Membership

Becoming an official member of our congregation is a great way to foster spiritual growth.

Our desire is that members of the church participate regularly in the Discover-Connect-Serve discipleship process and receive encouragement from members of our elder board. Members can also vote for elder and deacon board nominees and budget at our annual meeting and can opt into our secure online member directory.

At our annual meeting on February 26, 2024, the TBC Elder Board presented changes to our membership process and guidelines. Below is an explanation of those changes and the process to become a member.

The goals of membership changes:

  1. To align ourselves more fully with the instruction of 1 Peter 5:1-3, which says, in part, that elders are to “shepherd God’s flock among you.” 

  2. To encourage our church to participate deeply in our call to Discover, Connect, and Serve (D-C-S), especially those who have made the commitment to membership.

What’s changing?

There are four main changes (current members will only notice three of them). The changes, related to the goals above, are intended to grow our congregation’s interaction with the entire elder board, draw people deeper into our commitment to D-C-S, provide a safe, reliable place for our members to connect, and then streamline the process for someone wanting to become a member. You can expect to see these changes:

  • Elder Connection: We want to deepen the relationships between our church members and the elder board. Beginning this year, each member at TBC will be contacted twice per year by an elder to provide encouragement, accountability, and prayer. We are an elder-led church, and this is a great opportunity to strengthen the bonds of fellowship as we seek to learn more about your needs as a congregation member.

  • Member Covenant: We’ve occasionally received the question, “What does a member at TBC do?” Besides the ability to vote for our leadership and budget, members should be those who model discovering, connecting, and serving for the entire church. Beginning this year, each member will sign a Member Covenant, which outlines their commitment to discovering, connecting, and serving at TBC. Having a document that we can reference to describe what D-C-S looks like will be helpful as we continue to answer the question: do members at our church Discover, Connect, and Serve?

  • A New Directory: Having an accurate church directory that allows our members to connect and reach each other outside of church gatherings is important. Since our most recent physical directory in 2017, it’s become clear that we need to provide an online location for that information to make live updates when information changes. To house that information in a secure and private place, we will keep access to this new online directory to members only.

  • New Members: Desiring to streamline the process for new members, anyone who was not a member before our February 26 annual meeting will need to attend a 2-week membership class taught by one of the TBC Elders. Prospective members can initiate that process in person (at the Welcome Center in either lobby) or online (through our Membership page).

What about people who were already members before February 25, 2024?

For the most part, very little will change in your day-to-day experience as a member. You will begin to hear more often from our elders. Each year, you’ll sign the same Membership Covenant document, and you’ll have the opportunity to access and opt into our online directory in the near future.

What’s my next step?

Current members, please review and sign the member covenant by April 30, 2024. You can do this one of three ways:

  • Download, print, and sign a PDF of the Member Covenant and return it to us in person or via mail at the address at the bottom of our website.

  • Visit the Welcome Center or the church office to pick up and sign a paper copy of the Member Covenant.

Prospective members: Begin the new member process by signing up for our next two-week welcome class, led by members of our elder board.

Still have membership questions?

Membership FAQs

  • At the beginning of each fiscal year (March), we will divide the list of members amongst that year’s Elder Board. The Elder who contacts you might change from year to year.

  • The Member Covenant provides a few ways that we can uphold this commitment in our church, backed by Scripture.

  • There has never been priority placed on serving members over non-members with regard to pastoral care, and that will continue to be the case. Occasionally, benevolent requests are made to the church, and we try to determine the nature of the individual’s connection to TBC; membership makes that process easier.

  • The purpose of having an elder (who may or may not be a pastor on staff) contact you is to connect with you through encouragement, accountability, and prayer. And, at times, that same elder may reach out if we hear that you’re in need. However, you’re always welcome to call the office, email us, or share things with a pastor on staff when you see them in person – we’re here for you!

  • Even before this update, there has always been a process for removing someone from membership at TBC. Now, if someone were to consistently fail to uphold the things outlined in the Member Covenant (or fail to sign it), they would be removed from membership. But this is separate from church discipline in that someone may be removed – or want to be removed – from membership and still worship at TBC. However, we would hope that the desire to discover, connect, and serve would be something we’re all striving to keep!

  • Active members of the church will sign the document annually as a reminder of their commitment to Discover, Connect, and Serve.

  • We welcome your questions! Send an email to elders@discovertbc.com, speak with someone at the Welcome Center, or talk with a pastor.