Welcome to TBC

Membership

Our Fellowship in the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Church Is Precious

The church is Christ’s precious possession; this is who she is by divine proclamation (1 Pet 2:9). As saints, saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we should love the church—Christ’s church—for what is precious to Christ should be precious to us. The church is not a building, a place, or an object; it is the people of God, redeemed in Christ, and “called out” to bear witness to Jesus Christ in this world. The church is precious and is to be loved—that is those who appear lovable and unlovable, spiritually mature and immature, faithfully strong and weak; thus, the greatest and the least who profess faith in Christ are to be loved.

So precious to Christ is she, that He calls her His bride (Rev 21:9). We should love her because Christ “loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph 5:25). The church is Christ’s precious “possession” (Titus 2:14) chiefly because He purchased her “with His own blood” (Ac 20:28), which is “precious” (1 Pet 1:19). His blood is precious and by an act of inestimable grace through His redeeming purchase, has rendered His church precious, wherever she may be represented without distinction.

The local assembling of believers is to be upheld and esteemed highly for Christ’s sake and for the sake of His people. The local church is identified as a realm of spiritual fellowship; a context for true communion. It fosters unity (Phil 2:1‐4), brotherly love (Rom 12:10), accountability (Matt 18:17), and the necessary strengthening to strive together for the same purpose of the gospel (Phil 1:27). The church also serves as the environment where spiritual edification and growth occur (1 Pet 2:1), and where spiritual leadership develops and matures (2 Tim 2:2). These blessed pursuits are facilitated not in the universal body, but in the local assembly.

On the basis of a biblical conviction toward unity and mutual accountability in the local body of Christ (cf. Acts 2:42; 20:17–28; Rom 12; 1 Cor 12; Eph 4; etc.), we affirm that these principles are best exercised through local church membership. Membership is not based upon rules and regulations established by the leadership of the church, nor does it obligate you to anything beyond what is prescribed for the fellowship of a New Testament assembly, namely the bond of love.

If you desire to labor with us and commit to the fellowship we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ, please contact the church office at (408) 782-1619 or by email: [email protected].

For more on our convictions regarding the Church, please download our Philosophy of Ministry (pdf).

Membership Covenant

A summary of our commitment to God and one another as one body in Christ.

Having been, as we trust, brought by divine grace to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ, and to give up ourselves wholly to Him and no other; we do now solemnly and joyfully commit with each other to walk together in Him with love as our hallmark, God’s word as our authority, and Christ as our Lord. We do, therefore, in His strength, for His glory, and for the good of His people, pledge to God and one another to commit to the following goals:

1. We commit to pursue the preeminence of Jesus Christ and the glory of God in all things (1 Cor 10:31; 2 Cor 5:9; Col 1:18; 3:17; 1 Pet 4:11).
2. We commit to submit to the Holy Bible as the authority and rule of our life and practice (2 Tim 3:16‐17; 2 Pet 1:3‐4, 19‐21).
3. We commit to Trinity Bible Church as our immediate spiritual family and partner to aid in fulfilling its mission and purpose. We pledge to promote the worship of God in obedience to Christ’s commands, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and the preaching and teaching of the Word of God; to strive for the advancement of this church in love, unity, holiness, humility, knowledge, service, joy, and peace (Acts 2:42; Rom 1:12; 12:5; 1 Cor 14:12; Eph 4:12, 15‐16; Col 4:17).
4. We commit to attend the public worship of God regularly. We will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb 10:25; Col 3:16).
5. We commit to exercise Christian love and mutual care as members one of another; to exercise the ‘one anothers’ of the NT (John 13:34‐35; 15:12, 17; Rom 12:3‐16; 13:8; 15:7; Gal 5:13; Eph 4:2, 25, 32; Phil 2:2‐4; etc.) and to protect and care for our children, widows, elderly, and those dependent upon us (Jas 1:27; Acts 6:1; 1 Tim 5:3, 8; 1 John 3:17).
6. We commit to follow the biblical procedures of conflict resolution and corrective discipline if ever such need arises. We submit to the instructions given in Scripture concerning offenses and corrective discipline (Matt 18:15‐17; Gal 6:1‐2; 2 Thess 3:6, 14) and consent to be bound by the corresponding policy outlined in the TBC bylaws.
7. We commit to family and personal devotion to Christ in our private and public life; through self‐discipline, Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and other disciplines of the faith (Col 1:18); to pursue and uphold the sanctity of marriage (Matt 19:4‐9; Eph 5:22‐33), to disciple our children and all under our care in the instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4), and to personally live in a manner worthy of the Lord (Eph 4:1; Col 1:10; 1 Thess 2:12).
8. We endeavor to serve and use whatever giftedness God has given us individually for the building up of the church and the work of the ministry (Eph 4:11‐16; 1 Peter 4:10‐11; Rom 12:1‐8; 1 Cor 12:7‐31).
9. We endeavor to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry among us; to the support of this church, the relief of our poor, and the spread of the gospel (2 Cor 8–9).
10. We endeavor—in a spirit of gentleness, humility, and love—to hold one another accountable in our profession of faith (Rom 15:1; Eph 4:25; 5:21; Col 3:16; 1 Th 5:14; 1 Tim 1:19; 2 Tim 4:2; Heb 3:13; Ja 5:19; 1 Jn 5:16).

Membership Application

This is our official membership application form. If you are interested in membership, you download and print this form, fill it out, and submit it to the church office. (DOWNLOAD)

Membership Covenant

The purpose of this document is to summarize our commitment to God and one another as one body in Christ. (DOWNLOAD)

Bylaws of Trinity Bible Church

This is the Trinity Bible Church bylaws, otherwise referred to as ‘rules of order’ or a ‘church constitution’. (DOWNLOAD)