Becoming a member at New Community is easy. Read the packet below. At the end of the packet is a page for you to fill out. Print out the packet, sign it, and bring to the church. Within a week, one of our pastoral staff will set up a one on one get together with you to answer any of your questions and get to know you better. A bam! … you’re apart of the New Community family. If you have any question, you can call Pastor Gary at (702) 250-4961 or email him at gdherndon@gmail.com.
Discovering New Community Church
…You are a member of God’s own family…and you belong in
God’s household with every other Christian.
Eph. 2:19 (LB)
Pastor Chris Bennett
WELCOME TO Discovering New Community Church
We're thrilled you've chosen to explore membership at New Community Church. This booklet is designed to help you better understand:
·The purpose, vision, and mission of our church.
·What our church believes
·How our church is structured
·The importance of membership
·How you can become a member
After you have completed this booklet, call the church @ 435-9505, and let Katie know you’ve completed it. We’ll invite you to a small gathering with others who are exploring membership at New Community Church. There, over refreshments or a light meal you’ll hear more about how NCC got started, you’ll be able to ask any questions you have, and you’ll have an opportunity to join our church. You’ll never be pressured to join. Membership is an important decision, and we encourage you to join only when you feel God is leading you to do so.
Let’s get started.
The basis for this course:
Throughout the Bible, we see that God intended for us to be in community, to share life together with others who are living out their relationship with God. Way back in Genesis 2:18, God said “It is not good for man to be alone.”
Whether we consider the multitudes traveling in the wilderness to the promised land, the small band of disciples following Jesus in Palestine, or the churches meeting in homes in the New Testament, we see that God intends for us to spend time in community, encouraging each other, and building each other up.
The following verse forms the foundation for the discussion of membership in this booklet.
... You are a member of God's very own family ...and you belong in God's household with every other Christian. Ephesians 2:19
Three Key Truths come from this verse:
1. The church is a Family.
2. God's expects His children to be a member of a church family.“. . . you belong in God’s household.”
3. A Christian without a church family is an Orphan .
The goals of the Discovering New Community membership process:
That you would commit yourself to Christ, and that you would experience belonging in the New Community Church Family.
OUR PURPOSE
...to be the life of Jesus to the world
Simply stated, the purpose of New Community is to be the life of Jesus in our community and in our world. The Bible teaches that the church is the body of Christ. Therefore, what we do, what we say, and how we live should reflect the character of Christ. When our world sees us, they see Christ.
OUR VISION
Expressing our purpose in the world requires a vision, a picture of what it looks like to be the life of Jesus in our world. We are committed to the following vision statement. We are confident that this vision is what God has in mind for New Community Church as we express the life of Jesus in our world.
Our Vision Statement
·playing a vital role in the planting of 10 churches.
·empowering people to overcome life’s biggest problems, realize visions, and fulfill their destiny.
·equipping marriages to be strong, fulfilling, and lasting entire lifetimes.
·equipping homes so that children become successful in life and dangerous to the kingdom of darkness.
·providing a launching pad for effective mission efforts spanning the entire globe.
OUR MISSION
Our Purpose statement tells why we are here.Our Vision Statement tells what we look like. Now our Mission Statement tells how we believe God is working through us to make that purpose and vision come about.
The mission of our church flows out of two key scriptures:
The Great Commandment: “Jesus said, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart ... soul ... and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.’ ”Matt. 22:36-40
The Great Commission: “Jesus said, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’”
Matt. 28:19-20
We accomplish our mission of loving God, loving others, and making disciples by Celebrating, Connecting, and Contributing.
Our Mission Statement
We make disciples by Celebrating, Connecting, and Contributing
We Celebrate the life of Christ in our weekend celebrations. Here we express love for God.
Sing to God; make music to praise his name. Make a highway for him to ride through the deserts. The Lord is his name. Celebrate in his presence.Psalm 68:4
We Connect with other Followers of Christ. This is how we express love for others.
The primary way we do this is through our Life Groups.These small groups meet in homes or at the church for the purpose of fellowship and encouragement. Through our Life Groups, we build each other up and encourage each other to be like Jesus Christ in a small group setting. Being in groups like these is vital to your growth and health as a follower of Christ.
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
I Thes. 5:11
We Contribute to the Cause of Christ – This is how we grow as disciples.
We contribute to the cause of Christ through the giving of gifts.We give our spiritual gifts and we give our financial gifts.
1. We give Spiritual gifts
A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.I Cor. 12:7
He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.Ephesians 4:11-12.
AT NEW COMMUNITY CHURCH ...
Every member is a Minister.
Every task is Important
Every member can be a "10" in Some area.
We encourage all our members to discover their SHAPE for ministry and service. We are convinced that when a person serves according to his or her God-given gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences, they are more fulfilled, and can live and serve joyfully.
S. – Spiritual gifts
H. – Heart
A. – Abilities
P. – Personality
E. - Experiences
As part of the giving and developing of our spiritual gifts, we commit to the lifestyle of Jesus. To help our members grow as disciples, NCC presents four learning environments. We encourage all members to take part in these growth experiences.
·Discovering New Community(101) Commit to Membership in His family
·Discovering Spiritual Maturity (201) Commit to Mature in His character
·Discovering my S.H.A.P.E. (301) Commit to Minister in His body
·Discovering my Mission(401) Commit to be on Mission in His world
2.We give Financial gifts.
Our financial gifts enable New Community Church to better carry out its Purpose, Vision, and Mission by providing resources to plant churches, provide ministry to individuals and families, and to carry out missions in our community, the nation, and the world. The fact is, it takes money to do work in today’s world. As we give prayerfully, worshipfully, and generously, God uses our financial gifts to extent the reach and influence of His kingdom.
"On the first day of each week, set aside some of what you have earned and give it as an offering.The amount depends on how much the Lord has helped you earn."1 Cor. 16:2 (LB)
OUR BELIEFS
In essential beliefs - we have unity.
There is one body and one Spirit ... there is one Lord, one faith one baptism, and one God and Father of us all ...Eph. 4:4-6
In non-essential beliefs - we have liberty.
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters ... Who are you to judge someone else's servant?To his own master he stands or falls... So then each of us will give an account of himself to God ... So whatever you believe about things keep between yourself and God.Rom.14:1, 4, 12, 22
In all our beliefs - we show love.
... If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains - but have no love, I amount to nothing at all. 1 Cor. 13:2 (Ph)
THE ESSENTIALS WE BELIEVE
1. ABOUT GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three are co-equal and are one God.
Gen. 1:1,26-27,3:22; Ps. 90:2; Matt. 28:19; 1 Pet. 1:2; II Cor. 13:14
2. ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate his power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Matt. 1:22-23; Isa. 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Heb. 4:14-15; I Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 1:3-4; Acts 1:9-11; I Tim. 6:14-15; Tit. 2:13
3. ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily.
II Cor. 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16-17; Acts 1:8; I Cor. 2:12, 3:16; Eph. 1:13; Gal. 5:25; Eph. 1:13; Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:18
4. ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is God's Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error.
II Tim. 3:16; II Pet. 1:20-21; II Tim. 1:13; Ps. 119:105, 160, 12:6;
Pro. 30:5
5. ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God's creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude that separates people from God and causes many problems in life.
Gen. 1:27; Ps. 8:3-6; Isa. 53:6a; Rom. 3:23;
6. ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation is God's free gift to us but we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness, can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith, we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; John 14:6, 1:12; Tit. 3:5; Gal. 3:26; Rom. 5:1
7. ABOUT ETERNITY
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
John 3:16; John 2:25; John 5:11-13; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:15; Matt. 1:8; Matt. 2:44,46
OUR LIFESTYLE STATEMENT
What we practice
Beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into actions. Based on what the Bible teaches, we feel very strongly about the following seven practices:
1. The Bible as our sole authority.
The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us to do what is right.2 Tim. 3:15
Since God's Word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for living. Our first question when faced with a decision is "What does the Bible say?” We practice daily Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization. The Bible is the basis for all we believe.
2. The Autonomy of each local church.
Christ is the head of his Body, the church. He is the source of the Body's life ...Col. 1:18 (GN)
Christ is the recognized head of our church, not any person, group, or religious organization. While recognizing the value of associating or cooperating with other groups of Christians, we believe every local church should be self-governing and independent from any denominational control. In relating to our "daughter churches" that we sponsor, we encourage each congregation to determine it's own strategy, structure, and style.
3. The Priesthood (Ministry) of every believer.
Christ loves us, and by His death He has freed us from our sins and made us a kingdom of priests to serve God ...Rev. 1:6 (GN)
You are ... the King's priests ... God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God.
1 Pet. 2:9 (GN)
The Bible teaches that every Christian is called to "full time" Christian service, regardless of his or her vocation. We practice the truth that every believer is a minister by encouraging every member to find a place of service and ministry. Every believer has direct access to God through prayer and Bible reading.
4. Tithing
A tithe of everything you produce belongs to the Lord;
it is holy to the Lord.Lev. 26:30
At NCC we practice tithing for the support of Christ's Body, the church, as God commands. We recognize that giving 10% of our income is the biblical standard of giving.
5. Baptism by Immersion
For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ,
and in baptism you were also raised with Christ ...Col. 2:12
We practice baptism by immersion under water - the way Jesus was baptized, and the way the Bible commands.
6. Spirit-filled living
We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God's power within us. So we seek to practice a daily dependence on God's Spirit to enable us to do what is right.(Phil. 2:13; Eph. 5:18)
7. Telling others about Christ
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1 Pet. 3:15
It is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News with those whom God has brought into their lives. We personally tell others about Christ and invite our friends to church.
Our Partnerships
When New Community Church began, two groups of churches gave our church financial support to help us get started:
·The Fellowship Network of Churches
Churches that fellowship together and are networked together to reach the world.
·The North American Mission Board
40,000 churches that cooperate together in a world-wide effort of missions
These groups gave our church thousands in support to help us get started — with no strings attached!They have also invested greatly in our daughter churches.
We now wholeheartedly support these groups in helping start many other new churches.
What is the advantage of Partnering?
It allows our church to participate in the largest missionary organization in the world.Through the “Cooperative Program” we help support over 7,500 missionaries in 104 countries around the world.
Why not just be an independent church?
We are an independent church!Every church associated is completely independent.There is no denominational control or hierarchy as there is in many other organizations.Each church is self-governed and determines its own affairs.
WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MEMBER
The difference between "attenders" and "members" can be summed up in one word:Commitment
At NCC we recognize the need for formal membership.
We ask you to commit to membership for four reasons:
1. A Biblical Reason: Christ is committed to the church.
... Christ loved the church, and He gave His life for it.Eph.5:25
2. A Cultural Reason: It is a unique commitment in our society.
We live in an age where very few want to be committed to anything ... a job ... a relationship ... our country. This attitude has even produced a generation of "church shoppers & hoppers.” Membership swims against the current of America's "consumer religion” that switches groups for any reason. Membership is an unselfish decision. Commitment always builds character.
3. A Practical Reason: It defines who can be counted on.
Every team must have a roster. Every school must have an enrollment. Every army has an enlistment. Membership identifies those who can be depended on to help fulfill our purpose.
4. A Personal Reason: It encourages spiritual growth.
The New Testament places a major emphasis on the need for Christians to be accountable to each other for spiritual growth. It’s tough to be accountable when you're not committed to any specific church family.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF ME AS A MEMBER?
At NCC we never ask our members to do more than the Bible clearly teaches. We only encourage our members to do what the Bible expects every Christian to do. These responsibilities are spelled out in the Membership Commitment.
THE COMMITMENT
Having received Christ as my Lord and Savior and been baptized, and being in agreement with NCC's Purpose, Vision, and Mission, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to join the New Community Church family. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members to do the following:
1. I WILL PROTECT THE UNITY OF MY CHURCH
·By acting in love toward other members
·By refusing to gossip
·By following the leaders
·By reconciling conflict
So let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony, and on the growth of our fellowship together. Rom. 15:19(Ph)
Live in complete harmony with each other - each with the attitude of Christ toward each other. Rom. 15:5
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs ... Eph.4:29
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be no advantage to you. Heb. 13:17
2. I WILL SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MY CHURCH
·By praying for its growth
·By inviting those who don’t have a church home to attend
·By warmly welcoming those who are alone and/or visiting
We always thank God for you and pray for you constantly 1 Thes. 1:2,
Well, then,' said his master, `go out into the country lanes and out behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full. Luke 14:23 (LB)
So warmly welcome each other into the church, just as Christ has warmly welcomed you; then God will be glorified. Rom. 15:7 (LB)
3. I WILL SERVE THE MINISTRY OF MY CHURCH
·By discovering my gifts and talents
·By being equipped to serve
·By developing a servant's heart
Serve one another with the particular gifts God has given each of you ... 1 Pet. 4:10 (Ph)
God gave ... some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of ministry, so that the Body of Christ may be built up...Eph. 4:11-12
4. I WILL SUPPORT THE LIFE OF MY CHURCH
·By attending celebrations faithfully
·By establishing a regular pattern of giving to the Church (tithe)
·By seeking to live a godly life
Let us not give up the habit of meeting together ... but let us encourage one another. Heb. 10:25
A tithe of everything you produce belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. Lev. 26:30
But whatever happens, make sure that your everyday life is worthy of the gospel of Christ. Phil. 1:27 (Ph)
We'd Like To Get To Know You!
Name______________________ Date _____________
Address ___________________________________________
CityStateZip________
Home Phone ( )___________________ E-mail __________________________________
Mobile Phone ( ) ___________________
2nd E-mail______________________________
Sex (circle one) M / F Date of Birth ________ - _________ - ________
I have the following expertise___________________________
1. Does your family attend NCC? Yes No
2. Who first invited you to NCC?
____Family ____Advertisement
____Friend ____ Came on my own
____Door-hanger ____ Other __________________ ____Mailer
3. How would you consider your attendance and involvement?
____ Active
____ Occasional attender
____ Infrequent and uninvolved
____ Visitor
4. If you were to attend an “Area” Bible Study,which would you attend?
____ South of 215 __North Las Vegas
____ North of 215 __South West
____ Sumerlin __At NCC Building
___ Other __ N.W. Las Vegas
5. How would you describe your relationship to Christ?
____ Seeker/curious
____ I'm not sure what I believe
____ Committed Christian
____ New Christian
I've been a Christian for a while but I need to grow closer
Other:___________________________________________
6.Are you aware of any spiritual gifts you might have?Please list below.
__________________________________
__________________________________
Membership Declaration
1.Have you committed your life to Jesus Christ and trusted him for salvation?
Yes
When? ________________________
Where? ________________________
I have committed my life to Jesus Christ in this class.
2.Have you been baptized after you committed your life to Christ?
Yes
When? ________________________
Where? ________________________
I want to be baptized at NCC
3. Have you completed "Discovering New Community" in the booklet or on the web site?
Yes
Date____________________________
4. Do you desire to abide by the NCC Family Covenant?
Yes, I do!
Please Sign Your Name and Date: ____________________________________
Welcome to our Family!