Membership
What is Church Membership?
Becoming a member of a church is a very important decision. A church is a group of people who have trusted the Lord Jesus as personal Savior and have banded together to carry out His work in the world. When one becomes a church member, he is making a covenant with the other members of the church to be his best with God’s help to live a Christ-like life and to cooperate with them to do the Church’s work.
“Let us not give up meeting together … but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:25
1. By Letter
A person may unite by letter, which means that he is already a member of another Baptist church. When one requests membership in this way, the Koza church clerk writes the church where he is a member and requests a letter of recommendation. Persons are considered a part of the church fellowship immediately and have the privileges and responsibilities given to a church member.
2. By Statement
A person may unite by statement, meaning that he was once a Baptist but is not presently a part of another Baptist fellowship church. Membership by statement is also extended to individuals who have received believers baptism by immersion, whose biblical interpretation is the same as the Baptist and who express a desire to affiliate with Koza Baptist Church.
3. By Profession of Faith and Baptism
A person may unite by profession of faith and become a candidate for baptism. This means that he has trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior, is now declaring himself openly as a believer, and is asking for membership in the Church. If you have received Christ into your life or want to receive Him, go forward and tell the pastor that you are coming by profession of faith and wish to become a candidate for baptism.
Also, if you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior and have been a member of another denomination who does not require baptism by immersion or holds different views on the meaning of baptism than Baptists hold, then you would come as a candidate for baptism. Full membership to Koza Baptist Church is granted following your baptism.
4. By Watchcare
A person from another denomination may unite with Koza Baptist Church by Watchcare. Under our Watchcare program we welcome you upon your statement of salvation experience in Christ. This does not affect your membership at your home church, but gives you a church home and Christian fellowship in Okinawa. Watchcare membership is most often extended to those whose own denomination is not represented by a church here on Okinawa. Watchcare members are afforded all the privileges of regular membership with the exception of being able to hold offices that would include teaching or doctrinal interpretation.
Joining Koza Baptist Church
At the end of each worship service a hymn is sung and individuals are invited to respond to God’s leadership. Persons led to make a public decision are asked to come forward and share that decision with the pastor.