New Members' Class

Definition and Meaning

A new members' class is a foundational course for people who have newly registered at a church. Because it serves not only new believers who have just come to faith but also those transferring from other churches, many Korean churches use the name "new family class" (saegajokban) rather than "new believers' class" (saesinjaban). The name expresses the idea of welcoming newcomers as members of the church family. Upon completing the course, participants are often entered on the membership roll as official members or assigned to a small group.

Biblical and Historical Background

Acts 2:41–42 records that those who were baptized "continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." The new members' class is often explained with reference to this passage. The early church is known to have had catechumenal instruction, in which candidates received teaching for a set period before baptism. After the Reformation, Protestant churches taught the fundamentals of the faith through catechisms (manuals of instruction in question-and-answer form) such as the Heidelberg Catechism. From the early missionary period, Korean churches maintained a system of instruction preceding admission as a catechumen and baptism. The present-day new members' class can be seen as a combination of these traditions with the church registration process.

Practice in Korean Churches

• Administration: A newcomer ministry department or team welcomes visitors and collects registration cards. A pastoral staff member or a trained layperson then leads the course, which usually lasts about four to five weeks. Length and format vary from church to church.
• Content: The course covers basic doctrines such as God, Jesus Christ, salvation, and the Holy Spirit. It also introduces aspects of the Christian life, such as worship, prayer, and offerings, as well as the history, organization, and ministries of the particular church.
• Mentoring system: Some churches pair each newcomer with an existing member who helps the newcomer settle in. After the course, churches may make pastoral visits or connect participants to small groups such as district groups (guyeok) or cell groups (mokjang).
• Transfer members: Some churches require members coming from other churches to take the same course, while others shorten or waive it.

Practices also differ by denomination. Presbyterian and Methodist churches often structure the new members' class to lead into instruction for catechumen admission, baptism, and confirmation. Baptist churches commonly treat the new members' class as preparation for baptism by immersion and church membership. Some Pentecostal churches reportedly give significant attention to the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit in their curriculum. Many churches also direct participants who have completed the new members' class toward more advanced courses such as discipleship training.