BCNE membership application
Please read the following statements. You will be asked to sign your understanding and agreement at the end of the membership application.
Our church has reviewed The Baptist Faith & Message (2000 edition) and affirms the doctrines therein.
Our church desires to cooperate with other like-minded churches through various Baptist Churches of New England ministries.
Our church is willing to host and/or lead a training for other Baptist Churches of New England churches from time to time.
Our church has met with representatives of the Baptist Churches of New England in person or via teleconference and has been able to ask questions and discuss our involvement with the organization, which includes such things as:
Being involved in the ministries the BCNE offers that are deemed useful to our church.
Being willing to host or sponsor ministries for other churches in the network.
Being willing to allow our pastor or other leaders to be involved in the network to further the work of evangelism and discipleship across New England.
Making a good faith effort to send one or more representatives to the annual business meeting.
Completing our Annual Church Profile each year in a timely way.
Making mission contributions to the BCNE through the Cooperative Program in accordance with our church budget and missions policies. (The minimum is $500 annually; most churches give more.)
Our church understands that the Baptist Churches of New England will assist us in strengthening and mobilizing our church to fulfill the Great Commission, but that they will never exercise authority over our congregation.
Our church understands that in times of pastoral vacancy the Baptist Churches of New England will offer us a list of names that we might call for pulpit supply and pass resumes along to us, but the responsibility for finding and calling a new pastor rests with our congregation alone. We will not be "assigned" a pastor. We understand that we do not have to choose a pastor from the resumes that we are given from the Baptist Churches of New England.
Our church understands that we may withdraw from the Baptist Churches of New England at any time, but agrees to allow a representative from the convention speak with our leadership before taking such action in the hopes of possible reconciliation.
Our church understands that we may be dually aligned with other evangelical denominations, agencies, mission boards or organizations. By accepting our church, the Baptist Churches of New England is not endorsing our other affiliations.
Our church understands that churches affiliated with the Baptist Churches of New England often choose to be affiliated with the national Southern Baptist Convention, but this is not a requirement. We understand that we may choose to affiliate with the SBC now, later or not at all.
Please note this membership application is not considered complete until your church has made an initial Cooperative Program contribution. You may contribute to the Cooperative Program online or by mailing a check to the Baptist Churches of New England, attn: Dr. Terry Dorsett, 87 Lincoln Street, Northborough, MA 01532. Thank you!