MEMBERSHIP

The word "membership" can carry a lot of baggage. Depending on your past experiences, you might associate it with a gym subscription, a country club, or a list of strict rules. You might even wonder why a church has members at all! At New Heights, membership isn't about exclusive perks or an organizational roster. It’s simply about partnership. It’s the intentional step of moving from a guest who attends to a family member who belongs.

It’s easy to look at a weekend service—the music, the preaching, the crowds—and think you've seen the whole picture of a church. But real roots are grown beneath the surface. Our culture is built on going deep into the Bible and sharing our lives with one another. Joining a Community Group is how you move from simply sitting in a row to actively growing your faith. It’s where we unpack God's Word and challenge each other to live it out.

Every healthy family needs loving guidance and dedicated support. In accordance with our understanding of Scripture, New Heights is governed by a team of male elders entrusted with the spiritual health, teaching, and pastoral care of the church body. They guard the theology and set the vision.

Under their spiritual guidance, our staff team manages the daily execution of that vision. Our staff consists of gifted men and women who organize our weekend services, lead our specific ministries, and resource our congregation to live out their faith.

From a small backyard Bible study to a thriving church needing four services and a brand-new building, the story of New Heights is all about God's unexpected blessings. Discover how a timely phone call, a massive building remodel, and a shared commitment to preaching God's Word built the church family we call home today.

[Click the link to read the incredible history of New Heights Church]

This one seems like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to forget about it. New members need to know what you believe so they know where you stand and know if they fit.

Now, we aren’t talking about detailing everything you believe about everything. You do need to clearly state the things that people might assume incorrectly.

For example, you should cover your beliefs about things like the basis for salvation, the Bible, baptism, worship, ecclesiology, and other matters that might differ from one congregation to another. You don’t need to cover your theory about the significance of Samson’s hair length or how you feel about the current administration.

One more thing on beliefs…it’s a great time to share a clear message of the gospel with a captive audience. I hear stories constantly about people being saved through new members classes. Take advantage of that opportunity.

If you choose only one of these topics to cover in a new members class, please let it be this one. It’s so important to set clear and realistic expectations for your new church members.

If you’re not sure what expectations to set, here are some ideas. First, you want your new members to understand that membership doesn’t come with special privileges like the pastor’s cell phone number or guaranteed opportunities to sing on Sunday mornings. In fact, it may be good to clearly remove the concept of “privileges” from their minds and replace it with “responsibilities.”

Second, make sure your new members know what you expect from them. For example, you may expect every member to serve actively in a ministry, tithe faithfully, be active in evangelism, or participate in missions. Whatever expectations you have of your members, lay them out clearly to avoid misunderstandings and hurt feelings in the future.