Who can join your church, and how?

Consider the list of persons in this poll, all of whom have 'come forward in the invitation' or however your church invites those who request new membership there. It is assumed that almost all Baptist churches consider new members a matter that must be approved by the congregation, even though the "vote" is just 'rubber stamp' or a 'formality'-- that is not the subject of this poll. But upon nominal approval for consideration as a new member, what action should be taken as to that person's request for membership?

This is somewhat of a followup to a previous thread about rebaptism.

 

As a matter of record, this is copied from my church's website under Different Ways People Join....:

By Profession of Faith in Christ as personal Lord and Savior and as a candidate for baptism and upon their baptism into full membership of the church.

By Letter from another Baptist church stating that you have been baptized and have been a member of another Baptist church. When you join, our church office will contact your former church to let them know that you have joined here. We will request a “letter” from your former church, which is essentially a record of your membership there. This will allow us to add you to our membership roll and for them to take you off of their roll.

By Statement of a prior conversion and previous believer’s baptism and membership in a Baptist church.

By Affirmation of Baptism stating that your profession of faith in Christ as personal Savior followed by immersion baptism was in agreement with the Biblical principles of Believer’s Baptism by immersion as a symbol.

So, unlike half the respondants so far, we would not request a person who had been baptized in a Bible church ['Bible Fellowship'] to be baptized again; a policy I totally agree with.

 

I can now see that this poll, although I still believe it to be relevant, is a little too broad-ranging, tying 4 issues together-- 1)the means of salvation, 2)the purpose, and possibly misuse, of baptism and REbaptism, 3)the lack of seriousness of a church in accepting new members, and 4)a congregation voting on motions they are not in position to know enough about.

It's fortunate that many churches today do seem to be turning the corner from the old practice of, for example, having a new couple in town coming forward in the invitation, filling out a card saying they were members of First Baptist Church, Anytown, USA, shaking hands with the pastor, who they are meeting for the first time, and having him say, "All who, with me, join in welcoming this couple into our fellowship, let it be known by saying 'Aye.'" And about half the assembly moans out a barely audible 'Aye,' and that couple are suddenly members. This trivializes the responsibilities of church membership.

Nevertheless, how far can a church go in determining if a new member candidate does believe in and support the mission of the church? If someone does have an ulterior motive in desiring to join, they may still know the answers expected when asked, "Who was Jesus Christ?", "Why were (will you be) baptized?", "Where do Baptist beliefs come from?", et al. With extensive 'training sessions' or deeply involved questioning of all new member candidates, it can become more like they are being interviewed by a Deacon Selection Committee, when presently they are only seeking to join the fellowship