Membership
COMPASS 101 CLASS (BVC Membership Class)
This one-time class provides all the information you need to make an informed decision about becoming a member of Bear Valley Church. It's your opportunity to explore Bear Valley's unique mission, ministry vision, leadership model and more. Completion of COMPASS 101 doesn't obligate you to become a member, but if you are interested in membership this class is a prerequisite. Please join us if you are considering membership at BVC or simply want to learn more.
2012 COMPASS 101 Classes are held in room 209 at 930am and 1100am Sunday mornings:
August 26
September 16
October 7 and October 21
November 4 and November 18
WHY MEMBERSHIP?
AtBear Valley Church
· The Biblical Reason: Christ committed to the church. “Christ loved the church, and gave his life for it” (Ephesians 5:25).
· The Cultural Reason: It is an antidote to our society. We live in an age of selfishness and consumerism. We struggle with our commitments in marriage, jobs, friendships, and more. Commitment builds character and therefore becoming a committed member of a local church highlights the loyalty Jesus desires His followers display in every aspect of life.
· The Practical Reason: It defines who can be counted on. Every team has a roster of players. Every school registers its enrollment. Every army enlists its soldiers. Every family has a family tree. When times get tough, who can be counted on? Those who can be counted on are committed to the cause of Christ throughBear Valley Church
· A Personal Reason: It produces spiritual growth. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO BECOME A MEMBER OFBEAR VALLEY CHURCH
There are two requirements for joiningBear Valley Church
· A personal relationship with Jesus Christ .
· Believer’s baptism by immersion.
The Bible tells us that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23); "But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
The most important question a person can ask is how do I begin a personal relationship with Jesus?
Why is this true?
The Gospel (stated as briefly as possible) is simply that
· God loves us,
· We blew it,
· Christ paid for it,
· We must receive Him.
God loves us because God is love. Now almost everyone believes this about God, but God is also holy and just. We blew it in that humans were originally created good, but we became sinful. As a result of our sin we deserve death. On top of that, we are spiritually helpless and need a Savior. Christ paid for it (our sin) in that Christ is God, who also became man and as a man Christ died as our substitute. In His grace Christ offers His forgiveness as a gift. But simply knowing all of this is not enough – we must receive him. We must respond to God’s grace by asking Christ to be our forgiver and leader and the result of receiving Him is our spiritual transformation by the Holy Spirit. (See 1 John 4:16; Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 9:16a; Romans 3:23, 6:23; Isaiah 64:6; Philippians 2:5-7; 1 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12; 1 John 1:9; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
HOW DO I RESPOND PERSONALLY?
· ADMIT you have and do sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
· BELIEVE those sins are forgiven by God. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). "Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord (Jesus) will be saved" (Romans 10:13).
· CONFESS your faith in Jesus. "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13). "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
The benefits of a relationship with Jesus include FULL LIFE - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10);
NO CONDEMNATION. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).
WHY BELIEVER’S BAPTISM BY IMMERSION?
At BVC we maintain that baptism in the New Testament was only done for those who believed. Belief in Jesus' death and resurrection was the biblical prerequisite. Along with this, the Greek word for baptism means "to immerse."
Christ-followers (believers) are baptized
· To follow the example of Jesus (Mark 1:9)
· Because Jesus commanded that we get baptized (Matthew 28:19)
· Because baptism demonstrates and identifies a person as a follower of Jesus (Acts 2:38).
The meaning of believer's baptism by immersion
· It illustrates Christ's burial and resurrection (Colossians 2:12)
· It illustrates my new life as a Christian (Romans 6:4).
· It marks the beginning of my new life of ministry (Matthew 4:1ff)
It is important to remember that baptism does NOT make you a Christian. It is an outward symbol of the inner commitment that you have made to Jesus. It is like a wedding ring. The ring is an outward symbol that displays the inner commitment that people have made to their spouses. It is important to know that "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
· Every person who has believed in Jesus. "Those who believed and accepted His message were baptized (Acts 2:41)
WHEN SHOULD YOU BE BAPTIZED?
· As soon as you believe (Acts 8:35-38). There really is no reason to wait to be baptized. When you say "Yes!" to Jesus is the perfect time. You will never be "ready" on your own.
WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF MEMBERS ATBEAR VALLEY CHURCH
As a member ofBear Valley Church
· I will protect the unity of the church by acting in love towards others; by refusing to gossip and by following the leaders.
· I will share the responsibility of my church by praying for its growth, by inviting seekers to attend and by genuinely caring for those who attend.
· I will serve the ministry of the church by discovering my gifts and talents, by seeking to be equipped and by developing a servant’s heart.
· I will support the testimony of my church by attending faithfully, by living a Godly life and by giving regularly.
BEAR VALLEY CHURCH
· Worship attendance – I will makeBear Valley Church
· Belong to a Group – I will seek opportunities to grow in my relationship with God and others by participating in a Sunday or mid-week group. I need to know and be known by other growing Christians.
· Giving – I will give financially in a God-honoring way. Generosity is a great way to fight selfishness.
· Ministry – I will serve others on a regular basis where needed and gifted.
· Missions – I will seek to reach my neighbors, across the street and across the ocean, fro Jesus.
This one-time class provides all the information you need to make an informed decision about becoming a member of Bear Valley Church. It's your opportunity to explore Bear Valley's unique mission, ministry vision, leadership model and more. Completion of COMPASS 101 doesn't obligate you to become a member, but if you are interested in membership this class is a prerequisite. Please join us if you are considering membership at BVC or simply want to learn more.
2012 COMPASS 101 Classes are held in room 209 at 930am and 1100am Sunday mornings:
August 26
September 16
October 7 and October 21
November 4 and November 18
WHY MEMBERSHIP?
At
· The Biblical Reason: Christ committed to the church. “Christ loved the church, and gave his life for it” (Ephesians 5:25).
· The Cultural Reason: It is an antidote to our society. We live in an age of selfishness and consumerism. We struggle with our commitments in marriage, jobs, friendships, and more. Commitment builds character and therefore becoming a committed member of a local church highlights the loyalty Jesus desires His followers display in every aspect of life.
· The Practical Reason: It defines who can be counted on. Every team has a roster of players. Every school registers its enrollment. Every army enlists its soldiers. Every family has a family tree. When times get tough, who can be counted on? Those who can be counted on are committed to the cause of Christ through
· A Personal Reason: It produces spiritual growth. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17).
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO BECOME A MEMBER OF
There are two requirements for joining
· A personal relationship with Jesus Christ .
· Believer’s baptism by immersion.
The Bible tells us that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23); "But God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
The most important question a person can ask is how do I begin a personal relationship with Jesus?
Why is this true?
The Gospel (stated as briefly as possible) is simply that
· God loves us,
· We blew it,
· Christ paid for it,
· We must receive Him.
God loves us because God is love. Now almost everyone believes this about God, but God is also holy and just. We blew it in that humans were originally created good, but we became sinful. As a result of our sin we deserve death. On top of that, we are spiritually helpless and need a Savior. Christ paid for it (our sin) in that Christ is God, who also became man and as a man Christ died as our substitute. In His grace Christ offers His forgiveness as a gift. But simply knowing all of this is not enough – we must receive him. We must respond to God’s grace by asking Christ to be our forgiver and leader and the result of receiving Him is our spiritual transformation by the Holy Spirit. (See 1 John 4:16; Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 9:16a; Romans 3:23, 6:23; Isaiah 64:6; Philippians 2:5-7; 1 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12; 1 John 1:9; 1 Peter 3:15; 2 Corinthians 5:17)
HOW DO I RESPOND PERSONALLY?
· ADMIT you have and do sin. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
· BELIEVE those sins are forgiven by God. "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). "Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord (Jesus) will be saved" (Romans 10:13).
· CONFESS your faith in Jesus. "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13). "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
The benefits of a relationship with Jesus include FULL LIFE - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10);
NO CONDEMNATION. "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).
WHY BELIEVER’S BAPTISM BY IMMERSION?
At BVC we maintain that baptism in the New Testament was only done for those who believed. Belief in Jesus' death and resurrection was the biblical prerequisite. Along with this, the Greek word for baptism means "to immerse."
Christ-followers (believers) are baptized
· To follow the example of Jesus (Mark 1:9)
· Because Jesus commanded that we get baptized (Matthew 28:19)
· Because baptism demonstrates and identifies a person as a follower of Jesus (Acts 2:38).
The meaning of believer's baptism by immersion
· It illustrates Christ's burial and resurrection (Colossians 2:12)
· It illustrates my new life as a Christian (Romans 6:4).
· It marks the beginning of my new life of ministry (Matthew 4:1ff)
It is important to remember that baptism does NOT make you a Christian. It is an outward symbol of the inner commitment that you have made to Jesus. It is like a wedding ring. The ring is an outward symbol that displays the inner commitment that people have made to their spouses. It is important to know that "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).
WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
· Every person who has believed in Jesus. "Those who believed and accepted His message were baptized (Acts 2:41)
WHEN SHOULD YOU BE BAPTIZED?
· As soon as you believe (Acts 8:35-38). There really is no reason to wait to be baptized. When you say "Yes!" to Jesus is the perfect time. You will never be "ready" on your own.
WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF MEMBERS AT
As a member of
· I will protect the unity of the church by acting in love towards others; by refusing to gossip and by following the leaders.
· I will share the responsibility of my church by praying for its growth, by inviting seekers to attend and by genuinely caring for those who attend.
· I will serve the ministry of the church by discovering my gifts and talents, by seeking to be equipped and by developing a servant’s heart.
· I will support the testimony of my church by attending faithfully, by living a Godly life and by giving regularly.
· Worship attendance – I will make
· Belong to a Group – I will seek opportunities to grow in my relationship with God and others by participating in a Sunday or mid-week group. I need to know and be known by other growing Christians.
· Giving – I will give financially in a God-honoring way. Generosity is a great way to fight selfishness.
· Ministry – I will serve others on a regular basis where needed and gifted.
· Missions – I will seek to reach my neighbors, across the street and across the ocean, fro Jesus.