Membership

Charlie Fernandez
Director
Membership

Becoming a Member

If you have any questions about the membership process, stop by the Member Center after a Sunday morning service or contact the Membership Department at 818-909-5644 or membership@gracechurch.org. For more on what we believe about church membership, read “The Distinctive of Church Membership."

1. Register at the Member Center

After each Sunday morning service, the Member Center is staffed with volunteers eager to answer questions about member- ship and baptism, provide you with a membership application, and help you begin the registration process for membership classes.

2. Begin Membership Application

Fill out all parts of the application for membership—this includes answering questions about your spiritual background, writing a brief testimony, and reading a few documents to help you understand what we teach and how our church operates.

Read Membership Documents: An integral part of becoming a member of our church is becoming familiar with what we believe and how our church practices those beliefs. Prayerfully review the following documents and audio recordings, which give a thorough overview of our church’s doctrine and practice. Should you have any questions, we encourage you to note them to discuss during your pastoral interview. Additionally, you may contact the Membership Department with any questions you may have.

— Read "What We Teach" (25 minutes): Read Online
— Read "Grace Community Church By-Laws" (40 minutes): Download (PDF)
— Read "Affirmation of Commitment" (5 minutes): Read Online | Download (PDF)
— Listen to the "Understanding Baptism" sermon (1 hour): Listen Online | Baptism FAQ | Testimony Guidelines

3. Attend Membership Classes

A complete class cycle is offered at both 9 and 11 am over the first three Sundays of every month (excluding July and December). The classes can be taken in any order, but all three classes are required.

— Membership 101: Distinguishing GCC from Other Churches
— Membership 102: Why Membership Is Biblical
— Membership 103: How to Be an Effective Member at GCC

4. Attend Pastoral Interview & Schedule Baptism

Contact your Fellowship Group pastor to schedule a time for your application to be reviewed and signed. This also serves as a great opportunity for an elder of our church to answer any questions you may have. If you are not yet connected to a Fellowship Group, contact the Membership Department to schedule an interview. Once your application is signed by a pastor or elder, submit it to the Member Center on a Sunday morning.

For those who have yet to be baptized, please review the guidelines for your baptism testimony. After your pastoral interview, submit your baptism testimony along with your completed Application for Membership (signed by a pastor or elder) to the Member Center on a Sunday morning. A Member Center volunteer will review your testimony and answer any questions you may have. Then, the Membership Department will contact you to schedule your baptism.

5. Right Hand of Fellowship (RHOF)

When you complete the membership process, you will be welcomed as a member at the next “Right Hand of Fellowship,” which occurs monthly at the end of the evening service. Before the Sunday evening service, there is a brief reception to welcome all new members, and at the close of the service, new members will make an affirmation of their commitment to the local body here at Grace Church.