maintaining a permanent positional membership in Christ's universal Church.