The Bible uses many pictures to describe Christians as a community: a household (Eph. 2:19), a human body (1 Cor. 12:12-31) and a temple made up of “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:4-5, Eph. 2:21). All of these illustrate and mandate our interconnectedness and our need for each other. When a believer joins a particular congregation, he or she is bearing witness to a union that has already happened in the heart.
You don’t need to become a member to thrive and be actively involved at Bethel Church. In fact, many of the Bethel family are not members. But for those who do choose to become members, we believe that there are many joys and benefits in making this commitment.
Our covenant with God and our commitment to one another work to shape our culture and our community. Membership is an outward, formalized sign of the inward, mutual commitment we have made with each other and the Lord. This commitment helps to define not only our role, but also the intention of our heart; it affects our decisions and influences our perspective. This commitment is costly, but the payoff is immense.
As members, we join together for God’s glory and our mutual benefit; we share the responsibilities and rewards of all that God will accomplish through us. In addition, as outlined in our bylaws, membership is an important component in our relationship with the U.S. government and the proper stewardship of the resources God has entrusted to our congregation over the years.
When you become a member, you are joining the church of Bethel Redding, regardless of which campus you attend. The membership process and commitments are the same for all campuses.
If you are a regular, local attender of Bethel in Redding, California, and are interested in becoming an official member, here are the steps to membership. These steps do not have to be completed in any particular order. For any questions, please contact us at membership@bethel.com. Please note that graduating from BSSM Redding First Year counts for doing steps 1-2.
Deeper Life is a 12-week course (8 classes required for membership) designed to explore our faith, the unique opportunities and challenges of being in a revival culture, and how to daily live a life empowered by the Spirit. Click here to learn more about Deeper Life.
This step requires you to either: (1) Complete the "Bible Studies for a Firm Foundation" workbook (available for purchase in the Bethel Bookstore) or (2) Submit a letter of membership transfer from your previous church.
The Firm Foundations workbook is a series of Bible studies on foundational tenets of the Christian faith, including atonement, repentance, baptism, the authority of the Bible, and more. Please treat the workbook as an independent study. You do not need to memorize or write out the memory verses. Couples may share a book and do it together, as long as both are really doing it. The answers to all workbook questions are found in the back of the book; please refer to them to correct your lesson, or for clarity if you are confused about what the question is asking. Note that, occasionally, a question might seem unclear because the book is based on the New American Standard translation of the Bible, which might not be the translation you’re using. Once you’ve completed the workbook, please notify membership@bethel.com.
If your previous church membership had a study component and you feel grounded in the major teachings of the Bible, you may ask them to send us a letter of membership transfer on their church letterhead asking to transfer your membership to Bethel. Letters can be received by email at membership@bethel.com.
Once you have completed all the classes, carefully read and pray about the membership commitment. If you feel led to make this commitment, complete the membership application online or on paper, and be sure to send a photo of yourself to membership@bethel.com. If your application is approved, you will receive a welcome letter and a signed membership certificate, and be welcomed as a new member into the Bethel family.