On a Profession of Faith

When I profess faith in Christ, I am saying that I have trusted Jesus for salvation and that I am declaring myself openly as a believer. Those making such a profession identify themselves with Jesus by being baptized. Baptism is the first step of obedience after becoming a Christian. The Bible teaches that baptism is for believers, is by immersion, and symbolizes what happened in salvation. Upon baptism a person becomes a member of the church.

By Transfer of Letter

This is when a person who is a member of another Southern Baptist church (or some church of the same beliefs and similar organization) wants to join this church. We send the other church a form asking if the person, to their knowledge, is a Christian and a member of their church in good standing. A letter request is asking if they can commend that person to us as a member.
By Transfer of Membership and Believer’s Baptism
Sometimes a person has been a Christian for some time and wants to join. However, she is a member of another denomination that does not baptize by immersion. She gives this testimony to the work of Christ in her life and we contact her former church of membership.

By Statement

Joining by statement means that a person has been a member of a Baptist church in the past, but has since moved his membership to another denomination. Since the Baptist church he used to belong to no longer has his name on their roll, he is stating that he has been saved and was baptized after conversion by immersion. The church takes him at his word. Another variation of this is when the person was a member of a church that has since disbanded and there is no one to grant a letter of recommendation.

Sometime people make dual commitments

Perhaps a person was genuinely saved, but then got out of church. Perhaps, too, she moved to a new community.  The Lord worked in her heart and she is attending a church in her new town of residence.  She realizes that she needs to join the church and become a member. Often people in this situation come by transfer of letter and to “rededicate” their lives to the Lord.