Our Book of Order (which we’ll talk about soon) says this about membership:
In Jesus Christ, God calls people to faith and to membership in the Church, the body of Christ. Baptism is the visible sign of that call and claim on a human life and of entrance into the membership of the church. The baptism of children witnesses to the truth that God’s love claims people before they are able to respond in faith. The baptism of those who enter the covenant of membership upon their own profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior witnesses to the truth that God’s gift of grace calls forth a response of faithfulness. Thus, the triune God, incarnate in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, gives to the Church not only its mission but also its understanding of membership. [1]
The ministry of members (our calling and duties) is described this way:
Membership in the Church of Jesus Christ is a joy and a privilege. It is also a commitment to participate in Christ’s mission. A faithful member bears witness to God’s love and grace and promises to be involved responsibly in the ministry of Christ’s Church. Such involvement includes: proclaiming the good news in word and deed, taking part in the common life and worship of a congregation, lifting one another up in prayer, mutual concern, and active support, studying Scripture and the issues of Christian faith and life, supporting the ministry of the church through the giving of money, time, and talents, demonstrating a new quality of life within and through the church, responding to God’s activity in the world through service to others, living responsibly in the personal, family, vocational, political, cultural, and social relationships of life, working in the world for peace, justice, freedom, and human fulfillment, participating in the governing responsibilities of the church, and reviewing and evaluating regularly the integrity of one’s membership, and considering ways in which one’s participation in the worship and service of the church may be increased and made more meaningful.[2]
These are all things that we can, of course, do without being official members of the church on paper. But there are three main things that you can’t do in our denomination unless you are an official active member. These are: voting in congregational meetings, leadership in the local congregation as an ordained deacon or elder, and involvement in the church government at a denominational level. We’ll talk more later about what being an ordained leader looks like. For now, it’s important to know that we are all called to be active parts of a church community, and that in order to be official leaders and voting members of the congregation, our denomination asks that people join officially in order to show their commitment to the church.
A congregation shall welcome all persons who trust in God’s grace in Jesus Christ and desire to become part of the fellowship and ministry of his Church (F-1.0403). No person shall be denied membership for any reason not related to profession of faith. The Gospel leads members to extend the fellowship of Christ to all persons. Failure to do so constitutes a rejection of Christ himself and causes a scandal to the Gospel. [3]
Persons may enter into active church membership in the following ways: a. Public profession of faith, made after careful examination by the session in the meaning and responsibilities of membership; if not already baptized, the person making profession of faith shall be baptized; b. Certificate of transfer, when a person is a member of another Christian church at the time of transfer; c. Reaffirmation of faith, for persons previously baptized in the name of the triune God and having publicly professed their faith. [4]
In other words, anyone who proclaims Jesus Christ as Lord, wants to be a part of the church, and is baptised or will be baptised into membership can be a member. All are welcomed into our fellowship, regardless of age, gender, race, or any other factor.
Just like the United States of America, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has a constitution. Our constitution is in two parts: The Book of Confessions and the Book of Order. The Book of Confessions is the main book of our theology and the Book of Order outlines the government of the church. The Book of Confessions is available online at http://bookoforder.info/book-of-confessions-2014.pdf and the Book of Order is found at http://bookoforder.info/book-of-order-2015-2017.pdf. You can also find the book with most of our worship liturgy, our Book of Common Worship, at http://bookoforder.info/Book-of-Common-Worship.pdf and other official PC(USA) info at http://bookoforder.info/ .
The Book of Confessions is a collection of documents that the denomination’s member churches have agreed represent our overall theology. Sometimes, new confessions are added, old ones are removed or edited, but largely, it doesn’t change much. This isn’t something that members are required to read, but it’s good to know that we have it. And if you’re ever wondering what our denomination’s theological stance is on something, this is a good place to start.
There will be a new edition of the Book of Confessions coming out soon that includes the newly approved Belhar Confession. You can find this confession at https://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/theologyandworship/pdfs/belhar.pdf and information on the background of it at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belhar_Confession .
We do recommend (but again, it’s not required) that new members review the study catechism. This is a resource that sums our theology and beliefs up more succinctly and is what our young people are asked to read during the process of confirmation (which is a “coming of age” time after which our kids are viewed as full members of the church). You can find the study catechism at https://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/theologyandworship/pdfs/biblical.pdf
Don’t worry, you won’t be tested on the theology of our church in order to become a member. But we do encourage all members and regular attenders to be familiar with what it means theologically to be a part of our denomination.
The Book of Order lays out the government structure of the denomination. It is not a rule book in order to drop rules on people from on high, but to lay out organizing principles. This is the book that we go to when we have questions about how to do things like order our leadership, organize finances, run congregational meetings, call elders, deacons, and ministers, and much more.
You don’t have to read the book of order to be a member, but it’s important to know that we have it.
The Book of Common Worship is not a part of our constitution, but it’s an important part of worship for many churches in our denomination. It is not a mandatory formula for how to run a church service, but it does give ways to say and do things during worship in ways that are time honored and fall in line with Presbyterian theology. It’s another book that you don’t have to read to be a member, but it’s great to know about it.
Lay leaders are an important part of the life at our church. These are the people who serve as liturgists (readers) during church, ushers, Sunday school teachers, and much more. They are not ordained into these positions, but that doesn’t make them any less important.
Deacons are the ordained group of leaders who meet regularly to oversee the care of the congregation. They send cards and gifts to the sick and shut-in, serve the community, and pray together. Deacons are elected by the congregation, ordained into ministry by the pastor, and serve in terms with limits and mandatory time off. Not all Presbyterian churches have a board of deacons. Some leave this responsibility to the elders and minister. Liberty Presbyterian has a long tradition of an active board of deacons.
The ministry of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of compassion, witness, and service, sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, those burdened by unjust policies or structures, or anyone in distress . Persons of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly and sisterly love, sincere compassion, and sound judgment should be chosen for this ministry. [5]
Elders are elected and ordained as deacons are. Their role is that of church administration. They set the budget, make major decisions about the life of the church, and provide spiritual and administrative leadership for the rest of the congregation. The too serve in limited terms with mandatory time out. It is important to make sure that our leadership rest. In fact, after six years of serving on the board of elders or deacons, the seventh year is the mandatory day off. Just like the six days of work and the seventh of sabbath that are laid out for us in scripture.
As there were in Old Testament times elders for the government of the people, so the New Testament church provided persons with particular gifts to shareg in discernment of God’s Spirit and governance of God’s people. Accordingly, congregations should elect persons of wisdom and maturity of faith, having demonstrated skills in leadership and being compassionate in spirit. Ruling elders are so named not because they “lord it over” the congregation (Matt. 20:25), but because they are chosen by the congregation to discern and measure its fidelity to the Word of God, and to strengthen and nurture its faith and life. Ruling elders, together with teaching elders, exercise leadership, government, spiritual discernment, and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a congregation as well as the whole church, including ecumenical relationships. When elected by the congregation, they shall serve faithfully as members of the session. When elected as commissioners to higher councils, ruling elders participate and vote with the same authority as teaching elders, and they are eligible for any office. [6]
Ministers (pastors, sometimes referred to as “teaching elders”) are also ordained into office after several years of mandatory seminary education and inquiry into their calling. They are responsible primarily for preaching and overseeing the sacraments of baptism and communion. They also moderate the board of elders (session) meetings, participate in the local denominational government, care for the congregation spiritually, and lead worship each week.
Teaching elders (also called ministers of the Word and Sacrament) shall in all things be committed to teaching the faith and equipping the saints for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12). They may serve in a variety of ministries, as authorized by the presbytery. When they serve as preachers and teachers of the Word, they shall preach and teach the faith of the church, so that the people are shaped by the pattern of the gospel and strengthened for witness and service. When they serve at font and table, they shall interpret the mysteries of grace and lift the people’s vision toward the hope of God’s new creation. When they serve as pastorsi , they shall support the people in the disciplines of the faith amid the struggles of daily life. When they serve as presbyters, they shall participate in the responsibilities of governance, seeking always to discern the mind of Christ and to build up Christ’s body through devotion, debate, and decision.[7]
Our local denominational government is called the Pittsburgh Presbytery. There are 172 presbyteries in the PC(USA). A presbytery is a collection of local PC(USA) churches who gather together to support one another through worship, brainstorming, education, and much more. You can find out more about Pittsburgh Presbytery (one of the largest presbyteries in the denomination) at http://www.pghpresbytery.org/ . Elders and ministers from churches in the presbytery are encouraged to gather at branch meetings and at presbytery-wide meetings to participate in fellowship, support, and decision making together. Liberty Presbyterian is in the south branch of the Pittsburgh Presbytery. (http://www.pghpresbytery.org/news/branch_news.htm#south_branch )
As we move up to larger organizing groups in the denomination, we move next to the synod. The 172 presbyteries are broken up into 16 synods. Pittsburgh Presbytery is in the Synod of the Trinity, which includes Pennsylvania, as well as parts of Ohio and West Virginia. There are 16 presbyteries that join together to form this synod. http://www.syntrinity.org/
Every two years, all the churches, presbyteries, and synods in the country gather together for a “General Assembly”. This meeting moves around the country and will meet in St. Louis, MO in 2018. https://www.pcusa.org/events/24276/223rd-general-assembly-2018/ It is at this level of government that changes to the Book of Order and the Book of Confessions are made.
There are three simple steps involved in becoming a member in a PC(USA) church for the first time. First, you simply ask about it and either come to a membership class or talk to the pastor about what it means to be Presbyterian. That’s what you’re doing right now. This is the time to ask any questions you have and really learn about what it means to be Presbyterian. This is not a test or a class as much as it is a conversation about your faith and the church. Many times, the elders of the church will be involved in this step of the process as well.[8]
Once you’ve had the instruction/conversation with the pastor and elders about becoming a member, the session will vote to approve new members. This often includes a visit to the session meeting to talk to the elders about your faith. This shouldn’t be a stressful experience. As mentioned before, anyone professing faith in Jesus Christ is welcomed as a member. It is mainly a formality.
At the time that the session votes to approve membership, you are a member with all the rights and responsibilities of a member. There is still one more thing to do though: a public reception during the church service. This is a time for the whole congregation to welcome and celebrate new members.
The reception of new members generally follows the sermon, as a response to the Word of God. It consists of several parts:
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen
[1] PC(USA) Book of Order, G-1.0301
[2] Ibid, G-1.0304
[3] Ibid, G-1.0302
[4] Ibid, G-1.0303
[5] Ibid, G-2.0201 Deacon Defined
[6] ibid, G-2.0301 Ruling Elder Defined
[7] ibid, G-2.0501 Teaching Elder Defined
[8] If you are already a member of the PC(USA) in another church, you simply need to let us know which church, and we will request a letter of transfer from that church to ours. The elders will still approve reception of you into the fellowship as with others and receive you officially during the church service.