MEMBERSHIP

An ancient Chinese proverb says, “The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names.” So, it is important that we understand that “member” is a biblical term that was used by the Apostle Paul to describe our role as part of a whole.

In 1 Corinthians 12:27 Paul says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” So, we are called members because we are the individual components that comprise the whole living organism we call the body of Christ.

In Romans 12:4-5 Paul says, “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” So, being a member of a church means offering ourselves in community with other followers of Christ and using our gifts, talents, and time in service to one another and to Christ.

It is important to note that if we are followers of Christ we are all part of His church as a whole, and membership with a local fellowship is not division from that whole. “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

MEMBERSHIP THROUGH COVENANT

At Kingdom Community Church International, membership is granted through covenant.

Covenant is a biblical concept. Today, we are used to the legal terms of “contract” and “agreement” but in the Ancient Near East “covenant” was their predominate cultural understanding. A covenant is a binding agreement in which covenant members have certain obligations and can expect certain benefits in return.

A covenant is different from a simple contract or agreement in that it implies meaningful relationship. For instance, God covenanted with Noah, with Abram, with the people of Israel, and eventually brought about a covenant of grace available to all through Christ. A covenant is a promise by which we obligate ourselves to one another in such a way that the obligation of one party is not dependent on the faithfulness of the other. Covenant is a meaningful and thoughtful word that evokes the kind of relationship that we believe we are entering into when we join ourselves to a local church community.

Covenant, as used in the Scriptures, meant an agreement that lasted for life. In the context of local church community membership, though, we understand that our covenant with one another may not last a lifetime as God’s covenants with people have. So, in order to accommodate the reality of our times, we have an annual covenant membership renewal season.

Before we can covenant with one another, we must first be committed to Christ. It is in the context of our covenant relationship with Christ that we can offer our covenant commitment to one another in community. Committing our lives to Jesus Christ, to one another in community, and to transforming our world is what it means to be the church. Participating in covenant is a way of declaring how serious our commitment to Christ and His church really is.

BECOMING A COVENANT MEMBER

Anyone may covenant with Kingdom Community at any time throughout the year by downloading, completing, and submitting our COVENANT MEMBER APPLICATION.

Additionally, Covenant Season takes place annually mid-September to mid-October. We use this as a time of focused reflection on what it means to be in covenant with one another and to embody our core community values. Existing Covenant Members are invited to reaffirm covenant at this time, and others are invited to affirm covenant for the first time.

Any follower of Christ [13 years of age or older] is invited into covenant with Kingdom Community Church International through the following process:

- Prayerfully consider your commitment to the community and interact with others who are already in covenant at KCCI to build confidence in your decision

- Personally commit to embodying our core community values and living out the points of the covenant

- Complete and sign the Covenant Member Application and submit it to a church leader

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