Wherever Jesus went people would gather, but not all who gathered considered themselves to be His followers. Not all who followed Him around devoted themselves to being Jesus' disciples and building the kind of communities that we know as churches today.

For those who did respond to Jesus’ teaching; those who repented of their sin, put their faith in Him and became Jesus’ disciples, they also devoted themselves to forming new communities (see Acts 2:42-27).

As the news of Jesus spread, churches were established in the towns and cities. These communities would care for each other, look out for the vulnerable, celebrate life’s highs and lows together, eat, study, pray and take communion together.

Later in Acts 20:28, leaders of these early churches were told to watch over and “shepherd” their “flocks” (the people entrusted to them by God).

Imagine you are a church leader.  How do you know who to care for? Who is part of the “flock”? How can people identify themselves as being "devoted" and "belonging"? One way is church membership.

Church membership at Grace Church is voluntary, informal, doesn’t require any fees and certainly doesn’t have any perks like discounts at your favourite shops or restaurants.  There is no card issued or covenant to sign. Church membership is simply a way for people to formally say “I’m committed to the people, values, leaders and vision of this local church”.

People who want to become church members are also happy to endorse (or do not oppose) our values, beliefs and teaching. They are committed to the purpose and vision of the church and are also happy to be led by the elders and leadership team in this.

Certain volunteer roles are also only open to members (see our volunteer page). This is because certain roles might require a person to interact with vulnerable people, or have access to church funds, personal data, and public platforms. We're rightly protective of these things, and so require a level of relationship, commitment and shared values that comes with membership.

If you'd like to know more about membership at Grace Church, we'd love to talk with you. Just fill out the form below and we'll be in touch with some more information and, if you'd like to, we'll work out a date to meet with you in person.