Central Core Team Application

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Central Core Team Member!
Don't worry! This is not a test and you won't be graded.
We really appreciate you, and we understand the time and effort it takes to answer these questions. If you need any help or have any questions please reach out to any staff member or email Autumn at autumn@centralcastlerock.com.
Please complete the whole form in one sitting, the form will not save any changes if you leave the page before hitting submit.
Please do not complete this form as a couple. Each person must complete their own form.

Dear Future Central Teammate,
Thank you for your interest in becoming a teammate of Central Bible Church. We are excited that you want to personally identify with our church family. Below are the qualifications and steps needed to become a teammate here at Central. We believe each step carries a level of importance in the process.
Complete the online or physical membership packet that includes…
A.      Why becoming a Core Teammate Matters?
B.      Application
C.      What We Believe
D.      Affirmations
E.       The Central Core Team Covenant
Once this form is completed, an elder will contact you.
The meeting with the Elders will be an informal time during which you will be asked to share your salvation testimony.

WHY BECOMING A CORE TEAMMATE MATTERS?

A DEFINITION OF THE CHURCH
The Church is not a building. The Church is the people of God (2 Cor. 6:16), the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23), and the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13, 1 Peter 2:5, Eph. 2:21-22). It is the community of believers who are, have been, and will be united with Christ. In this spiritual reality, the Church is invisible. It is the Church as God sees it. The Church also has a visible aspect. It is the Church as Christians on Earth see it. It includes all who make an outward profession of faith in Christ and give evidence of grace at work in their lives. In addition, the Church is both universal and local. The local church is the physical manifestation of God’s universal Church in any given community. Regarding the local church, the New Testament outlines specific expectations, ordinances, and guidelines to best govern God's people. Therefore, a local church can be defined as a community of regenerated believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord. In obedience to Scripture, they organize under qualified leadership, gather regularly for preaching and worship, observe the Biblical sacraments of baptism and communion, are unified by the Spirit, are disciplined for holiness, and work together to fulfill the Great Commandment and the Great Commission as missionaries to the world for God's glory and their joy.

WHY NOT MEMBERSHIP?
Many churches offer what is called membership. In our current cultural setting, the term member is often misconstrued.   Memberships are used at country clubs, gyms and grocery stores. They are usually something you purchase to receive the amenities of a specific environment. It is a transactional, often one sided relationship. We believe “Teammate” better captures how individuals in the early church saw themselves in light of the larger group.

THE CALL TO FORMALIZE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHURCH
Our individualistic culture moves us to bristle at the thought of officially joining a church.
Why all the hoops? Why box people into certain categories? Why bother joining a local church when I’m already a part of the capital "C" Church? Some people just won’t be convinced of the importance “joining a local church” no matter what you say or how many However, others have not given serious thought such ideas and are open to hearing the justification for something they’ve not thought much about.

A FEW REASONS WHY BECOMING A CORE TEAMMATE MATTERS.
•   By joining a church, you make your commitment to Christ and His people visible.
•   Making a commitment makes a powerful statement in a low-commitment culture.
•   We can be overly independent. Being a Teammate states in a formal way, “I am part of  something bigger than myself. I am not just one of three hundred individuals. I am part of a body.”
•   Being on the Core Team keeps us accountable.
•   You have the benefit of receiving care from spiritual leaders and other Christians. We are not made to grow alone.
•   You participate in a stronger, more unified effort of God’s people.
•   You have greater opportunities to use spiritual gifts.
•   You encourage new believers to make a commitment to the local body.
•   Christ loves the church and so should we.

IT IS BIBLICAL

The Biblical metaphors used to describe local churches.
Flock, temple, body, and household are words used specifically to describe local churches (Acts 20, Eph 2, 1 Cor 12, 1 Tim 3). Each of these metaphors makes a clear distinction about who is part of the church and who isn’t.

The meaning of “the whole church.”
In 1 Cor 14:23, Paul says “if the whole church comes together in one place...”
How would the leaders know if the “whole church” was there if no formal relationship had been established?

The instructions for pastoral oversight and spiritual leadership. Pastors/overseers/shepherds were to care for “all the flock.”(Acts 20:28, cf.1 Tim 3, Acts 20, Phil 1:1, Titus 1). Leaders of the citywide churches must have had some listing of believers. Since leaders were accountable for the souls of the flock under their care (Heb 13:17), they needed to know who was part of their flock.

The meaning of the word “join.”
After the fiery end of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:13, no non-Christians “dared join them [the church], but the people esteemed them highly.” The Greek word for “join” has strong connotations of commitment. The same word is used to speak of sexual relationships (1 Cor 6:16) and joining to the Lord (1 Cor 6:17).

The instructions for church discipline.
Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 5 talk about putting a person out of the church (in the NASB “remove”; in the NIV “expel”) and treating them like an unbeliever. Since unbelievers were welcome at worship, removal must have indicated a distinct formal association.

Your name *

Email address *

Phone number *

Mobile Carrier *

Name of cell service provider:

Address *

Gender *

Birthdate *

Marital status *

Medical note

Do you have any health issues we should be aware of?

Application Questionnaire

What is a Christian? *

2. When did you make the decision to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior? (Please share your personal testimony.) *

3. Please describe what is happening in your Christian walk right now. *

If you have membership in another church, please give us the name and address of that church so we can inform them about your application to become a Core Teammate at Central Bible Church. *

5. Did you leave your previous church home in good standing? *

Have you ever been baptized? *

Yes

Date of Baptism *

Are you married? *

Yes

If you are married, when and where were you married? *

What We Believe

THE WORD OF GOD
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God’s will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak.
(Jn. 10:35; Jn. 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21)

THE GODHEAD
We believe in one God, Creator and Sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that these are equal in their divinity and that they execute distinct and harmonious functions.
(Deut. 6:4; Ps. 90:1-2; Matt. 28:19; Jn. 1:1-4)

GOD THE FATHER
We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal being, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love. He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men and women, hears and answers prayer, and saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
(Jn. 3:16-17; Jn. 4:24; Eph. 2:4-5; Rev. 3:20)

JESUS CHRIST
We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, God the Son. We believe that He was preexistent and is eternal; that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, and is fully God and fully man. We believe that His death on the cross was substitutionary and representative and the only payment for sin that meets the demands of divine justice. We believe that He arose bodily from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He now carries on a ministry as advocate and intercessor for the saints.
(Matt. 1:20; Lk. 24:39; Jn. 1:1-14; Acts 1:11; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 2:9; Heb. 4:14-16; 1 Jn. 1:7; 1 Cor. 15:17)

THE HOLY SPIRIT
We believe in the deity and personality of God the Holy Spirit. We believe that the Holy Spirit was the agent in the revelation and inspiration of the Scriptures and is the One who bears witness to the Scriptures, assuring believers of the truthfulness of God’s written Word. We believe that it is the Holy Spirit who performs the work of salvation in the hearts of individual believers, baptizing them into the body of Christ, sealing, indwelling, filling and teaching them. He intercedes for believers. He also bestows spiritual gifts upon them, empowering them for the works of service.
(Jn. 14:26; Jn. 16:7-8, 13-14; Rom. 8:14-17, 26; 1 Cor. 2:10-16; 1 Cor. 6; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 1:13-14; Eph. 4:30; Eph. 5:18; Tit. 3:5-6; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 1 Jn. 2:27)

HUMANITY
We believe God created humanity, male and female, in the image of God and free from sin. Because of Adam's sinful fall, we further believe all persons are sinners by nature and by choice and are, therefore, spiritually dead and can only be made alive through Christ.
(Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 1:18-23; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 6:23; Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1-5)

SALVATION
We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. This salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God, and was accomplished by Christ’s death on the cross, and is received through faith apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We believe salvation is eternal and results in a personal relationship with God, righteous living, good works and proper social concern. Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the true believer is secure in that salvation for eternity. If you have been genuinely saved, you cannot “lose” it. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives us this security.
(Jn. 3:1-7; Jn. 10:28-29; Rom. 3:24-28; Rom. 8:28-39; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Eph. 2:8-9; Eph. 3:11-12; Eph. 4:11-16; Phil. 2:14-16; Col. 3:12-17; Tit. 2:11-12; Heb. 7:25-27; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 10:10; Heb. 10:14; 1 Pet. 1:3-5)

THE CHURCH
We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the Head, and is composed of all persons who have professed faith in Christ for salvation and have been baptized into the unity of one body by the Holy Spirit. This body expresses itself in local assemblies for worship, service, instruction and evangelism. The ordinances of the local church are believers’ baptism by immersion and the observance of the Lord’s Supper, which is a memorial of what Christ has done on the cross, and which anticipates His return.
(Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 14:25; Acts 2:4; Acts 20:17-18; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 11:23-29; 1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 4:15; Col. 2:12)

THE LAST THINGS
We believe in the personal, visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the saved and unsaved, the final judgment, the eternal happiness of the righteous, and the endless suffering of the wicked.
(Matt. 25:31-36; Jn. 5:28-29; Acts 1:11; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Thess. 4:16-18; Rev. 20:1-15)

Affirmations

AFFIRMATIONS OF BELIEF REGARDING HUMAN LIFE

•   God created human life in His image (Gen. 1:27) and every human life is therefore worthy of dignity and respect (Gen 1:27) regardless of age, sex, or race.
•   Human life is precious at all ages and stages and nowhere in Scripture does God grant humans the prerogative to independently take human life except in response to murder (Gen 9:6).
•   God has ordained the days of each human life; therefore, it is His prerogative to determine when a life begins and when a life ends (Psalm 139:16)
•   The shedding of human blood (murder) is regarded as the taking of human life at any age or stage of development and breaks God’s holy standard which is sin (Ex. 20:13, Mt. 5:21).
•   Human life begins when conception occurs in the mother’s womb and all life in the womb is considered fully human (Psalm 139:13-14, Jer. 1:5).
•   Abortion is therefore considered the unwarranted taking of human life regardless of the stage of embryonic/fetal development.
•   The only exception to this understanding is in the rare case (< 1/10 of 1% of all abortions according to multiple sources) of an abortive procedure that will save the life of the mother. Additionally, the church believes in the miraculous that God brings about. Just as He brings about a miracle in the conception of life, He, too, can intervene and do the miraculous in the midst of a health crisis between the mother and unborn child. In this case the church believes in praying for the miraculous along with parental wisdom according to God’s Word in James 1:5 and will love and support any family in this heart-wrenching position.
•   Death has entered the world through the sin of one man and will only be overcome by Jesus Christ the God-man (1 Cor. 15:21, Rev. 1:18). Until Christ consummates His kingdom, it is clearly understood that death is a natural function in this sin-filled world.
•   The church believes that euthanasia in any respect is therefore considered the unwarranted taking of human life. Care such as curative care, symptom care, and comfort care are endorsed as long as they do not purposefully accelerate the natural dying process.
•   Forgiveness of all sins including abortion, euthanasia, and the unwarranted taking of human life (murder) are made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Jn. 3:16, Rom. 8:1, Col. 3:14). We lovingly support any and all through the pain, guilt, and grief of such past actions as repentance is demonstrated and healing occurs. The church takes loving support seriously as a mandate of grace from Jesus Christ and is committed to carry this out with counseling, fellowship, and tangible assistance.

AFFIRMATIONS OF BELIEF REGARDING HUMAN SEXUALITY

•   God created human beings as male and female (Gen. 1:27). The complementary, relational nature of the human race as “male and female” reflects the created order given by God when He created human beings “in His image” (Gen. 1:26-27; 5:1, 3; 9:6; 1 Cor. 11:7; Jas. 3:9; cf. Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:23-24; Col. 3:10). It is with joy in our finitude that we are to receive the gift of being either male or female.
•   Scripture grants two life-enhancing options for sexual behavior: monogamous marital relations between one man and one woman (Gen. 1:27-28; 2:18, 21-24; Matt. 19:4-6; Mk. 10:5-8; cf. Heb. 13:4) or sexual celibacy (1 Cor. 7:7; Matt. 19:12). Either is a gift from God, given as He wills for His glory and the good of those who receive and rejoice in His gift.
•   In Scripture monogamous heterosexual marriage bears a significance which goes beyond the regulation of sexual behavior, the bearing and raising of children, the formation of families, and the recognition of certain economic and legal rights, all of which are important. Marriage between a woman and a man is emphatically declared in Scripture to create a “one flesh” union (Gen. 2:23-24; Matt. 19:5), which in turn signifies the mystery of the union between Christ and His body, the Church (Eph. 5:22-33). This means that the foundational understanding of marriage is as a covenant grounded in promises between a man and a woman which finds its divinely intended expression in the “one flesh” union of husband and wife, and between the “one flesh” union of husband and wife and God (cf. Prov. 2:16-17; Mal. 2:14; Eph. 5:31-32).
•   All of human existence, including our sexuality, has been deeply damaged by the fall.(Gen. 3; Rom. 3:23; 5:12). We all are sinners, broken in some measure by this fall. Though Christians are rescued, reconciled, renewed and in process of being transformed, this brokenness also affects us in that we groan, as the whole creation, eager to experience final redemption knowing at present we live in a not-yet-glorified state (Rom. 8:22-23).
•   Everything, from our environment to our bodily genetic code, has been ravaged by sin and the fall. Whether the homosexual attractions people experience are the product of their environment, their genetics, or another source, they are not what God intends and so do not render homosexual behavior legitimate.
•   Temptation, including sexual attractions, is not sin. Sin is yielding to temptation. Jesus himself was tempted, yet without sin (Matt. 4:1-11, Heb. 4:15).
•   The Scriptures have much to say about sexual behavior, from the beautiful affirmations of the Song of Songs to the clear prohibitions found throughout the Bible (e.g., Rom. 13:13-14; 1 Cor. 5:1-2, 6:9-10, 15-18; Gal. 5:16-21; 1 Thess. 4:3-8). The Apostle Paul affirms that among believers “there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality” (Eph. 5:3). All homosexual behavior is specifically defined as sin in both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Gen. 19:4-11[cf. 2 Pet. 2:6-7; Jude 7]; Lev. 18:22, 20:13; Judges 19:22-25; Rom. 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Tim. 1:8- 11). This includes both male and female homosexual activity, both the more passive and more active roles in homosexual practice, and all varieties of homosexual acts.
•   The gospel is full of grace and truth. It is an offer of grace and forgiveness to sinners as well as a call to live a holy life. It empowers us in the struggle to resist sin, including the sin of homosexual practice (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Eph. 4:20-24; 1 Thess. 4:3-8; Tit. 2:11-13).
•   The church is to be a new community that resembles a family of brothers and sisters united in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit displaying deep relationships of love (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Rom. 12:10; 1 Tim. 5:1-2). Celibacy and singleness are to be celebrated and affirmed within the church family.

Central Bible Church Core Team Covenant *

As part of the Core Team, I commit myself to God and others by doing the following:

I WILL LOVE GOD
By living a godly life
Phil 1:27a Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

By personally investing in God’s Word
Matt 4:4 But He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

By attending worship services faithfully - GATHER FOR WORSHIP
Heb 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

By giving regularly
2 Cor 9:6-7 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

I WILL LOVE OTHERS
By acting in love toward others
1 Pet 1:22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

By pursuing discipleship relationships - GROW IN COMMUNITY
Col 3:16a Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…

By refusing to gossip
Eph 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

By following the leadership
Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

By being equipped by the leadership to serve - SERVING IN MINISTRY
Eph 4:11-13 It was He who gave … some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

By discovering & using my gifts and talents at Creekside Bible Church
1 Pet 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

By praying for all areas of the church’s growth
1 Th 1:2-3 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

By submitting to church discipline
Matthew 18:15-17 If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that the evidence of two or three witnesses may establish every charge. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

By committing to a healthy exit
Rom 12:18 If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.

I WILL SEEK TO MAKE DISCIPLES
By warmly welcoming those who visit
Rom 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

By inviting the unsaved and the unchurched to attend
Luke 14:23 Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.’

By intentionally building relationships with those who do not yet know Jesus in my community - GO AS MISSIONARIES
Rom 10:13-14 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher?

By supporting local and global missions
Matt 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

I have read and agree with the Statement of Mutual Beliefs (What We Believe), our Affirmations, and the Central Bible Church Core Team Covenant.
(Jn. 10:35; Jn. 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21)

Signature:

Todays Date *

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