How To Become a Member

God is doing some great things at PHBC and we are excited to know that you feel that God may be leading you to join our church family.  We believe that membership in a church family is an extremely important part of a balanced and healthy Christian life.

FAQs ABOUT CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

Why is it important for me to join a church?  Can't I just come and be a part of weekly celebration services?

At PHBC, we agree that it is important for everyone who is not a member to come and be a part of our weekly celebration services on a regular basis before you consider joining.  This gives you an opportunity to experience firsthand what our heartbeat and values are as a congregation.  However, once you see that the ministry here is what God wants you to be a part of on a regular basis, it is important that you join our family.  God's design is for every person to be a part of a church family as we grow spiritually in our relationships with Him and one another.  He established the church to provide support and spiritual protection for one another.  Hebrews 10:25 says that we should "not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but [that we should] encourage one another" faithfully.  It is critical to your future spiritual growth that you make a commitment to a body of believers who have spiritual values similar to yours.

What if I want to find out more about the church before I join?

We believe that it is extremely important for you to have as much information as possible about our church family before you commit to becoming a member.  Please do not hesitate to contact the church office to schedule an appointment with one of our church pastors so that you can get all the information you need.  Beginning in September 2008, we will offer monthly new-members classes to go over the history, mission, and vision of the church.

To find out more about joining do I have to "walk the aisle" in front of the congregation?

No. At PHBC, we recognize that many people are not comfortable in large crowds.  As a result, we try to do everything that we can to make joining our church stress free.  To help relieve some of the stress, our pastors typically wait in the foyer following services to meet with individuals and families who wish to discuss membership.  From there, we will team you up with one of our members who will explain the steps in the membership process.

What are the prerequisites for church membership at PHBC?

At PHBC, we have two prerequisites for church membership.  First, the Bible teaches that to be a member of the body of Christ (the church), you must first commit your life to Christ.  A personal commitment to the Lord Jesus is the key element to being a part of the body at PHBC.

Second, the Bible also teaches that baptism by immersion (being placed completely under the water) is the first act of obedience to the Lord Jesus after you have committed your life to Him.  Baptism is a public symbol of the private commitment to Christ much like a wedding ring shows a commitment to one's spouse.  We believe that baptism by immersion is the biblical way of baptizing because it is a picture of being buried with Christ and raised to walk in a new life (Romans 6:4).  If you have never committed your life to Christ and been baptized by immersion, these are the first steps for you in joining the PHBC family and someone on our staff will gladly help you with your decision.  If you have previously committed your life to Christ, but have never been baptized by immersion, your first step will be making a public profession of your faith through baptism.  If you have committed your life to Christ and been baptized by immersion, your first step toward joining the PHBC family is sharing the story of your previous commitment and baptism with one of our pastors.

Let us encourage you to continue to seek God's will on whether He desires for you to plant your life here with us.  We recognize that there are many wonderful churches in our area, and we are excited that you feel that God may be leading you to be a part of our church family.