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Church Covenant

03.13.13 | Church & Ministry, Church Practices, Communion | by Joshua Claycamp

Church Covenant

    It is always necessary for Christians to make certain declarations to each other, and here are the declarations that the members of Bridge Baptist Church make to each other through the Church Covenant.

    Bridge Baptist Church

    Church Covenant

    Having  repented and trusted in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and giving ourselves over to Him, having been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and being in agreement with the beliefs and practice of Bridge Baptist Church, we are now led by the Holy Spirit to unite with this church family. In so doing, we renew our covenant together with each other before God and pledge ourselves to the following:

    We will grow in our relationship with God and each other

    …By growing in our knowledge and understanding of God through the Scriptures,

    “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42, ESV)

    “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” (Psalm 119:15–16, ESV)

    ...By praying to God daily,

    “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” (Ephesians 6:18, ESV)

    ...By prioritizing participation both in Life-Group and in Sunday worship weekly.

    “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,” (Acts 2:46, ESV)

    “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 you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24–25, ESV)

    We will protect the unity of our church

    “Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3, ESV)

    ...By acting in love toward each other,

    “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,” (1 Peter 1:22, ESV)

    “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” (1 Peter 3:8, ESV)

    ...By speaking in love to each other,

    “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Colossians 4:6, ESV)

    ...By refusing to gossip about each other,

    “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29, ESV)

    ...By following the example of the leaders we have appointed.

    “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17, ESV)

    We will share in the responsibility of our church

    ...By praying for its success and the well-being of each other,

    “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” (Ephesians 6:18, ESV)

    ...By inviting those who do not know Christ to worship God with us,

    “And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.” (Luke 14:23, ESV)

    ...By sharing a verbal witness and testimony for Christ and intentionally seeking opportunities to share,

    “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

    ...By raising our children to be Christians, love Jesus and fear God.

    “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4, ESV)

    “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7, ESV)

    We will serve in the ministry of our church

    ...By discerning our gifts and talents and using them for each other’s blessing,

    “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:” (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)

    ...By being equipped to serve by the Elders we have appointed,

    “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,” (Ephesians 4:11–12, ESV)

    ...By seeking to develop a servant's heart and having the desire to bless each other,

    “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13, ESV)

    ...By serving our church family and the community of Kamloops.

    “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

    “Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14, ESV)

    We will support the testimony of our church

    ...By gathering ourselves together for worship and encouraging each other faithfully,

    “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25, ESV)

    ...By living a godly life,

    “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;” (1 Timothy 4:7, ESV)

    “But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”” (1 Peter 1:15–16, ESV)

    ...By giving regularly in proportion to our means.

    “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.” (1 Corinthians 16:2, ESV)

    We will not blaspheme the name of God

    ...By submitting to the discipline of God through His Word,

    “Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire.” (Deuteronomy 4:36, ESV)

    ...By listening to our brothers and sisters if they confront us about sin,

    “Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20, ESV)

    ...By adhering to Biblical Church Discipline conducted by our church.

    “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”” (Matthew 18:15–20, ESV)

    We will seek, with God’s assistance, 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, when God moves us 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. 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.