Every time a new member is formally received into membership at IDC the first thing we do is send the individual or family a “New Member Letter.”
It’s our way of saying, “Welcome!” and is also an avenue to exhort them in various things we want to be true about our church’s mission and life together. Things necessary for church unity. Here is the letter in its current form, maybe you can adapt it and use it for your church. Our letter is, after all, an adaptation of a similar one from Capitol Hill Baptist Church in D.C. Praise the Lord for like-minded partners in the gospel!
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Dear New Member,
Welcome! On Saturday, August 10th the assembled congregation of Imago Dei Church affirmed you into membership. We are grateful the Lord as brought you into our local body.
As church members we are responsible to one another. Scripture uses metaphors of a building, a body, and a family to help us understand the corporate nature of our faith. As you commit yourself to the life of this church, keep in mind the following priorities.
Attend. Be constant in your attendance on Saturday nights. These gatherings are the primary means for you to get to know others and be known by them. Such participation will root you in the growth and development of our church.
Pray. Prayer for our services, witness, evangelism, and members, will strengthen the community of faith God is building at IDC. We suggest you pray through the church directory, praying through three or four names each day.
Give. Work toward contributing a percentage of your income regularly to the ministry of this church as we serve on another, our community, and the world.
Serve. Use your Spirit-given gifts to edify the body.
Live holy. Your actions, in private and in public, affect the health and witness of our church. Fight sin by God’s grace and, through the Spirit’s work, grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.
Evangelize. You’re a missionary sent by our church into your neighborhood, home, and workplace. Grow in your understanding and affection for the Gospel, and pray daily to seize opportunities to share the good news.
Set aside the second Saturday night of every other month to be at our family meetings. These meetings occur regularly every other month; the next meeting happens on August 10th. Whether the meetings are long or short, exciting or routine, they are a crucial part of our functioning as a congregation.
As we come together and pray, as we give and obey, as we deliberate and decide, we have the opportunity and responsibility to show God’s glory to this neighborhood, this city and beyond. Welcome to the challenge and privilege of being a member of Imago Dei Church.