Church Covenant
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Having, as we trust, been brought by divine grace to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to give up ourselves to him, and having been baptized upon our profession of faith, in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, we do now, relying on His gracious aid, solemnly and joyfully renew our covenant with each other.
We will commit ourselves to the principles contained in this covenant and to the doctrinal beliefs contained in our statement of faith.
We will work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
We will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, nor neglect to pray for ourselves and others.
We will walk together in brotherly love, as becomes the members of a Christian Church, exercise an affectionate care and watchfulness over each other and faithfully admonish and entreat one another as occasion may require.
We will help one another grow toward Christian maturity by:
- Bearing one another’s burdens, Galatians 6:2.
- Encouraging one another, Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:24-25.
- Exhorting one another, Hebrews 3:13.
- Praying for one another, James 5:16.
- Confessing our sins to one another, James 5:16.
- Speaking the truth in love to one another, Ephesians 4:15.
- Admonishing one another, Colossians 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:14.
- Building up one another, 1 Corinthians 14:12, 14:26; Ephesians 4:29.
- Teaching one another, Colossians 3:16.
- Comforting one another, 2 Corinthians 13:11.
- Submitting to one another, Ephesians 5:21.
- Serving one another, Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 4:10.
- Patiently bearing with one another, Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13.
- Being hospitable to one another, 1 Peter 4:9.
- Greeting one another, Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Peter 5:14.
- Living in harmony with one another, Romans 12:16, 15:5; 2 Corinthians 13:11.
- Regarding one another as more important than ourselves, Philippians 2:3.
- Caring for one another, Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4.
- Exercising our spiritual gifts to serve one another, 1 Peter 4:10.
- Being kind and tenderhearted to one another, Ephesians 4:32.
- Accepting one another, Romans 15:7.
- Forgiving one another, Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13.
- Loving one another, John 13:34-35, 15:12, 15:17; Romans 12:10, 13:8; 1 Thessalonians 3:12, 4:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:22, 4:8; 1 John 3:11, 3:23, 4:7, 4:11-12; 2 John 5.
We will endeavor to bring up those under our care in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and by a pure and loving example to seek the salvation of our family and friends.
We will rejoice at each other’s happiness and endeavor with tenderness and sympathy to bear each other’s burdens and sorrows.
We will seek, by Divine aid, to live carefully in the world, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and remembering that, as we have been voluntarily buried by baptism and raised again from the symbolic grave, so there is on us a special obligation now to lead a new and holy life.
We will work together for the continuance of a faithful evangelical ministry in this church, as we sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines. We will contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We will, when we move from this place, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
We invite fellow members to pray for us, teach us, correct us, or rebuke us, if necessary, in a spirit of gentleness and humility should we stray from our Lord’s command, because the thing we desire most in life is to serve Christ. We voluntarily submit ourselves to one another and to the discipline of the church. Such discipline will always be for the loving purpose of restoration—restoration to fellowship with God and with the covenant community—and it will always be done in accordance with Matthew 18:15-22.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.
