"For just as the body is ONE

and has many members,

and all the members of the body,

though many, are ONE body,

so it is with Christ."

- Ephesians 2:12

Why Membership?

Membership is a practical tool for preserving doctrinal integrity, fostering community and strengthening the mission and vision of the church.  CBC encourages membership for the following reasons.

  1. Doctrinal Integrity:  Every new member is taught the foundational elements of our statement of faith.
  2. Clarifies Pastoral Responsibility: Formal membership helps pastors and church leaders identify who is under their spiritual care.
  3. Strengthens Commitment: By formally joining a church, individuals publicly commit to a local body of believers, fostering a sense of belonging, responsibility to give, serve and participate in the shared mission.
  4. Mutual Accountability: Membership establishes a framework for believers to encourage, support, and, when necessary, correct one another in love. This mutual accountability promotes spiritual growth and helps maintain the integrity of the church community.

Before Becoming a Member

We encourage everyone who attends and considers Cypress Bible Church their church home to become members. To become a member, the following steps are required:

  1. Profess a saving faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrated by spiritual fruit.
  2. Obey the Lord in baptism, or have plans to be baptized.
  3. Attend CBC’s three-session Membership Class, which provides an overview of who we are, what we believe, and how we do life together as a church.
  4. Agree with CBC’s Statement of Faith, affirming our core beliefs.
  5. Sign the Cypress Bible Church Membership Acknowledgment Form, formalizing your commitment to our church family.
Sign up for our next class

What are the Membership Comittments?

I agree with everything in the Statement of Faith and understand that the Doctrinal Statement is the teaching position of Cypress Bible Church.

I have acknowledged and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I have been baptized and recognize Him as the Chief Shepherd of my life and the
Church. 

  • John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever
    believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
  • John 1:12-13 – ” But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the
    right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh
    nor of the will of man, but of God.”
  • Acts 2:41 – “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that
    day about three thousand souls.”

I commit to regularly attend worship services, understanding that consistent participation in corporate worship is essential for spiritual growth and community. I will strive to be present, engaged, and supportive of the worship and fellowship activities of the church. 

  • Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love
    and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but
    encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
  • Psalm 122:1 – “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.'”

I will strive to live obediently to Christ as my Lord and follow His commandments.

  • John 14:15 – “If you love me, keep my commands.”
  •  Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the
    renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his
    good, pleasing and perfect will.”

As a member of Cypress Bible Church, I will use the gifts and talents God has given me to serve the body of Christ. I understand that each member of the Church is vital and has a role to play in building up the body in love and unity.

  • 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 – “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes
    them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds
    of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each
    one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”
  • Ephesians 4:16 – “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every
    supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”

I will participate in Cypress Bible Church’s efforts to make disciples of all nations, recognizing the importance of spreading the Gospel and fulfilling the Great Commission.

  • Matthew 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.”
  • Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be
    my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

According to my ability, I will sacrifice my time, talents, and financial resources to support the mission and ministry of Cypress Bible Church. I recognize that giving is an act of worship and reflects my commitment to God and the Church.

  • 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 – “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God
    loves a cheerful giver.”
  • Romans 12:1 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to
    offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and
    proper worship.”

I acknowledge God’s local church leadership and my responsibility to them. Church leaders are shepherds whose only effectiveness is leading their flock to Christ. I will support them through prayer, encouragement, and by submitting to their authority.

  • Hebrews 13:17 – “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because
    they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work
    will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”
  •  1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 – “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you
    and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love
    because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.”

Subscribe to our newsletter for events and updates.

Read This Week's Bulletin
Name

We exist to glorify God by pointing the affections of all peoples to the all-satisfying person of Jesus Christ.

11711 Cypress North Houston Rd, Cypress, TX 77429

Services Times:

9:30 am & 11:00 am.

(281)  469 – 6063

info@cypressbible.org

Facebook Instagram Youtube Rss

Quick Links

Other Pages

church Calendar

© 2024 Cypress Bible Church . All Rights Reserved.

Philosophy of Ordinances

Purpose

The purpose of communion is to obey the command of Jesus, “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way, also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Cor. 11:23-26 ESV)

Methodology

CBC will strive to administer communion every other week.   Creativity in the teaching setup and forms is important to keep the ordinance meaningful and to not stray into rote patterns where the significance is lost.   Married couples or singles can assist in serving communion.  

Communion logically follows baptism.  There are many understandable reasons why this order may get reversed; nevertheless, we will teach and encourage the biblical sequence.

Presence

Affirmation:    We affirm that in the act of communion, Christ is spiritually present with the believers in a unique and profound way. This presence is not physical but is real and vital to our growth in Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

Denial: We deny the doctrine of transubstantiation, which claims that the bread and wine become the literal body and blood of Christ. Such a view misinterprets the sacrament’s nature and confuses the elements’ symbolic and spiritual significance (Matthew 26:26-28, John 6:63).

Symbolism

Affirmation: We affirm that the bread and the cup are symbols representing the body and blood of Christ, given as a sacrifice for our sins. These elements are outward signs of an inward grace (Luke 22:19-20) of the believer.  

Denial:  We deny communion has inherent power to confer grace or salvation. Communion is a means of grace as it strengthens faith and encourages spiritual growth, but it is not efficacious in and of itself (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Availability

Affirmation: We affirm that communion is a memorial act commanded by Christ and is open to all followers of Christ. Through it, we remember His death, celebrate His resurrection, and anticipate His return (1 Corinthians 11:24-26).  The elders are responsible for withholding communion from those under active church discipline.  

Denial:  We deny the practice of restricting communion to a particular denomination or group of believers. While local church membership and doctrinal alignment are important, the table is open to all who have confessed faith in Christ and are in right standing with Him (Romans 15:7, Galatians 3:28).   

Community

Affirmation:  We affirm that communion signifies our unity as the body of Christ. It is an act of fellowship and mutual edification, reinforcing our commitment to one another in Christ (1 Corinthians 10:17).

Denial: We deny any approach to communion that treats it as an individual act. Such a view undermines the privilege of the ordinance and the common unity we have in Christ (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).

Personal Examination

Affirmation:  We affirm the importance of self-examination before participating in communion. Believers are called to reflect on their relationship with God and others, confessing sin and seeking reconciliation where necessary (1 Corinthians 11:28-31).  Heads of households are responsible for determining when it is appropriate for their children to be baptized and take communion.  We encourage parents to teach their children the link between salvation, baptism, and communion. 

Denial:  We deny the appropriateness of partaking in communion without personal reflection and repentance. Communion is not for unbelievers or children who have not yet come to trust Christ as Lord.  Participation in an unworthy manner can lead to spiritual (or physical) harm and dishonors the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).

Assembled Church and Elder Oversight:

Affirmation:  We affirm that communion should be celebrated in the context of the assembled church as a visible symbol of our corporate unity and overseen by elders who ensure that it is conducted in a manner consistent with biblical teaching and church order (1 Corinthians 11:18, 1 Timothy 3:1-7). 

Denial:  We deny that communion should be taken individually, or outside the church gathering overseen by the church elders.  Taking communion in the full gathered context values the leadership role of the elders, strengthens the local community, and ensures the doctrinal integrity of the ordinance (Hebrews 13:17, Acts 14:23). 

By affirming these truths and denying contrary errors, we seek to uphold a biblically faithful understanding and practice of communion at Cypress Bible Church.