Membership

Committing to your local church

Membership provides a way to determine who is committed to the mission, doctrine, and values of Redemption Church – our local expression of the body of Christ. Such delineation is not meant to be elitist or divisive. It is not meant to create different classes within the body.  Rather, it simply recognizes that there are people within any expression of the body of Christ at varying levels of commitment – and that’s okay. But as an intentional community with a mission and purpose, it is helpful to know who is committed and who is simply curious.

Should I become a member?

Scripture tells us that leaders within the church are called to “equip the saints – or believers – for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” (Eph 4:12-13). Essentially, we are called to function as one body, made up of many members, with Jesus Christ as our head, working together to grow into maturity (1 Cor 12:12-31). When all believers – not just church staff – embrace the importance of their role in the church community, the body of Christ is able to function with all of the faculties it is supplied with. And when each part is working properly, the body grows into health and strength (Eph 4:16).

So you should not enter into the membership covenant because you’ve been around Redemption a while and figure it’s the next step or “something you should do.” Nor should you enter into the membership covenant simply to say, “Redemption is where I go to church.” That’s part of it, but membership is more than that. It is an informed commitment to the doctrine and vision of Redemption Church, a willing submission to the leadership of the church, and an intentional embrace of your role in the body of Christ and the mission of the church.

How does a person become a member?

The process of becoming a member takes place at the local Redemption congregation that an individual or family is committing to. Look for opportunities provided by the leadership of your local congregation to go through the membership process. Redemption Peoria utilizes various membership interest meetings to help those interested in membership. However, attending these meetings are not mandatory to become a member.

If you consider Redemption Peoria your church home, are actively engaged and invested in a Redemption Community (RC), and have read our membership packet, then signing the membership covenant at the end of that packet would be your next step. Simply bring that to a pastor or elder, and we will connect with you from there.

The best first step toward belonging is to attend our Rhythms course. It’s a 4-week course that we hold every other month on Sundays during 1st service, and covers who we are as a church, the ways we serve, and helps you find a Redemption Community (RC) that would be a good fit for you as you engage and participate in the community life of Redemption Peoria.

Over the course of this 4-week course, we will aim to give you insight into the rhythms of the family and community life of our church. It's less of how we look and act and more about how we live and move and have our being.