Church Membership

“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.” - PHILIPPIANS 1:3-5

What does it mean to be a “member”?

Perhaps the best way to think of what it means to become a member of Hope Valley House Churches is to consider what it means to be “partners in spreading the Good News about Christ.” Whenever a person decides to join any local church congregation, the real decision they’re making is to partner with that particular group of people. This means contributing time, money, resources, and energy to the ministry of that local congregation. It also means inviting the people of that congregation into deeper, more honest, and more accountable relationship with yourself.

Don’t think “member” as in someone who belongs to a club or an association. Think “member” as in a part of the body - the way Paul uses the word in 1 Corinthians 12:12-28.

Hope Valley membership addresses two needs: a relational need and a logistical need.

Relationally, it is important for us to publicly declare our commitment to one another because it creates accountability and builds confidence in our relationships. Church membership is saying: “I’m not going anywhere. I am here to partner with you.”

Logistically, there are occasions when we need to vote on important decisions, like choosing Church Council members or purchasing property. For these occasions, we must have a recognized “voting body.” Who better to vote, than those who have partnered in the ministry?

How do you become a member?

At the beginning of each year, we will take time to sign the membership roll of the church at our monthly gathering. Those who are choosing to become members will come forward and sign, and those who are existing members will also come forward and sign, as a way of renewing their commitment and joining with the new members who are making this commitment for the first time.

By signing Hope Valley’s membership role, you are saying:

You have been baptized into the Christian faith
You share our same beliefs and values (see below)
You embrace our same vision for house churches
You will contribute your time, talent, and physical resources to the work of the ministry
You are inviting accountable relationship with the church community

Our Values

Honesty with Acceptance

Because every person is someone that is uniquely and purposefully created by God, we believe we ought to love and receive one another as we are. We work to create a culture where we can speak truthfully to each other, be honest about our flaws and our weaknesses, address conflict with one another directly, and all while showing compassion, patience, and mercy - just as Jesus does for us.

Proverbs 27:6a; Matthew 7:12, 22:36-40; John 13:34-35; Galatians 5:14, 6:1-2; Ephesians 4:15; 1 John 3:11

Commitment to Transformation

We really believe that the Spirit of God has the power to heal our hearts and transform our minds. But, how does God transform and heal us? Through relationship with Him and relationship with one another. So we partner with one another through prayer, studying the scripture, practicing compassionate confrontation, and submitting ourselves to Jesus Christ. Healing and transformation is something we experience together, always making room for mistakes and failure, but never settling for things to remain broken, unwhole, and dysfunctional.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Lamentations 3:40; Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:2-5; 2 Timothy 3:14-16; Hebrews 4:12

Growth by Replication

True growth always includes teaching and passing on to other the things that were taught and passed on to you. The Bible calls this “making disciples”. We believe that the church should not be just one or two people teaching everyone, but many teachers creating many more teachers. If God has done something in you, then He has given you something you can give to someone else.

Jeremiah 12:2; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42; Romans 12:46-47; 1 Corinthians 3:7; Ephesians 4:16; 2 Timothy 2:2

Our Beliefs

Hope Valley Church is part of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel and is in agreement with Foursquare’s Statement of Faith

Learn about Foursquare

1. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES

We believe that both the original writing and preservation of the books that have come to be collected into the Bible, was inspired by the Holy Spirit - and so we believe the Bible is reliable, trustworthy, and authoritative.

2 Timothy 3:16, 17

2. THE ETERNAL GODHEAD

We believe there is one God who is the perfect unity of three distinct persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 13:13; Matthew 28:19

3. THE FALL OF MAN

We believe that mankind was created in the image of God, but fell from perfection by voluntary disobedience to God. As a result, every person is born imperfect with a “natural” desire to sin, and we all have sin in our lives because of this.

Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:23 & 5:12

4. THE PLAN OF SALVATION

We believe that Jesus, the Son, died as the sacrifice for the sins of all people - paying the penalty for sin through His death, and making a way for new life through His resurrection, so that through faith in Him we can be forgiven, reconciled to God, and live.

John 3:16; Romans 5:8

5. SALVATION THROUGH GRACE

We believe that we receive forgiveness and right-standing with God by His grace, and not by our own ability to earn or deserve it.

Ephesians 2:8-9

6. REPENTANCE AND ACCEPTANCE

We believe that we receive forgiveness from God when we turn away (repent) from sin and submit to Jesus Christ, accepting Him as our Lord and God.

Romans 10:8-10; 1 John 1:9

7. THE NEW BIRTH

We believe that a very real, tangible change takes place in people who repent of their sin and accept Jesus Christ as Lord - their spirit comes alive as they begin to see and understand the truth of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 2:20

8. DAILY CHRISTIAN LIFE

We believe that being saved by God’s grace, and being born again by His Spirit, must play out in a real, practical difference in the way we live, as our words, thoughts, and actions become more and more in-line with the example of Jesus’ life.

Romans 12:1-2

9. BAPTISM AND COMMUNION

We believe that baptism (full immersion in water) is an important, necessary, public act that is an outward sign and testimony to what God has done inside of us.

Matthew 28:19; Romans 6:4

We believe in the importance and power of regularly eating the bread and drinking the cup (as described in Matthew 26:26-30) together with other believers, as a reminder, declaration, and reception of the comprehensive and complete work of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

10. BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe that believers in Jesus are filled with the Holy Spirit, empowering them to minister to others and effectively share the truth of God’s work.

Acts 1:4-5

11. THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE

We believe that our daily life must no longer be led by our own abilities, will, and desires, but by the direction and empowerment of God’s Spirit as we submit to Him.

Galatians 5:24-26

12. THE GIFTS AND FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

We believe that the Holy Spirit enables supernatural gifts in believers for the purpose of ministry and speaking the truth of God, and that the presence of these gifts is verified by the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Galatians 5:22-23

13. MODERATION

We believe that people who follow Christ should live disciplined, thoughtful, teachable, and balanced lives - not drifting to the extremes of any particular issue or practice.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27; Philippians 4:5; Titus 2:7-8

14. DIVINE HEALING

We believe that real, physical healing continues to be available today by the power of God, through faith and prayer.

James 5:14-16

15. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST

We believe in the physical return of Jesus Christ, just as He promised.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

16. CHURCH RELATIONSHIP

We believe that followers of Jesus must be in fellowship with one another, as the visible and functioning church of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 10:24-25

17. CIVIL GOVERNMENT

We believe that the authority of government bodies comes from God’s ultimate authority and order, and that they should be obeyed and honored (except where they contradict God’s own commands) and that God calls us to show honor and respect to those in positions of authority, submitting our behavior to Him as the authority that is over all other authorities.

Romans 13:1-7

18. THE FINAL JUDGMENT

We believe that God will judge the world, bringing justice to every wrong, and that every person will answer to Him for what they have done.

Revelation 20:11-12

19. HEAVEN

We believe that heaven is the real, eternal home of those who acknowledge Jesus as Lord, repent, and submit themselves to Him.

Revelation 21:1-4

20. HELL

We believe that hell is the place of eternal destruction for all who reject Jesus as Lord and God.

Revelation 20:10-15

21. EVANGELISM

We believe that the church’s is called to take the message of Jesus to the entire world and teach people to be followers of Jesus.

Matthew 28:19-20

22. TITHES AND OFFERINGS

We believe that God has called us to give freely, and generously, to the work of the church and the needs of those we minister to, and that giving in this way is the means that God has chosen to supply those needs.

2 Corinthians 9:6-9