Membership Classes and Elder Interviews

When going to a new church, most of them have what is called a membership class. It maybe called something else based on the church, but they operate the same way. What these classes are designed to do is to give people, who are interested in joining, a chance to hear the vision of the church and what the church believes in. Yes, a website can do that, but it can only give some much information.

In some churches, they have what is called an elder's interview. Once you decide to join, the elders set you up to share your testimony with an elder so they can see you are believer and you get to know one of the elders.

I know this sounds like a lot of red tape to get to join a church, but I truly believe it is worth it. No where in the Bible does it say that there needs to be a membership class and/or an interview with an elder. Now the question comes why. Well here a few reasons.

First, a membership class helps you decide if the Lord is leading you to join. We all like to act in impulse, but sometimes we need to stop and look at the big picture. You may like the church, but there maybe something a church hold to that you do not agree with. For example, a church you are looking at has great preaching and you like the people. You have the gift of teaching and want to teach one day, but then you discover that you must hold a certain doctrine in order to teach at that church. Whether it is based on a confession or an interpretation of the end times, you need to be fully onboard to teach at this church. If that is the case, that church may not be the right one for you.

Second, membership classes help you know the history of the church. Yes, that can be on the website but not all the minor details that many do not know about may not even be there. This is a chance for you to see how the church grew from painful circumstances.

Third, this gives you a chance to ask questions. These questions can come in various forms like why do we sing these songs or is it okay to believe in Amillennialism when majority of the church is Postmillennial.

Fourth, in regards to elder's interviews, this gives you the chance to share what God has done for you in Christ. Share your testimony and try not to leave anything out. Plus, this gives you the chance to hear an elder's testimony on what God has done for him.

Fifth, this interview guards the sheep from wolves. The church has many false converts and the elders are to protect the sheep from people who want to come in and promote false teaching.

You may or may not agree with membership classes and/or elder's interviews, but the point is they are there to assist you, the believer, in making a decision to join a church, and for the elders to know who is coming into their flock.