(a) An individual(s) can be full member of the Ministry if he or she recognises the Ministry’s Fundamental Doctrines as stated in the ‘Statement of Faith’ above, share the Vision of the Ministry and accept our membership obligations.
(b) Individual(s) that wish to be admitted as full member of the Ministry should complete the Membership Form provided by the Assemblies (Through the Ushers). This Form should be properly and completely filled. (Please note that, passing through the ‘Christian Foundations Lessons and Water Baptism’ may or may not be required for full membership).
(c) Having reviewed the Application Form received, the Pastor of the Assembly during the Sunday service may formally introduce the applicant as full member of the Assembly and of course the Ministry.
Obligations of the Members
The obligations that Person(s) admitted have toward the Ministry includes all that are written above in the ‘Statement of Faith’ and the followings: (a) To interact with other members in such a way that the Vision and the Fundamental Principles of the Ministry could not be jeopardise. (b) To observe and respect decisions taken by the National Administrative Board (NAB), the Presbytery Board (PB), or any other Group(s), Specialised Committee(s) and any other individual functionary(s) of the Ministry in their areas of competence. (c) To contribute realistically within the limit of their individual possibility to the Ministry’s Budget and in the Spirit described in the Statement of Faith. Loss of Membership
(a) The membership of the Ministry is lost when a member withdraws his or her membership or when person(s) is excluded on the basis that such person(s) preaches Doctrine contrary to those in the ‘Confessional Faith’ of the Ministry. (b) When person(s) violates systematically the commitment towards the Fundamental Principles of the Ministry or towards other members of the Ministry by acting contrary to the Statement of Faith, Regulations and By-Laws of the Ministry as stipulated in this Handbook. (c) The National Administrative Board (NAB), having had the opinion of the Specialised Committee set up by the PB to investigate the issue in question, decides on whatever punishment deemed appropriate including the withdrawal of membership from the person(s) concerned.
(d) For a decision on this particular section, the vote of the National Administrative Board (NAB), should be of the two-third (2/3) of the members present at the meeting.
(e) When person(s) is no more a member of the Ministry, such has no right to any restitution, contributions or gifts given to the Ministry in the past, including movable and immovable properties.
(f) All correspondence regarding this issue as well as the conclusion must be in writing and should be documented by the Secretary to the National Administrative Board (NAB).
Belonging to the Fellowship:
Every person considering membership of our Fellowship is being asked to commit themselves to no more and for that matter no less, than being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. We find a description of this kind of commitment in the first Christian church described in ACTS OF APOSTLE 2:38-47.
A Committed Fellowship:
This is quite a strong word, that can also be interpreted ‘they persevered’. This would seem to indicate that their relationship to the Fellowship was not one of ‘take it or leave it’, but of a deep sense of commitment and of belonging to one another. It was a two-way commitment, by the individual believer to the others and by the Fellowship as a whole to the individual. So too with membership today and to the Fellowship (V 42), i.e. ‘sharing together’. This is true for the church too! Loving, caring Fellowship is crucial for the success of any church. We are looking therefore for a commitment from you in the following ways: – By being actively involved in at least one Activity Group or sharing together with others on a regular basis. By seeking to maintain love and Fellowship with all other members of the Church. It is your responsibility to put things right in the event of disagreement, event if you feel you are the grieved party! By taking a prayerful interest in the spiritual development of the Fellowship.
A Learning Fellowship:
‘The apostles teaching’ (V 42). We see here a commitment to study the scriptures and to learn more about the Christian faith. We are therefore looking for you to be committed to regular personal study of God’s Word and to take every opportunity to join with us each Sunday also in the Midweek Programmes. These are opportunities to learn from God’s Word together. The riches of Christ are inexhaustible: we should ever be looking to learn more from God’s Word!
A Welcoming Fellowship:
‘They broke bread in their homes and are together with glad and sincere hearts’ (V 46). Hospitality and practical expression of care and welcome are to be encouraged from all members especially to those that are worshipping with us for the first time.
A Praying Fellowship:
‘And to prayer’ (V 42). Those first Christians knew that they could not meet the challenges ahead in their own strength. Remember too that the church was born in prayer! (Acts 1:14). We are looking for you to be committed to: Spending time each day to private prayer. Sharing together with others in opportunities for corporate prayer and intercession at least once a month.
A Worshiping Fellowship:
(V 46) ‘Everyday they continued to meet in the temple’, (V 47) tell us that praise was a regular part of their lives. We are looking for you to be committed to joining together with the Christian Family regularly each Sunday, unless unavoidably prevented from doing so, in order that we may worship God together in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24).
A Fellowship where Things Happened:
(V 43) ‘Signs and wonders done among them’. If we expect great things from God we must attempt great things for Him. Things not surprisingly happen! God gives spiritual gifts to all His people. We expect you to be committed to discovering your gifts and being available for God to use you in His service. There are a great variety of ways in which you can serve Him in the ongoing work of the Church. Not all of it is spectacular, but always you will need to rely on the empowering and help of His Spirit.
An Attractive Fellowship:
(V 47) ‘Enjoying the favour of all the people’. We see here that there was a winsomeness about them that attracted other? They stood out as different and their lives did not contradict what they believed. (V 43) ‘Everyone was filled with awe’. Awe or fear is a reaction to the majesty of God. Conviction of sin on hearing the Gospel was no momentary panic. These people lived realising that they couldn’t go back to old ways. We expect a commitment from you to live, by God’s grace, a consistent lifestyle endeavouring to please God in all things, so that no one will have justifiable cause to say that any of us are hypocrites.
A Witnessing Fellowship:
“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (V 47). We are looking for you to be committed to being a witness by your lifestyle and also “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have,” (I Peter 3:15). You must also play your part in the evangelisation of the world by personal invitation, hospitality and visitation thereby introducing others to Christ and the Fellowship.
A Giving Fellowship:
(V 44-45) ‘Everything in common selling their possessions’. There was an intense feeling of responsibility for one another. We are looking for commitment in terms of your financial giving as much as your time or service for Him. The Scripture teaches us to give regularly and in proportion to income set aside your tithe for the Lord’s work (Malachi 3:8-11, I Corinthians 16:1-3). Also we would encourage you to seriously consider covenanting your giving. Tithe Cards are available with the Ushers. Remember that no one is expected to give from what they don’t have but rather, in proportion to the money that they do have!
An Obedient Fellowship:
‘Breaking of bread’ (V 42). Jesus gave two significant commands. The first was to go and make disciples, baptising them and teaching them to do all He had commanded us to do (Matthew 28:19-20). The second was to share together in a simple meal, which we refer to as the Lord’s Supper. Jesus said “Do this in remembrance of me”. We are looking for you to be committed to following Jesus’ command and regularly sharing with us in the Lord’s Supper.
A Disciplined Fellowship:
Love was the seal of all that they did and this included discipline for the purpose of building up of the people of God. Such discipline was exercised not harshly, but in love through admonishment, exhortation, reproof, rebuke and correction. Our concern is that every member should be presented mature in Christ and at times this will involve such loving discipline being applied. We are looking for you to be ready to accept such discipline in the spirit of love in which it is given. “We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, such that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” (Colossians 1:28, Matthew 18:15-20, Acts 5:1-11, I Corinthians 5, 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
EPILOGUE: – The above is by no means intended to be an exhaustive list of the commitment we are seeking to make by covenanting together as members of All Christians’ Fellowship International. However, we seek to establish clearly that we are encouraging one another to follow a biblical understanding of Christian Discipleship, rather than merely adhering to a list of man made ‘rules’.