The Weekly Encourager – June 29, 2017 – Church Covenant

What are the responsibilities of church membership? Did you make a promise or take vows when you joined your church? Have you reviewed those vows lately to see how you're doing? Last weekend we visited a church we like down at the beach. In the bulletin was a copy of their “Church Covenant,” which was thought-provoking. Even though I'm from a different church and a different denomination, I found it beneficial to read their document. Hope you will, too!

Church Covenant

Having been led as we believe by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and on the profession of our faith having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we do covenant by the grace of God:

1. to walk together in Christian love, dealing with any disagreement or conflict that might arise in a timely and biblical manner.

2. to promote the spiritual welfare of others within the church.

3. to be sensitive to the physical needs of others, and to do what we can to meet those needs.

4. to attend faithfully the services of the church.

5. to support the church faithfully with our tithes and offerings.

6. to participate, as the Lord directs and provides, in the ministries of the church.

7. to live a life separated from worldliness and separated unto holiness.

8. to control the use of our tongues for the furtherance of the will of God, and not to participate in speech that could be considered as backbiting, gossip, or divisive.

9. to be zealous in our attempt to reach the lost.

10. to constantly keep before us, as we are making decisions as a church, the one overriding question that is at the center of every decision - “What does God want us to do?”

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Did any of these convict your heart? Numbers 1 and 8 are particularly good reminders for me. How do I personally deal with disagreement or conflict in my church body? Do I seek to resolve issues promptly, or do I let them fester? If there's a problem in the church, do I complain and gossip to my friends, or do I address the church leaders with respect and gratitude for their service? Is my conversation honoring to God and kind to others? And one more thing that this covenant (above) leaves out: am I praying for the leaders of my church on a regular basis? They have a tough job, and they need God's help.

“Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as your see the Day drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:23-25 ESV

God is faithful,
j

This “Church Covenant” was from the June 26, 2017, bulletin of Still Waters Independent Baptist Church, Nags Head, NC (edited).