How Do I Join the Church?
Thank you for your interest in joining First Baptist Roanoke! We believe that First Baptist is a great family of believers, and God has used so many in our congregation in a mighty way to build His kingdom.
Church Membership
Membership at FBC is a great opportunity, and here is the process:
First, we ask that you come and speak with one of the ministers during the invitation time at the end of any of our Sunday services. A minister will pray with you and link you up with one of our members who will record some of your personal information to be used for our church records.
Second, you will receive an invitation to attend one of our New Member’s Classes. This class is held on the first Sunday of each month, after the 10:30 morning worship service. During this class, the ministers will explain the church’s beliefs and give you a quick over-view of all the church’s ministries. This is a great time to build relationships with the other New Member’s at FBC, while enjoying a time of food and fellowship. At the completion of this class, one of the ministers will personally recommend you to the church leadership.
If you would like to receive any more information, please feel free to contact Dawson Bailey at 224-3370 or at DBailey@FBCRke.org
The Importance of Membership
At Roanoke's First Baptist Church, we recognize the need for formal membership. We believe formal membership in a local church is important for four reasons.
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The first is a Biblical reason—Christ is committed to the church. Ephesians 5:25 states, “Christ loved the church, and gave His life for her.” Membership in a local church is an important step in demonstrating our commitment to Christ.
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The second reason is a cultural reason. We live in an age where very few want to be committed to anything…a job, a marriage, or family. This attitude has produced a generation of church hoppers and shoppers. Membership swims against the current of America’s consumer mentality and is an antidote to society. Membership sets apart from the culture allowing us to preserve our distinctive Christian beliefs and values.
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The third reason why we emphasize formal membership is a practical reason. Membership identifies our community and family. It defines who can be entrusted with positions of leadership within the church.
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Lastly, we each have a personal reason why membership is important. Membership produces spiritual growth. The New Testament places a major emphasis on the need for Christians to be accountable to each other for spiritual growth. A person cannot be accountable when they are not committed to any specific church family. As you visit our church, we pray that you will consider all the benefits and privileges of membership to a local community of believers. Our prayer is that you will join us in our commitment to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
What About Baptism?
BAPTISM: Baptism is a picture and an illustration—a symbolic act. Baptism by immersion best illustrates the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ on our behalf and our subsequent faith in Him. It is not necessary for salvation, but is strongly associated with salvation as it best illustrates our new identity with Jesus Christ.
We believe in believer’s baptism. A person must first exercise faith in Jesus Christ, believing that He died for their sins, was buried, and rose from the dead. An infant or person who does not understand God’s plan of salvation cannot make that kind of commitment. The Scriptural order is belief first followed by baptism. Baptism is limited to those who have personally believed in Jesus Christ as Savior.
| Mark 1:9-11 | Matthew 28:18-20 |
| Mark 16:15-16 | Acts 8:12 |
| Matthew 3:13-17 | Colossians 2:12 |
