WE CAN USE THE CHURCH COVENANT AS A TOOL FOR DISCIPLESHIP OF NEW BELIEVERS AND M

EMBERS

Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus C
hrist as our Saviour; and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized i
n the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now in t
he presence of God, angels and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter i
nto covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
1. OUR SALVATION
a. It is by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Not of our own selves
b. It comes after being led to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. Not to receiv
e a new religion, or to receive a new baptism, or a new personality
c. To receive is to repent, to believe wholeheartedly, to trust, to abandon
all other persons which oppose, to commit, to love foremost, to obey everything
he says.
2. OUR BAPTISM
a. It is on the profession of our faith. The church takes you as you are.
b. It is in the Most Holy Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
c. It is in keeping with what is scriptural baptism
3. OUR COMMITMENT
a. It is done in the presence of God, angels, and this assembly
b. It is a solemn and joyful entrance
c. It is a covenant with one another
d. It engrafts us into the one body of Christ
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christi
an love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge and holiness;
to give it a place in our affections, prayers and services above every organiza
tion of human origin; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrin
e; to contribute cheerfully and regularly, as God has prospered us, toward its e
xpenses, for the support of a faithful and evangelical ministry among us, the re
lief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. In case of d
ifference of opinion in the church, we will strive to avoid a contentious spirit
, and if we cannot unanimously agree, we will cheerfully recognize the right of
the majority to govern.
1. First of the solemn promises: (only by the aid of the Holy Spirit)
a. To walk together in Christian love
i. Avoid hateful words, disdain, spite, back biting
ii. Avoid jokes that hurt or promote ill-will
iii. Look at I Cor. 13, look at the relation of a closely knit family and emu
late it
b. To strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge and holiness
i. Purchase and contribute to our library of books, articles, magazines, et
c
ii. Call the attention of the church to noteworthy things
iii. Suggest, pursue and volunteer toward things that promote knowledge and h
oliness
c. To give it a place in our affections
i. Think often about the church anywhere you are
ii. Be emotionally attached to the church and be affected by the church need
s and triumphs
d. To pray for the church
i. Recall each member in prayer, not only those close to you. Try to ident
ify each by name, by work, by ministry, by prayer requests
e. To give it pre-eminence above every other organization started by men
i. The church is the most important institution and organization in the uni
verse, greater than government, nation, family, fraternity, and others
ii. Although we should not neglect our devotion to country and family, the c
hurch takes precedence
f. To sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrine
i. Sustenance of these things means attendance, zealousness, attention to w
hatever will contribute to the betterment of these things
ii. It is the duty of all and not just the few to think even of administrati
ve things
g. To contribute cheerfully and regularly toward its expenses (as God prosp
ers)
i. Faithful and diligent, voluntary giving of tithes and offerings
ii. Making it part of regular family expenses
h. To avoid a contentious spirit, in case of differences of opinion
i. We can debate, we can contend, we can critique, but we should not offend
ii. We can be different but we must seek to be of the same mind as soon as p
ossible
i. To recognize the right of the majority to govern
i. We believe that the Holy Spirit administers the church by the reception
of the word of Elders and the majority with gladness in heart
ii. The evidence that the minority among us are spirit-led, is that once the
y are defeated in a business meeting, they consider their vote as one with the m
ajority
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotion; to study diligently the w
ord of God; to religiously educate our children; to seek the salvation of our ki
ndred and acquaintance ; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be kind and just
to those in our employ , and faithful in the service we promise others; endeavo
ring in the purity of heart and good will towards all men to exemplify and comme
nd our holy faith.
2. Second of the solemn promises (only by the aid of the Holy Spirit)
a. To maintain family and secret devotion â quiet time by yourself and with y
our family
b. To study diligently the Word of God â reading and studying the WORD is an
endless pursuit
c. To religiously educate our children â before academics, and practical thin
gs, are spiritual things
d. To seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintance â by prayer, by word
, by life, by deeds
e. To walk circumspectly in the world â if the unsaved are moral and ethical,
we must have double
f. To be kind and just to those under our employment â Baptist employers must
be fair
g. To be faithful to our word of promise to others, even to our employers a
nd clients
h. To exemplify and commend our holy faith â as if we are shining lights in a
dark world
We further engage to watch over, to pray for, to exhort and stir up each other u
nto every good word and work; to guard each other's reputation, not needlessly e
xposing the infirmities of others; to participate in each other's joys, and with
tender sympathy bear one another's burdens and sorrows; to cultivate Christian
courtesy; to be slow to give or take offense, but always ready for reconciliatio
n, being mindful of the rules of the Saviour in the eighteenth chapter of Matthe
w, to secure it without delay; and through life, amid evil report, and good repo
rt, to seek to live to the glory of God, who hath called us out of darkness into
his marvelous light.
3. Third of the solemn promises (only by the aid of the Holy Spirit)
a. To watch over, pray for, exhort, and stir up each other unto every good
word and work
b. To guard each otherâ s reputation
c. To participate in each otherâ s joys
d. To bear one anotherâ s burdens and sorrows
e. To cultivate Christian courtesy (in myself)
f. To be slow to give or take offense; always ready for reconciliation
g. To seek to live to the glory of God
When we remove from this place, we engage as soon as possible to unite with some
other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the princip
les of God's word."
4. Fourth of the solemn promises (only by the aid of the Holy Spirit) To un
ite with some other church when we remove from this place