MEMBERSHIP VOTING AT OGLETOWN

In our quarterly member’s meetings, we ask church members to vote on prospective incoming members. Click on the + below to read a brief explanation of what we do, why we are do it and how we get it done.

  • Vote on Prospective Members based on their Credible Profession of Faith in Jesus as Lord

    Prior to a Member’s Meeting, members will receive the testimonies of all incoming prospective members. Each testimony is a brief description of the person’s conversion – e.g., how the Lord brought him or her to faith in Christ (Eph. 2:4).

    Members will vote to approve them based on their profession of faith.

    Sending the testimonies in advance gives members time to thoughtfully consider who we are voting on and raise any potential concerns before the meeting.

    Members should read the testimonies and offer a prayer of thanks to God for each person! Our God is still saving sinners and gathering them together to worship Him.

    After reading the testimonies, if members have concerns, they should reach out to the interviewing pastor indicated below the testimony.

  • Because Jesus gives the Keys of the Kingdom of God to His Gathered Church and Paul Charges Local Congregations to Corporately Exercise this Authority by Adding and Removing Members

    Jesus: In Matthew 16, Jesus gives Peter, the first Christian confessor, the “keys of the kingdom of God” with the authority to “bind and loose” on behalf of heaven. Then in Matthew 18, Jesus gives this same “binding and loosing on behalf of heaven” authority to Christians when “two or three are gathered in my name” (vv. 17-18). So, God’s gathered church has the responsibility to add and remove members as representatives of our Father in heaven (vv. 19-20). We practically obey this corporate command by voting members in (“binding”) and out (“loosing”) on the basis of a sinner’s confession of Jesus as Lord.

    Paul: Though he is an apostle of God, Paul requires a congregation to act when adding or removing a member of the church.

    REMOVING:

    In 1 Corinthians 5, the apostle Paul addresses a situation of unrepentant sin in the Corinthian church and asks them to remove a member. He exhorts the Corinthian church when they are “assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus” to remove the man who is committing this sin (1 Cor 5:4). So, we have a New Testament example of a church corporately acting to remove a member.

    ADDING:

    We also see the Corinthian church corporately acting to add members. In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul talks about how “the majority” of gathered believers should reaffirm their love for a repentant sinner.  Many scholars believe this “reaffirmed man” in 2 Corinthians 2 is likely the same person removed from the church in 1 Corinthians 5.

    In these Bible texts, you see the responsibility to add or remove members is given to the gathered church. The authority granted is not to a leadership team, nor any one individual (not even an apostle!). The authority to add or remove members is given to US together, the corporate congregation of Ogletown Baptist Church.

  • By Voting in a Members’ Meeting to “Bind and Loose” (add and remove)

    We make decisions together by voting. Members vote by raising their hands. For each decision, the moderator will indicate when to vote. A majority vote carries. That means members can vote “no”, but if the majority votes “yes,” this creates an opportunity to mutually submit to one another and the vote passes.

PROSPECTIVE MEMBER PROCESS

Presentation of the Prospective Member

The pastor who interviewed the prospective member will present a recommendation from the Shepherding Team during the Member’s Meeting, noting a few pertinent details from their testimony.

RECOMMENDATION: A recommendation from the Shepherding Team means the prospective member has, at a minimum, completed membership classes, participated in a membership interview with a pastor, affirmed and signed the Statement of Faith and Church Covenant, articulated the gospel of Jesus, notified us of their baptism or intent to be baptized.

DISCUSSION

After the recommendations, the moderator will open the floor for discussion, specifically as it relates to a person’s credible profession of Jesus as Lord. It is important for members to speak up since there could be things the Shepherding Team is not aware of. Publishing the testimonies in advance gives members an opportunity to talk to a church leader about any concerns. If members have a concern, ideally, they will communicate with a Shepherding Team member after reading the testimonies and prior to the meeting. If a member has not vocalized a concern to a pastor in private, this is the final opportunity to speak up before voting.

  • Members should articulate ongoing, unrepentant sin that may have not been revealed during the membership interview process. (i.e. you know a prospective member presented is having an adulterous affair, or has been cheating on his/her taxes, or he/she has a lifestyle of cheating or stealing).

MEMBER VOTE

Following discussion, the moderator will move to a vote, giving members time to raise their hand for “yes”, followed by “no.” Current members vote on a prospective member’s (1) credible profession in Jesus; (2) baptism that corporately attests to their profession of faith; and (3) agreement with the Statement of Faith and Church covenant. Current members vote “no” if they don’t believe the prospective member is a Christian (click the + button above to see examples). By voting, current members are exercising the keys of the kingdom–the “binding” and “loosing” that Jesus speaks about in Matthew 18:18.

Corporate Decision Announced

The moderator will respond to the vote. If the majority votes “Yes,” then we move forward and “bind them” into our membership. If the majority votes, “No,” we will withhold membership from the prospective member (or “loose them”) on the same basis.