Thread: How long until you joined?

If you moved or changed congregations by choice, how long did you wait until initiating the membership process and why?

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

If you moved or changed congregations by choice, how long did you wait until initiating the membership process and why?

This is an interesting question given my recent situation. I am currently investigating reformed churches in my area. I attended a local PCA church for about 6-8 services and I'm now in the process of looking into a local OPC church. Normally I would attend a church, get a feel for the worship and preaching, and then make a choice. This is different because I want to make sure I find a good theological fit in a church, so to answer your question...

1. Visit the church at least 4-6 times. Making sure to hit a communion service and any other ancilary services other than the main Sunday service including Sunday School/Bible Study
2. Meet with the pastor and elders to find out more about the denomination, their worship philosophy, their preaching philosophy, etc.
3. Pray, pray, pray!
4. Make a decision!

As of this moment, I have yet to make a final decision, but I am definitely leaning...

We waited 9 months because I had to finish my Field Education placement at PC(USA) church before becoming members at Fairmount ARP.

I waited about a year. I had never been a member of a church before the church I am currently in, bc I never liked any of them and didn't feel that I could live up to my vows that I would need to take in order to join those churches. I wanted to make sure that this church was one that I could do that with.

Took me about two years. The first time I attended my church I was only 15. I absolutely fell in love with it immediately and wanted to become a member right away but I couldn't drive so it was hard to get really involved; I didn't have any connections yet because since I was so young I assume that everyone just thought I was someone's kid and didn't realize I had zero Christian leaders in my life; and I was such an immature Christian that I wasn't disciplined in making it to church every Sunday or in forming relationships with Christians, and I hadn't yet made an effort to make Christians my true, best friends instead of non-Christians.

I started attending in April and I'm joining on Nov. 1 (both of this year). I would have joined sooner, but they just had the first membership class since I started attending because COTC is a relatively small church (not particularized yet).

We waited about 4 months and then joined. We love the people at our Church and want to be a part of it.

Almost a year. I take church membership pretty seriously and wanted to be certain that I could fulfill the commitment I was making. I also wanted to get a good feel for the church - sometimes there's a lot hidden under the surface and I wanted to make sure I knew about all of those things before I joined.

Our first PCA church, we joined because it was the closest to our house and we didn't have a car. We showed up and attended, from day one knowing that we were going to join (keep in mind, I was 20 and my new wife was 23 so we didn't know any better). The second one we fled to because of the effects of the hasty decision we made in joining the first one - but I knew that group well and joining them was like joining with a family whom I was already well acquainted with. The one I am at now we attended for six Sundays before discovering that the misfits had finally found their home (the fact that we could walk there was merely a big bonus). For the record, the only reason we left PCA church #2 was because it was a long drive and we were "invited" to attend #3.

We waited a little over a year after finding the church, going regularly, and attending the other fellowship opportunities.
We moved and still considered our old church our home church, and even our old home, home. When a second school year started and we knew we'd be here for at least another nine months, and when we were about to have a baby whom we'd want to baptize, we became members.

I saw no reason to unduly wait. I knew what the church believed. I spoke with the pastor (church plant, no elders yet in place). I joined at about the three month mark.

We joined almost immediately because there was no where else close for us to go.

With the exception of the church where we are currently members (we couldn't join fast enough), we waited awhile to make sure we were doing the right thing.

We joined really quickly too. Less than 3 months, maybe even only 2. We were so thrilled with our new church. We had come out of a Pentecostal church. That was five years ago in Sept.

Dh was ready to join three weeks after we began attending - I was a little more hesitant, but not much. Our pastor recommended that we not jump in too fast (we had just left the train wreck of our previous church and I believe his advice was very good, given our circumstances). We ended up joining four months almost to the day of our first Sunday visit. We've been members for almost three years and it's been great! BTW - this is the first church where either of us have been formal members.

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

If you moved or changed congregations by choice, how long did you wait until initiating the membership process and why?

I must say - I think it's amusing that you're using a photo of that true California wacko, Gene Scott (1929-2005) as you're avatar photo. He was truly "out there" - theologically, and in all sorts of other ways - but, I must admit, he was entertaining to watch. I also had an opportunity, some years ago, to wean a guy I knew away from Scott.

( - I know...)

Originally Posted by bookslover

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

If you moved or changed congregations by choice, how long did you wait until initiating the membership process and why?

I must say - I think it's amusing that you're using a photo of that true California wacko, Gene Scott (1929-2005) as you're avatar photo. He was truly "out there" - theologically, and in all sorts of other ways - but, I must admit, he was entertaining to watch. I also had an opportunity, some years ago, to wean a guy I knew away from Scott.

( - I know...)

GET ON THE PHONE !!!

I know he was out in left field.....I just did it for amusement purposes. You'll like my next choice too

Ok, back to the polls.

We narrowed it down quickly, and even tested out services at two different churches on a single Sunday when we could, making a decision in about two months. We visited our top two choices about four times each, and also showed up at some mid-week activites. Had lunch with the pastors, dinner with an elder, etc. Went at it pretty hard.

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

You'll like my next choice too

You're right!

Originally Posted by bookslover

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

You'll like my next choice too

You're right!

Ahhh, you remember Rev. Jim

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

Originally Posted by bookslover

Originally Posted by Rich Koster

You'll like my next choice too

You're right!

Ahhh, you remember Rev. Jim

Shore due. He's the guy who fired his own son from being the successor/pastor of his "church" because he was using too much Bible in his sermons. The horror!

Originally Posted by Berean

Is anyone seeing a pattern.....