How do I conduct a membership interview?

Dec 8, 2022 | General Info, Resources

Intro

A membership interview might sound intimidating or overly formal, but the opposite is true—membership interviews are a low-pressure, informal way for us to welcome new members into our church in a way that best communicates who a Vintage Church member is and what they do. That’s one of the reasons, whenever possible, we have prospective members do their interview with their community group leader, someone who already knows them and with whom they are already comfortable.

Below you’ll find the interview steps, and there are two simple goals here: 1. To hear the story of how they became a follower of Jesus and 2. To ensure they are prepared to complete the steps of becoming a member. Below are those steps:

Steps for becoming a Vintage Church Member

    1. Attend New Members Class (they should’ve done this by the time they get to you)
      2. Share their testimony
      3. Be baptized (if applicable)
      4. Complete the Membership Covenant

So, with all that laid out, here is the path to follow in the Membership Interview.

Membership Interview Steps

1. New Member Class

Confirm that they have attended New Member Class.

2. Testimony

a. Ask about their testimony and have them to share the story of how and when they came to know Jesus.

b. At the end of the conversation, you should be able to tell if they profess Jesus Christ as their savior and affirms the close-handed theological beliefs that Vintage hold.

3. Baptism

a. Ask when they were baptized.

b. If they have yet to be baptized, connect them to Eric Spivey at eric.spivey@vintagenc.com for Vintage Downtown or to their Local Pastor for all other Vintage locations.

c. If they were baptized as an infant and consider this to be their proclamation of their salvation in Jesus, Vintage does accept this view as an open handed issue, so it is also acceptable for membership.

4. Any Remaining Questions?

Ask if they have any hanging questions that might prevent them from completing the membership process. This could be questions about Vintage’s theology, DNA, the 5 Marks of Membership, or truly anything else. The goal here is not that you would be able to answer any question they have but to help identify what questions or concerns, if any, might prevent them from becoming a member. You are welcome to discuss those questions where you feel able to address them, but also feel the freedom to refer them back to whomever led their New Member Class.

5. Membership Covenant

a. Have them sign the membership covenant, linked below.

b. Make sure they understand and have signed the membership covenant while in your presence.