What does membership mean at WBC?

Church membership means different things to different people. To be honest, membership at WBC is not required to participate in most of the life of our church: you can attend and even lead in worship, take communion, attend small groups and classes, give financially, get baptized, attend potlucks, and even serve as a leader in certain capacities without ever officially joining. Whether you are a member or not, we want to support and nurture you in your journey of life and faith. Some folks have even attended for years without joining! 

That being said, as a local Baptist congregation which functions by democratic vote on our major decisions, membership is really important for us as a tool to clarify who is actually able to vote and hold certain leadership positions within our fellowship. It gives us some order to our decision-making in our community of faith. And that is certainly important.

Perhaps just as importantly, however, we believe membership is also a statement of your earnest commitment to making WBC your spiritual home. It's one way of saying "I'm in" and "I want do all I can to support the mission and ministry of our church." Moreover, becoming a member means that you want to lend yourself and your voice to shaping this community's identity and mission through your participation. Williamsburg Baptist Church is not a building—it's a community of people! Our members ARE Williamsburg Baptist Church! And we would love for you to be a part of Williamsburg Baptist Church, too.

Who can become a member?

We are a diverse community of individuals and families, and we hope that as God's Spirit continues to move among us, we will become even more diverse. We are composed of folks who come from all sorts of theological and denominational backgrounds, and all sorts of walks of life. We represent different gender identities and sexual orientations. We don't all vote the same way every November. We don't all look the same, and we come from different ethnic and racial backgrounds. And yet, in spite of our diversity, we find our unity through Christ. If you are over the age of 13 and resonate with WBC's vision, organization, and purpose statements (articles II, III, and IV of our constitution), then you're eligible to become a member or friend.

I love WBC, but what if I'm not a Baptist?

You're welcome to join too! We have members who come from a variety of different theological and denominational backgrounds. We are really proud of that, to be honest. It's an interesting quirk of being Baptist—our tradition is rather elastic and can accommodate a wide spectrum of theological perspectives! Most all of our members have been baptized at some point in their journey of faith. Whether you were baptized as an infant or by immersion later in life, you can join. And if you have not been baptized yet, we'd love to talk to you about making that decision as a step toward membership.
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What if I want to keep my membership somewhere else too?

No worries! There are lots of reasons people might want to keep their membership at another church. We find that this is often the case for our college students who attend WBC regularly, for example. Others want to maintain a historic connection to another church or denomination. If you feel this way, but you've decided to make WBC your spiritual home, we would love for you to join WBC as a "friend"!

What's the difference between a member and a friend? 

Members of WBC
​Eligible to vote at WBC business meetings
Eligibile for elected WBC leadership positions
Receive pastoral & congregational care
Eligible to volunteer in WBC ministries
Receive a Parking Pass
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Friends of WBC
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Receive pastoral & congregational care
Eligible to volunteer in WBC ministries
Receive a Parking Pass
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What if I move away and want to keep up with WBC? 

You'll always be a WBC'er! Any former WBC member or friend, as well as any financial contributor to WBC is eligible to receive WBC communications. You can also stay in touch by following us on Instagram or Facebook, and by following our podcast, too!
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So, how do I become a member? What's the process?

​Step 1) Fill out the form below! - Let us know you're interested and we'll move right along to the next step.

Step 2) Meet with the Pastor - This is not an interview to see whether you "fit" or not; it's just an opportunity to get to know you better, answer any questions, explore how the church works, and discuss how your interests connect with WBC's mission. 
 
Step 3) Fill out the Membership Form - You can do this electronically, or print it out and fill it out by hand. Just turn it in to the WBC clerk, Pastor, or church office, and you're official! But wait! We're not finished yet!

Step 4) Let's Celebrate Together! - We like to do that be having you recognized during a weekly worship service. For the more introverted among us, we can skip that part, but all new members and friends will also be announced in the weekly e-news and the Spire monthly newsletter. 

Step 5) Let's get you connected! - As a member or friend we'll get you signed up for our e-news, assign you a deacon, and invite you to the next New Members and Friends meet-and-greet. We'll also do our best to connect you to opportunities that match your gifts and interests.