Chapter 1. The Communicant Membership of the Church

In a regularly organized congregation it belongs to the session alone to admit to membership in the church. In extraordinary circumstances, such as the organization of a new congregation, presbytery may assume this function or delegate it to a temporary governing body. In the early stages of work in a foreign mission field, special powers may be exercised by the missionaries in this regard until such time as a congregation with a regular session can be organized. (Suggested Form 9)

Classes should be conducted, under the oversight of the session, for baptized children as well as for prospective members for their instruction in the principles of truth maintained by the Church with a view to preparing them to be communicant members.

Candidates for communicant membership shall be examined by the session in constituted court. The examination shall seek to bring out the degree of the candidate’s knowledge of Divine truth, his personal sense of sin and need of salvation and his knowledge of and willing acceptance of the Covenant of Church Membership including the distinctive principles of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. The degree of knowledge necessary for admission depends, to a considerable extent, upon the capacity of the candidate and the opportunities which he has had for acquiring such knowledge. Children should be encouraged to memorize the Shorter Catechism and urged to read and study the Testimony and Confession of Faith as they come to years of fuller understanding. No one should be admitted who is ignorant of the plan of salvation, or who gives no credible evidence of having been born again, or who assumes an attitude antagonistic to the principles set forth in the standards of the Church.

When the candidates have given assent to the Covenant of Church Membership and when their examination has been sustained, they shall, if they have been baptized, be declared in communicant membership and may sign the Covenant of Church Membership. After prayer on their behalf, the members of the session shall welcome them by extending the right hand of fellowship.

Where there is no definite knowledge that a candidate has been baptized in a true church as defined by Synod (chap. 25 of the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Testimony of the Reformed Presbyterian Church), this sacrament shall be administered.

The new members should be publicly recognized. This may be done by having them stand before the congregation to give public assent to the Covenant of Church Membership. The congregation may be asked to join in giving assent to the Covenant. This question shall be addressed to the congregation: “Do you, the members of this congregation, welcome into your fellowship these who have now professed their faith in Christ, and have been received by your session; and do you promise to help and encourage them in the Christian life?” The congregation should respond, “We do.” A few words of counsel may be given to the new members and prayer offered in their behalf.

Members should willingly consecrate their talents and gifts to the service of Christ. They should prayerfully consider accepting a position in the church when called to do so.

A member of any congregation of any Reformed Presbyterian Church, in this or other lands, may be received into communicant membership of any congregation of the church, upon presentation of a certificate from the session of his congregation. An applicant from another denomination shall satisfy the session of his acceptance of the basic truths of the historic Christian faith and of the Covenant of Church Membership. (In each case send Suggested Form 1-B to the dismissing session.) Certificates shall be valid for one year only from the date of issue, unless reasons can be shown for the delay in presenting them. If a certificate states exceptions, or grounds of censure, the applicant shall give full satisfaction to the session before being admitted.

Neglect of the ordinances should be a matter of church discipline; but where a member has, for a period of one year failed to attend, to contribute, or to give any other evidence of interest and cannot be contacted, he may be removed from the roll of communicant membership. The session officially shall attempt to notify him of that action. He may be restored to communicant membership when he has given credible evidence of adherence to the Covenant of Church Membership.

A member of the Church moving from one congregation to another congregation in the denomination shall be given a certificate of transfer of membership at his request. (Suggested Form 1) Notice shall also be given to the session of the congregation to which he desires transfer. A person leaving the membership of the Reformed Presbyterian Church shall also be given a certificate of transfer of membership including any qualifications the session has in its records.

If a member becomes a member of another denomination without a regular dismissal, the session shall record the fact (Suggested Form 1-A) and remove his name from the roll. If charges are pending against him these charges may be prosecuted.

A member certified to another congregation of the denomination is under the jurisdiction of the session issuing his certificate of membership until he has been received by the session to which he has been certified, but shall not be entitled to vote or hold office. A certificate of transfer of membership becomes effective immediately. A person restored to membership in a congregation by the return of a certificate of transfer to the session which issued it, is not entitled to exercise the functions of any office previously held. He may, however, be re-elected to the same.

Presbytery may establish a temporary roll of membership. Such a roll may be used for a mission church or may authorize the temporary governing body to receive members on such a roll. It may also be used when a congregation becomes disorganized. It is to be considered a temporary roll. In the case of disorganization, those placed on the rolls of presbytery should become members of another congregation within one year. Diligent effort should be made to retain members in the Reformed Presbyterian Church.