One of the essential building blocks of spiritual growth is to become a part of a local church. The Church, meaning the entire body of Christians, was established by Christ to provide you with biblically sound instruction, allow you to express genuine worship with other believers, enable you to use your God-given gifts and abilities as He intended, and keep you accountable to spiritual leadership.
At Coppell Bible Fellowship, we recognize the need for a formal membership. The New Testament knows nothing of a "lone ranger" Christian. Instead, it places a major emphasis on the need for Christians to be accountable to each other and in relationships with others where spiritual growth can be fostered. You cannot be accountable when you're not committed to any specific church family. See Hebrews 10:23-25, Galatians 5:13, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
A member of CBF is someone who has personally trusted Jesus Christ as Savior, who is functionally and relationally involved, who agrees with our Statement of Faith and Statement of Purpose, and has made a formal declaration of membership through a committment to the Membership Covenant.
Common Questions
Why do you have formal membership?
Every team must have a roster. Every school must have an enrollment. Every army has an enlistment. Membership identifies our church family. It is an unselfish decision, where your commitment benefits the church by the addition of your unique talents, strengths and abilities. See 1 Peter 4:10 and 1 Corinthians 12:14-22.
Why is membership important at CBF?
The main difference between “attenders” and “members” at CBF comes down to one word: commitment. Members of Coppell Bible Fellowship aren’t just names in a database—they’re the core of our church! Members are committed to becoming authentic followers of Christ and to being an active part of church life. As in Acts 2:42, members here are devoted “to the fellowship”—to a specific local body.
What do you mean by "functionally and relationally involved"?
Functional involvement means getting involved in the ministries of our church's Life Groups for adults, Sunday School classes for children, etc. Relational involvement means establishing relationships with other church members with whom you will share ministry. We want you to know us and we want you to be known. In short, we want you to feel this is your church.
What do you mean by "formal declaration of membership"?
A formal declaration of membership is made by meeting with the pastor or another CBF Elder and communicating your desire for membership and your commitment to the doctrine and goals of CBF. The pastor will then inform the Elder Board and the church on your behalf. This commitment is to the other members of CBF and will be demonstrated by your involvement with them.