Membership and Membership Applications - how to evaluate?

mreeed

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Our small messianic congregation (averages 20 or so each sabbath) has existed since 2010 without formal membership and our first-time congregation leader of a year and a half is moving towards instituting membership. As part of the leadership team for the congregation, I have been asked to provide feedback on a membership application form. Since its revision, the form is now 4 pages long, not counting the testimony it asks people to write nor the 3-1/2 page statement of faith (new, but is that of our umbrella organization). Apparently it is based on a standard form that many (larger?) messianic congregations are using.

Partly it feels like a lot of red tape, partly I don't know how well it will be ascribed to by many people who tend to be 'come and go regulars' and/or have disparate theological views or may have membership reservations for other reasons. As for me I will confess I might be a bit biased against the concept of membership since it is forcing me to make a decision between this congregation and another non-messianic congregation I am also active in. In both as long as they've been around. But maybe it will be a good thing, even change is hard and if I don't like it in my circumstances.

Are there key questions one should or shouldn't ask? (In Canada.) Thoughts on these?
Are you a convicted felon or have been charged with and crime or felony at any time in your life?
Do you agree to support this congregation with tithes and offerings?
No mention is made in either document of orientation to avoid accusations of discrimination, but the form asks specifically for Husband's/Wife's names.

The form is meant to be a first step in the membership process, and membership classes and teaching programs to follow. As far as I know baptism/mikvah will not be required, I understand that teaching on this will be part of the shepherding process and perhaps is too complicated a question for our movement to make a part of the requirements. Ideally I think it should be. How do other messianic congregations handle this?

I am also concerned that this may result in an imbalance down the line, either of less mature members making decisions in congregational meetings, or (more likely) more decisions being taken out of membership hands. Then again this last may happen anyway. Participation in adhoc committees recently created to do the work of events and such is great to see. But the strongest on our leadership team have been leaving, plus our input has become more limited.

I'm musing, I guess, and looking for wisdom and mature/pastoral perspectives on the topic of membership and membership requirements in general. Thanks for any thoughts!
 
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Paidiske

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You might get more Messianic-specific answers in the Messianic forum.

In my denomination our requirements are pretty simple; valid baptism, not concurrently a member of another church.

I don't know about legalities around asking for criminal history just for membership; if you do collect and retain that kind of information there may also be legalities you need to observe around privacy (for example to do with how that information is stored and who may access it).
 
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mreeed

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FWIW, it felt wrong to me after just reading the title.

What felt wrong? I am not used to membership applications myself, but I can also see where they could be an even-handed starting point for a diverse membership if done correctly. For example we have had some tense situations, even threats, at least one or two which many felt could have escalated to violence by a certain attendee who was asked not to come back. No witchhunt is intended, rather the safety of the congregation.

The items I raise are ones that feel wrong or questionable to me, but I think they raise points worth addressing in some way, not necessarily on a membership form, but the question is how? I am looking for constructive things to suggest instead, for concerns.
 
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mreeed

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Good point re legalities and privacy, thank you Paidiske. I wasn't sure where to post, last time I posted to the messianic forum relating to membership it got non-messianic replies anyways and got split/moved to a more general forum. Variety is good, there is wisdom in the full Body, and I did tag it messianic too.
 
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bekkilyn

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You might want to take a look at a book by Thom Rainer called, "I am a Church Member". It's written more from a Southern Baptist point of view, but could give you some ideas that may work in your situation.
 
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Kenny'sID

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What felt wrong? I am not used to membership applications myself, but I can also see where they could be an even-handed starting point for a diverse membership if done correctly. For example we have had some tense situations, even threats, at least one or two which many felt could have escalated to violence by a certain attendee who was asked not to come back. No witchhunt is intended, rather the safety of the congregation.

The items I raise are ones that feel wrong or questionable to me, but I think they raise points worth addressing in some way, not necessarily on a membership form, but the question is how? I am looking for constructive things to suggest instead, for concerns.

I understand you need reason, but that was precisely why I worded it as I did. I don't know enough to even know if I have good reasons against it, because there are a few things to consider that I'm just not that familiar with, the reason I said "FWIW", meaning my feeling may be worth something, or as little as nothing to you.
 
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Paidiske

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If you're looking for alternative ways to cover the same material, here are some ideas:

- Testimony: this could be linked to baptism rather than required on an application form.
- Statement of faith: perhaps this could be expressed liturgically at a service of welcome for new members in some way?
- Criminal history: ask for a police check (or local equivalent) for anybody in a position of leadership/office holders
- Tithes/offerings: link it to an annual stewardship campaign

I really can't see why the church should ask about your spouse, unless you're wanting to keep emergency contact information, and in that case (again) you probably have privacy issues; certainly where I am if we were to keep information on a spouse (or other emergency contact) we would need the permission of the person whose information it is, not the permission of their family member. (If that made sense?)

(Can you tell my church is currently doing an overhaul of its privacy policy? Sigh).

I guess the bigger and deeper question is, what do you see the purpose of membership as? If it's just to give people a right to vote at an annual meeting or stand as an office bearer, you really don't need to make it big and complicated. But it seems as if your congregation are trying to use membership as an introduction to the Christian faith, which seems to me to be a bit backwards...
 
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