Church Membership

Discover Sylvania

The lunch for those who want to join (or just learn more about) Sylvania

It All Starts With A Get-To-Know-Each-Other Lunch

Membership and even membership processes work differently from church to church. Discover Sylvania is a lunch for those who want to join Sylvania and/or learn what they would be getting into. ;)

What is Discover Sylvania?

Discover Sylvania is a lunch that lets you get to know Sylvania (i.e., what we believe, what you should expect from us, what we should expect from you, and how you can get connected).

Is childcare available?

Yes. In the form below, just let us know the names and ages of your kids who need childcare.

Who should attend?

Anyone who is interested in membership. It’s called Discover Sylvania because it’s just a no-pressure opportunity to discover more about Sylvania.

Does attending mean I'm joining the church?

No. The lunch gives you the option to proceed with membership, but pursuing membership after the lunch is entirely optional.

Also, if you would like to learn more about membership before our next Discover Sylvania lunch, just complete the form below and we’ll schedule a time for you to meet with a pastoral staff member and/or elder.

What Do I Do If I’d Like to Join?

If you’re interested in becoming a member of Sylvania Church, here’s what you need to know.

How do I pursue membership?

If you’re interested in joining, you attend the Discover Sylvania lunch.

During that lunch, you’ll meet with an elder and/or pastoral staff member who will share his testimony with you and then give you the opportunity to do the same.

And don’t worry. You don’t have to be great with words—you just need to be able to explain the basic gospel and tell us the story of how God save you.

It’s always a sweet time.

I talked with an elder after Discover Sylvania—what should I do now?

In the Bible, membership and church discipline require congregational approval. Because of that, every candidate for membership at Sylvania is approved by the congregation

Here’s how it works: after you have met with a pastoral staff member or elder following a Discover Sylvania luncheon (or equivalent), you’ll simply walk to the front of the sanctuary during the invitation, which follows the sermon, on the following Sunday (or next Sunday you’re in town). At that time, you’ll be recommended to the congregation for their approval for membership. The congregation will approve with a collective “Amen” and your participation in formal membership will begin!

Do I have to be baptized?

Baptism by immersion as a believer is a requirement for membership at Sylvania. If you decide to pursue membership after Discover Sylvania, an elder and/or pastoral staff member will ask you about baptism. If you have not been baptized by immersion as a believer, then we will happily arrange that!

If you were baptized as a believer, then you will not need to be baptized again.

Have questions about baptism (or our position on baptism)? We’d love to talk!

What should I do after I become a member?

There are several commitments that characterize many of those who enjoy deep, mutually encouraging relationships at Sylvania:

  1. They’re committed to a Sunday school class
  2. They stick around after corporate worship (we like each other, so we stick around to talk)
  3. They’re committed to the Wednesday night meal
  4. They’re committed to a small group
  5. They find a way to serve the church
  6. They’re committed to getting together with people for lunch, dinner, etc (our folks enjoy it).

Membership Covenant

The biblical picture of church membership is far more substantial than singing songs and listening to a Sunday morning sermon before bolting out the door. Though such is common in American culture, it is foreign to the New Testament church, which enjoyed genuine fellowship, or community, that was grounded in their common bond in Christ and aimed at glorifying Him (1) by using their individual gifts and talents to serve those within the local church and (2) by fulfilling the many “one-another” commands found in the New Testament.

The following is not an exhaustive list (the New Testament is the exhaustive list of church membership requirements), but are some of the responsibilities of our church members. In short, Sylvania members are expected to know and trust the biblical gospel and be committed to a life of repentance. Here’s how we agree to live in community together.

Attending consistently (Heb. 10:25)

Serving the church with your individual gifts and talents (I Peter 4:10)

Spurring the other members of Sylvania on toward love and holiness (Heb. 10:24)

Providing humble accountability (Mt. 7:1-7)

Giving regularly of your money (I Corinthians 16:1-2a)

Praying for pastor, elders and leaders (I Timothy 2:1-2)

Protecting unity by treating others in a Christ-like manner and by refusing to gossip (Ephesians 4:29)

Submitting to the authority of the elders (including discipline) (Hebrews 13:17)

Welcoming those who visit (Romans 12:13)

Living an exemplary life, pleasing to God (Philippians 1:27)

Register for Discover Sylvania

To let us know you’d like to attend our next Discover Sylvania lunch, just complete the form below.