STARTING POINT

We believe that God created men and women with equal dignity, value, and worth. God also designed men and women to be distinct from each other. This divine distinction celebrates the femininity of women and the masculinity of men as equally wonderful and beautiful gifts for the family, the church, and the world. Therefore, men and women have different complementing roles within God’s good purposes. While men and women are both called to lead and engage in fruitful ministry, the husband is to be the head of the home and the church offices of pastor and elder are reserved for qualified men. Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 5:22-32; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-16

We believe the Bible teaches we are saved by grace through faith and not our baptism. In the New Testament church, a person’s baptism was always the first expression of faith or the first “step” of faith, not separate from it. Therefore, baptism was not simply a trite symbol or a memorial of faith but was intended to offer a means of union with Christ and a benchmark of transformation, marking the place and time a person made a commitment to Christ. At the instant we believed, we became totally identified with Christ. And in baptism we are identified with Christ’s people; the Church. His death became our death, His burial our burial, His resurrection our resurrection. Going under the water symbolizes death to our old way of life and coming up out of the water pictures the beginning of a new life, lived for God, in the power of Christ’s resurrection. At All Church, we are attempting to restore the original intent and practice of baptism. Therefore, we ask a person to be baptized at the point that he or she makes a commitment to Christ. If you are interested in learning more about baptism, consider attending one of our baptism classes offered regularly. Romans 6:1-8, Ephesians 2:8; Acts 2:41,47

We believe that God saves unto the end. No one can snatch the Father’s sheep out of His loving and preserving grace. Those who have been justified, will be those who are glorified. By the grace of God, His people will be kept from stumbling and will be brought into His presence with great joy. Our salvation is guarded by God in heaven so that we may obtain the outcome of our faith; the salvation of our souls. Those who fall away from the faith do not lose their salvation, rather, they evidence that they never possessed the faith that they once professed. Our Good Shepherd promises that His sheep will never perish. John 10:27-29; Romans 8:28-38; 1 Peter 1:3-9; 1 John 2:19; Jude 23-25

We believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit that are on display in the New Testament are still active today. However, we recognize the uniqueness of the time of Christ and the Biblical reality that God does not operate in the same ways throughout every era of the history of redemption. Therefore, we do not expect that certain gifts be as prevalent as they were in Biblical times, nor do we believe that they are required to operate in the same specific ways. Our belief is neither charismatic nor cessationist in thinking, but continuist*; allowing God to be God and work as He so chooses through the gifts that He gives to His church through the Holy Spirit. Regardless, any and all spiritual gifts are not for the elevation or boasting of the individual, but have been given to individuals within the church for the mutual encouragement and building up of each other's faith. Acts 2:17; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Hebrews 1:1-2 *These labels of charismatic, cessationist, and continuist are not Biblical terms but are helpful labels for our current moment within the larger christian cultural conversation around spiritual gifts.

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The Production crew exists to serve the vision of All Church by providing the tools to enhance our gatherings, online and in person, with a distraction-free experience. We use technology to help enhance the presentation of the Gospel be heard clearly and seen fully. Production Crew Application

AC Kids exists to support both children and parents throughout the foundational years, as they learn about God and His amazing love for them. Our goal is to encourage and educate kids on who God is and what He has done for them, while providing a fun and safe environment for them to grow and learn in. We also want them to build lasting relationships with each other and our crew! The AC kids team is made up of worship leaders, storytellers, and loving arms, as well as many other roles that spend their time pouring into every child that comes through our doors. Click the link below to apply to serve on the AC Kids Crew. AC Kids Application

AC buddies is a crew that serves alongside AC Kids to provide a buddy to our special needs families. The kids will be able to have one on one time with their buddy on Sunday mornings.

The guest experience crew exists to serve the vision of All Church by being those who seek out guests in hopes that they might feel welcomed on Sunday mornings to explore our church and the Christian faith. From the parking lot to the auditorium the Guest Experience team plays a part in making a new place feel comfortable and approachable through friendly faces and helpful hands. Roles include: Parking Team Front Doors Guest Central Coffee Team Ushers If you are interested in joining the Guest Experience Crew please fill out the application below. Guest Experience Crew Application

The band exists to serve the vision of All Church by creating opportunities to proclaim God’s worth and by creating environments that make it easy for those who are turning to God (Acts 15:19). Our goal is to skillfully combine biblical truth with music to magnify the worth of God and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, thereby motivating the gathered church to join in proclaiming and cherishing the truth of who God is and what He’s done. Our crew is comprised of singers and musicians who are skilled, passionate, and willing to commit the time and energy needed to help lead our people in worship each week. Check out the link below to start the audition process: Worship Band Application

AC Students exists to encourage and equip students into a lasting relationship with Christ. We strive to accomplish this through small group discussion and authentic relationships between students and volunteer leaders. We provide a space that allows all students to come and be in community with their peers. Each week we analyze, talk about, and apply scripture to our lives.

Once a month, 5th and 6th graders meet at the All Church building at 6pm on Sunday to hang out and discover how much Jesus loves and cares for them. Each Sunday evening, All Church Students (7th through 12th graders) meets as Third Bay for worship, fun, and an engaging message about Jesus that is relevant to the real issues students face in everyday life.

It’s a good idea to arrive around 10-15 minutes early so you’ll have time to grab a cup of coffee before heading into the auditorium to find your seat. If it’s your first time visiting us, and you have kids, it’s a good idea to give yourself an extra 5-10 minutes to get your children checked in to All Church Kids for the first time. One of our amazing All Church Crew members will help you get your kids checked in and will give you a tour of the All Church Kids ministry space so you feel more at ease.

Fill in the blank with whatever fear you have about not being accepted: divorced, a single parent, broke, a recovering addict, gay, transgender, atheist, skeptic, etc. Everyone is welcome at All Church. We believe the way of the Kingdom of God is that we belong first, believe second, and behave (change) third. Jesus is the one who does the changing in our lives and we believe everyone who encounters Jesus will be changed. So come as you are, and we’ll see you on Sunday!

The short answer is, whatever you want. We don't have a dress code. You can come in a suit, shorts, jeans, or whatever you feel comfortable in. We tend to dress pretty casually.

No, but a Bible would be helpful! If you don't have a Bible but would like one, we have one just for you and it's free. Our pastor will preach out of the ESV version and will use other versions periodically. All the scripture selections for the day's message will be on the screen if you prefer not to bring a Bible. You can't highlight, underline, circle, or mark up our screens though so you might want to bring your Bibles.

All Church Kids is a safe place for your kids. Each Sunday, All Church Kids (newborns through 5th graders) learn about Jesus in a way that makes the Bible relevant and exciting for them through worship, large group, and small group environments that are age-specific and led by our well-trained and screened All Church Kids volunteers.

As you pull into our drive, you’ll see our flags down by the street, and the All Church Parking Team will assist and direct you. Due to the unique layout of our parking lot, you may need to park a little ways from the building. In that event, our parking team will be there to assist you and give you a ride right to the doors in a golf cart! If you have kids, put on your 4-way blinkers when you come into our lot and we'll make sure you get a spot right up by the main doors.

We believe that God created the universe and all things there-in from nothing and continues to providentially rule and reign over His creation. As an outpouring of His triune love, God intentionally made heaven and earth, all things visible and invisible and declared that His creation was “very good”. This act of creation places all things in subjection to His loving and wise will. God’s work in creation did not cease once all things were made, but rather, he continues to uphold and maintain all things by the Word of His power. God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things; He alone is self-sufficient and eternally existent. Genesis 1:1-31, 2:4-24; Psalm 24:1, 33:6; John 1:1-3; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:16-17; Revelation 4:11

By God’s decree we believe that all of creation was made very good. Genesis 3 tells us that, at the temptation of Satan, humanity rebelled against the good will of God and subsequently fell from their original state of holiness. This rebellion and disregard for God’s will whether in word, thought, desire, or action is called sin. The original sin of Adam brought all of creation underneath the curse of sin and, as a result, we believe that all of humanity is born with a sinful nature; corrupt and at enmity with God. Yet, we are not personally condemned by Adam’s sin, rather, the testimony of scripture and the experience of our lives would tell us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Consequently, God forewarned humanity that to rebel against His will would bring about death. Therefore, we believe that we are dead in our sin and that sin has brought forth God’s righteous judgment upon humanity. The death of sin was both physical, our natural death, and spiritual, eternal death, which is hell. Sin severed our relationship with our Creator, brought about death, and created the need for a Savior to redeem us from our helpless state. Genesis 2:17, 3:1-23; Isaiah 53:6; John 3:19, 3:36; Romans 3:10-12, 3:23, 6:23, 8:7-8; Eph 2:1-10, 4:18

We believe in one personal and sovereign God who is worthy of all glory, honor, and worship. He is eternally existent as one essence in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Therefore, each person of the Trinity is fully God and is deserving of all glory, honor, and worship. God is unchanging, simple*, and holy. God has eternally existed in a satisfied relationship with Himself for all eternity. Although each person of the Godhead serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority. God is the creator of all things, seen and unseen. God himself is the chief joy of humankind as we were created for delightful fellowship with the Trinity. ‍ Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 6:4, Malachi 3:6, John 4:24, 14, Galatians 4:6, 2 Peter 1:17, Psalm 2:7ff, Isaiah 7:14, John 1:1-18, Hebrews 1:8, Psalm 51:11, 1 John 4:13, Acts 5:3-4 *By simple we do not mean God is” easy to understand” or is “unintelligible” but we are affirming the doctrine of Divine Simplicity. That is, God is not made of composite parts or attributes. Rather, He is a perfect unity made up of one essence that is talked about in numerous ways. For example, God’s love is not distinct from His justice or His wisdom. Instead, God’s love is a just and wise love, His justice is a wise and loving justice, and His wisdom is a just and loving wisdom. This is because He, himself, is loving, just, and wise. God is one unified essence that is not made up of individual parts. This is what we mean by Divine Simplicity.

We believe the blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the only way of salvation through the forgiveness of sin. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus as sufficient payment for their sin and as a redeeming of the created order of God. Salvation is a gift from God and it cannot be earned through our own efforts. Through Christ the believer becomes a new creation whose mind and will are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit from loving sin, to loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving all people as we love ourselves. ​ Isaiah 1:18, 53:5-6, 55:7, Matthew 1:21, 22:37-38, 27:22-28:6, 28:18-20, Acts 1:8, 2:21, 4:12, 16:30-31, 17:30-31, Romans 1:16-18, 3:23-25, 5:8-10, 6, 8, 10:9-10, 13, 1 Corinthians 1:18, 2 Corinthians 5:17-20, Galatians 2:20, 3:13, Ephesians 2:8-22, Philippians 2:12-13, Hebrews 9:24-28, 1 John 1:6-2:11, Revelation 3:20 *See Distinctive "Eternal Security"

We believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He played an active role in creation and has been at work throughout all of redemptive history. His presence assures us of our relationship with Christ. He guides believers into all truth and exalts Christ. He convicts people of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, and makes us more like Christ through the sanctifying process of removing our sin and growing in us a desire for God himself. ​ Genesis 1:2, Psalms 51:11, 139:7ff, Isaiah 6:1-3, Joel 2:28-32, Mark 1:10, Luke 1:35, 4:1, 11:13, 12:12, John 15:26, 16:7-14, Acts 1:8, 2:1-4, 13:2, Romans 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Ephesians 1:13-14, 2 Peter 1:21, Revelation 22:17

Humans were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God for eternity is Hell. To be eternally in union with God is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence. Jesus Christ will return visibly, at which time He will raise the dead and judge all people. Believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God as they participate in the fullness of His eternal reign, while unbelievers will suffer eternal separation from God in hell. ​ Matthew 24:29-31, 25:31-46; John 3:16, 36, Romans 6:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, 1 John 2:25, 5:11-13, Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15

We believe that, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament, the Bible is the divinely-inspired Word of God, the final and trustworthy authority for faith and practice. The Bible is a direct communication from God in which He reveals Who He is, what His expectations are for our lives, and His plan of redemption. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Bible is truth without error and is found today exactly as God intended it to be. It is to be interpreted responsibly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit within the community of faith. The Bible clearly reveals the character of our Triune God, the essentials leading to Salvation and the basics of how to conduct our lives in a way that honors the Lord. It is the ultimate standard by which human conduct, faith statements, and all opinions about God should be tried. Deuteronomy 4:1-2, II Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21

We believe that humans are made in the image of God and are the supreme object of God’s creation. In His image, God created humanity as embodied souls with two distinct genders; male and female he made them. Humanity was created to have fellowship with God, but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, human beings cannot attain a right relationship with God through our own effort; a savior is needed. Nevertheless, the image of God on mankind was not lost at the fall but was marred. Therefore, every human is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Godly love. As creatures, we believe that God has Creator-rights to order humanity as he pleases, according to his good will, and that true human flourishing is found in faithfulness to his design for humanity. ​ Genesis 1:26-30, 2:7, 18-19, 3, Psalms 8:3-6, 32:1-5, 51:5, Isaiah 6:5, Jeremiah 17:5, Acts 17:26-31, Romans 1:19-32, 3:10-18, 23, 5:6, 12-21, 6:6, 7:14-25, 1 Corinthians 1:21-31, 15:19, 21-22, Ephesians 2, Colossians 1:21, 3:9-11 *See Distinctive "Complementarianism"

We believe that God the Father is the first person of the Trinity. It is He whose role is the planning and directing of creation and redemption as He sends the Son and the Spirit to accomplish these plans. The Father spoke creation into being through the Son and the Spirit. God the Father sent the Son into the world to accomplish the necessary work for our redemption. Prior to the ascension of the Son, it was the Father, with the Son, who sent the Spirit to apply the work of Christ to us. While we can pray to any person of the Trinity, it is the Father whom Jesus exemplifies as the one to whom our prayers ought to be directed. God the Father also gives the right to become children of God to those who place faith in Christ and are born of Him through the Spirit. He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises. He genuinely cares and is concerned with each of His creations. ​ Genesis 1:3; Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6; Matthew 6:9-13; John 1:12, 3:16, 4:24, 5:26, 14:1, 17:1-26; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4, 8:15

The church is a local community of regenerated believers unified through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. It is committed to the teachings of Christ, to obeying all of His commands, and it seeks to bring the gospel to the world. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. Such believers claim a personal relationship to God through Jesus Christ, are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, follow the Lord in believer’s baptism by immersion, share in the Lord’s Supper, gather regularly for worship, and covenant for mutual edification and care-giving. That the Church is called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and God’s reconciling grace in the power of the Holy Spirit, inviting persons to receive salvation and follow Christ as His disciples. ​ Matthew 16:15-19, 28:18-20 Romans 10:9-10, Acts 1:8, 16:30-33, I Corinthians 6:19, 11:23-26, Galatians 3:26-28, Ephesians 1:22-23, Hebrews 10:23-25, James 1:27, 2:8 *See Distinctives "Believer's Baptism" and "Gifts of the Holy Spirit"

We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father and born of the Virgin Mary, fully divine and fully human, the eternal and pre-existent Word. The Son was begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. By His death Christ made full atonement for our sins, and by His resurrection He showed Himself to be the Lord and giver of life to all who believe. He is the only plan for bringing sinful humanity back into a right relationship with God. He lived a perfect life, so that He could be a substitution for us in reconciling us with God, Who is perfect. He received punishment for our sins when He died on the cross to satisfy God’s wrath. He defeated death in His resurrection so that we could have life. He overcame sin, death, and evil to set the world right. He ushered in the Kingdom of God here and now and for eternity. ​ Isaiah 7:14, 53, Matthew 1:18-23, 3:17, 8:29, 14:33, 16:16, 28:5-6, Luke 1:34-35, 22:70, 24:46-47, John 1:1-3, 14, 10:30, 11:25-27, 17:1-5, Acts 1:9, 2:22-24, 7:55-56, Romans 1:3-4, 3:23-26, 8, 10:4, 1 Corinthians 8:6, 2 Corinthians 5:19-21, Galatians 4:4-5, Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:15, 2:9, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, 3:16, Hebrews 1:1-3, Hebrews 4:14-15, 12:2, 13:8, 1 John 4:14-15

Regular in-person church attendance is a biblical expectation for all believers as we will be formed to look more like Christ as we gather together as the body of Christ and sit underneath the preaching of God's Word for a lifetime. For those that wish to go deeper into their understanding of God's Word, the AC Academy is their outlet. The Academy creates a unique space for dialogue and interaction with the teacher, which is not available on Sunday mornings, that cultivates lasting comprehension of the subject at hand. This is not to say that you will not grow from the preaching on Sundays, you will, but we believe that the AC Academy allows us to create spaces devoted to deeper and prolonged studies on specific topics that will further equip you to walk in faithfulness to God's Word. IMPORTANT: The classes, studies and seminars offered in the AC Academy are supplemental to Sunday mornings, not a substitute. Sunday gatherings are the priority, academy classes are an extra offering.

Currently, there will be no childcare offered for AC Academy classes. However, we are trying to figure out the logistics of being able to offer this in a sustainable and reliable way.

Classes are currently limited to 20 people.

There are no fees for the class but we do ask that you cover the cost of any and all books that will be required for the course. However, if the cost of the book(s) is too much of an expense for you at the moment, we understand. We do not want cost to be the reason that you do not take an AC Academy class. Reach out to Brad, brad@allchurch.com, or your class teacher and talk with them about financial help.

Nope! While we are calling those who partake in the AC Academy to a deeper knowledge of God, all of our classes and studies are crafted to be attainable for anyone who has a desire to learn regardless of their past knowledge.

Yes! The classes and studies of the AC Academy are a place where anyone can come and learn about God as he has revealed himself in his word. Whether a life-long Christian or still a skeptic, we invite you to come take our classes to learn about the God who has done more than we could ever ask or imagine. This is a place for charitable disagreement, honest questions, and intentional study of the Bible. We recommend starting with one of our three core classes that are offered every year: (1) Bible Doctrine, (2) The Story of the Bible, or (3) Spiritual Disciplines.

All AC Academy classes are anywhere from 6-14 weeks in length. The length of class depends upon what type of class is being offered. Core Classes: 10-14 weeks Bible Studies: 8-10 weeks Electives: 6-10 weeks

The AC Academy annual calendar is broken into three seasons in which new classes will be offered: Spring Classes: January - April Summer Classes: May - August Fall Classes: September - December

While we recommend that you take one class at a time to ensure the greatest level of comprehension of a singular subject, we are not going to restrict any individuals from taking two classes if they are offered at different times.

The mission of our church is to be all things to all people by all means. We believe that this mission is not only a charge for us to those outside the church but also to those inside the church who are committed disciples of Christ. The AC Academy is important because it creates a unique space within the church where members and non-members have the opportunity to grow in their love for God by growing in their knowledge of God. The AC Academy is distinct from every other ministry of the church because it focuses primarily on education through growing in biblical literacy and developing proper theology within the people here at All Church. In short, it is important to us because we believe everyone is being discipled by something and we want to ensure that the people of All Church are being discipled by the Word of God and are growing in their understanding of God.

Yes. We believe that the best comprehension comes as the result of learning both inside and outside the classroom. Depending on the class, you can expect anywhere from 1-3 hours of reading/work outside of the class every week for the length of the class.

We ask that you do not sign up for a class if you know you are going to miss more than two classes. Regular attendance is an important aspect to lasting and thorough comprehension.

The AC Academy is not an AC Group. They are distinctly different ministries trying to achieve two separate goals in our larger vision of discipleship here at All Church. AC Groups are smaller gathering of individuals that meet weekly for an indefinite period of time that discuss life and questions pertaining to the sermon from the previous Sunday. The main goal of AC Groups is to grow in community and fellowship as you apply God's word to your life. AC Groups develop disciples through biblical community. The AC Academy is made up of larger gatherings of people that meet for classes and studies that run anywhere from 6-14 weeks long that will require homework outside of the class. The main goal of the AC Academy is to focus on education through growing biblical literacy and developing a proper theology. The AC Academy develops disciples through biblical education. See our Holistic Discipleship Vision to see how all of our ministries work together to form holistic disciples of Christ.

Membership at All Church springs from a love for God and for His people, the local church. We desire to see God’s people grow in their love of God, their knowledge of God, and their obedience to God. The joy of knowing Christ and growing in your faith is a call to belong to God’s people. We then commit to pursue Jesus alongside one another as we help each other along the way. The commitment to membership is a commitment to God’s Church so that you might experience the blessing of belonging to a local church and be a blessing to your brothers and sisters here at All Church.

You will not find the word "membership" in the bible, but that does not mean the wise concept of membership is not present throughout the scriptures. You will also not find the word "trinity" in the bible, but that doesn't mean that the bible is silent on the matter of our triune God. The concept of membership is a pastoral desire to be able to identify the people of God from within the Sunday morning crowd. Not everyone who shows up on Sundays is a believer, and we LOVE that that is the case. However, in order to best care for the flock that God has entrusted to us, we want to know who those people are that make up the church here at All Church. Membership is about identifying, equipping, and caring for the family of God that has been gathered at our local church. Throughout the New Testament you see that the Lord "added to their number day by day..." implying that they were aware of who made up the church and who did not. All throughout the epistles we see that Paul wrote to the churches confident that they were "saints". At times there were those who evidenced themselves to not be christians and so he told the Corinthian church to remove that man from among them (1 Cor 5:1-2). How could he be formally removed unless he was formally recognized? The church knew who belonged to Christ and who did not. We too desire to have this awareness at All Church to be able to better care for everyone who attends our gatherings. For more information listen to Week 3 in our "Family Matters" series where Pastor Andy preaches on the topic of biblical church membership. Acts 2:37-28, 6:1-3, 8:3, 11:22, 11:26, 12:1, 12:5, 14:27, 20:28; 1 Cor 1:2, 5:1-2; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:2, Heb 10:24-25, 13:17

Building off the answer to the previous question, "Can anyone be a member?" we come to the conclusion that yes, membership is exclusive. It is reserved for those who have repented of their sins, trusted in Christ, and so found salvation in Him. Here is why this matters: The local church is not a club or service provider. The local church is a shining embassy or an outpost. An embassy is an institution that represents one nation inside another nation. It declares its home nation’s interests to the host nation and it protects the citizens of the home nation living in the host nation. We must identify those who belong to our Father and usher them toward our heavenly home. So, the distinction between whether one is a member or not is done with a pastoral heart that is trying to care for both groups of people, member and non-member, better. If a member, we know that this person is to be treated as a heavenly citizen and cared for as the bible calls us to care for our brothers and sisters. If not a member, we know that this person may need to be ushered to Christ before they are ushered into the church. Distinctions breed intentionality in care not exclusivity of concern.

Only those who have truly committed their lives to Jesus Christ can be a member. The only requirement we place upon our membership is the requirement that Christ places on belonging to His Church, repentance and faith. This is because the church is not a building, it is a redeemed people. The church of God is the bride of Christ! The bride for whom Christ spilt his blood out of love so that we might be in relationship with him. This heavenly bride of Christ, the Church, is exclusively made up of those who have repented of their sins and trusted in Christ as their Savior. So too, the members of this local gathering of Christ's bride will be held to the same eternal-life-bringing freely-given requirement. So although we invite everyone into membership, we must first invite them to place faith in Christ. One must be a Christian in order to be a member of a local church.