How To Become a Member of
Lea Joyner Church
Why become a member?
Everyone is welcome to attend worship and participate in activities at Lea Joyner Church! However, becoming a member signifies a deeper commitment to Jesus and to the church. Through membership, we commit to loving Jesus in all aspects of our lives and serving Him in and through the church.
Baptism
Baptism is an initiation into the family of God. As Methodists, we believe baptism is the sign of God’s grace working in our life, and therefore, persons of any age are welcome to be baptized. We believe baptism can be performed using sprinkling, pouring, or immersion.
Joining by Profession of Faith
All persons in 6th grade or older are welcome to become a member of Lea Joyner Church. If you have never made a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ, you are invited to do so as you join.
This involves:
- Renouncing your Sin and anything else that comes between you and God
- Accepting Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior
- Acknowledging the Bible as authoritative, informative, and inspiring to your Christian Faith.
- Committing to The Church as the fellowship of believers in Jesus Christ.
Joining by Profession of Faith is for those who have never been baptized, as well as those who were baptized as infants or children but never made a public profession of faith and joined a church.
Joining by Transfer of Membership
If you have been baptized and are a member of another church, you are welcome to join Lea Joyner Church by answering the following question:
“Will you be loyal to Christ through Lea Joyner Church, and as Christ’s representative in this world, will you do all in your power to strengthen the ministries of the church through your Prayers, your Presence, your Gifts, your Service and your Witness?
Prayers
Our Commitment to uphold the Church through intercessory prayer is based upon the fundamental reality that we are not simply a human agency seeking to meet human needs: we pray because we require God’s guidance in order to be the church. When we pray for our pastor, for our teachers, for one another, and for those who may never even enter our doors, we express our dependence on God so that we might in turn express the will and compassion of Christ.
Presence
Our Commitment to uphold the Church by our presence is a visible witness of our faith, both in the pew and in the world. Our relationship to Christ is nurtured by our presence in worship where we find spiritual guidance, comfort and strength. Our relationship to Christ is not confined to Sunday morning alone, however. We also uphold the Church by our presence at home, at work, at school, and in the community. Wherever we are, our presence should be an expression of our commitment to Christ.
Gifts
Our Commitment to uphold the Church by our gifts is a thankful response from the heart for all God has given us. Such a commitment serves to remind us of our role as stewards over what God has entrusted to us. All gifts given to Lea Joyner Church are used to maintain and expand the ministries of our church or to support other ministries in our community, nation and world.
Service
Our commitment to be loyal to the Church and uphold it by our service further reflects our commitment to follow the example of Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). God has entrusted all of us with certain talents and abilities, and sharing these gifts is a means of sharing ourselves out of love and gratitude toward God and love for one another.
Witness
As members of Lea Joyner Church, we commit to be witnesses to the power of God’s grace at ALL times. We commit to telling others about the work of God in our lives by word and example.
How to Become a member
If you decide to become part of the Lea Joyner Church family, you are invited to contact one of the pastors to discuss what it means to be a member. You can seek out Pastor Ben McGehee or Pastor Betty Swanson on Sunday mornings or contact them during the week at the church office – 318-343-0073.
They will schedule a time to meet with you to understand your intentions and let you know about our membership requirements. They will then schedule a time on Sunday morning for baptism and/or joining the church.