Dennis1209 Posted September 22, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 18 Topic Count: 350 Topics Per Day: 0.13 Content Count: 7,512 Content Per Day: 2.70 Reputation: 5,410 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/27/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted September 22, 2019 (edited) Does your church have a displayed 'church covenant'? Have you read it and do you know who wrote it? Do you think a church needs one? What do you think about yours if you've read it? When I started attending the Baptist Church where I am now a member, one of the things I did was to carefully read it; it's posted where all may see it. Another thing I did was some careful research into their faith and the Southern Baptist conventions. I was very shocked to find that liberal and all inclusive ideas and policy and proposals keep popping up for a vote, which I've previously heard about and wanted to verify. Well in this day and age I shouldn't be so shocked. A Baptist Church can be independent and not follow any Southern Baptist guidelines / policy from what I understand. At our church I've asked around, and no one seems to know where or when our 'church covenant' came from or when it was put in place? Reading it, I have no theological objections or complaints. It fits the word of God. Anyway, I bring this up because in this mornings church bulletin was a notice, that starting this Wednesday for the next six weeks of Bible study, we will be studying the church covenant. Thinking to myself I thought what a great idea. Some things go out of fashion, out of style; times, attitudes, thoughts, philosophy, reasoning and political correctness these days are on the downward march. God's word and opinion never change, He's the same yesterday, today and forever. I'm wondering to myself why we need a six week study on our 'church covenant'? To fully understand it and abide to it as I suspect. Or to change it to fit the times and draw more inclusiveness to fit the wants and demands of society. I highly doubt the latter. Reading the church covenant is a good way to quickly get an understanding of if that particular church fits your belief's and theology, if you're looking for a home church as I was. In the Baptist denomination, all churches don't share the same belief's as I've come to find out. Edited September 22, 2019 by Dennis1209 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnut- Posted September 22, 2019 Group: Royal Member Followers: 39 Topic Count: 101 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 7,673 Content Per Day: 1.31 Reputation: 7,358 Days Won: 67 Joined: 04/22/2008 Status: Offline Share Posted September 22, 2019 Can't say I've ever heard of a church covenant. Sounds like what the churches I have been to call a statement of faith though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willa Posted September 22, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 68 Topic Count: 186 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 14,256 Content Per Day: 3.32 Reputation: 16,671 Days Won: 30 Joined: 08/14/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted September 22, 2019 I have been attending a small Missionary Baptist Church's Wednesday night Bible study. On the wall in the sanctuary is posted the church covenant. In it is an agreement to give to the church. I personally want to and do give to this church, even though it is not my home church. But I will not join such a church and be put under bondage to give there. I did that once before, and as soon as I did our income was cut by 1/4 and I couldn't continue to give gifts above my tithes. Moreover, I was shamed when the church treasurer contacted me and demanded the money. We are told not to owe any man anything but love. Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dailyprayerwarrior Posted September 22, 2019 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 3 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 219 Content Per Day: 0.13 Reputation: 284 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/03/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted September 22, 2019 I agree with Wingnut... the churches I have been to call a church covenant a statement of faith. And yes, I believe it's important to pay attention to it and to attend a class if they are teaching about it so that you can keep tabs on the pulse of the church you attend and their belief system, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustPassingThru Posted September 22, 2019 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 8 Topic Count: 14 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,979 Content Per Day: 0.97 Reputation: 2,112 Days Won: 1 Joined: 10/23/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted September 22, 2019 Interesting, ...this is the Church Covenant of the church I attended back in the States: And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42 Lord bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unworthyservant Posted September 22, 2019 Group: Senior Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 96 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 645 Content Per Day: 0.37 Reputation: 298 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/11/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted September 22, 2019 1 hour ago, Dennis1209 said: Reading the church covenant is a good way to quickly get an understanding of if that particular church fits your belief's and theology, if you're looking for a home church as I was. In the Baptist denomination, all churches don't share the same belief's as I've come to find out. Yeah, the Baptists, being the largest Protestant denomination in the US seem to have quite a few differences in belief between the "Conventions" and all the various independent branches from Missionary to Freewill to Primitive Baptists. Personally I prefer Independent churches in any denomination as I feel there's way too many issues with having one corporate entity to decide Scriptural beliefs for everyone. Although I don't subscribe to all their beliefs I kinda like the Plymouth Brethren's Sola Scriptura tenant which states that only the Scripture is the supreme authority for church doctrine. They have never liked talking about themselves as a Denomination but rather as a network of independent like-minded free churches who each use only the Scripture to form their Church covenants. I'll be curious to hear what you learn. Hope it's all good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unworthyservant Posted September 23, 2019 Group: Senior Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 96 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 645 Content Per Day: 0.37 Reputation: 298 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/11/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted September 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Willa said: Moreover, I was shamed when the church treasurer contacted me and demanded the money. Wow, that speaks volumes about something really wrong there. I'm not quite sure why but for some reason I imagine it's not an isolated incident either. I'm glad you found a better home! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis1209 Posted September 23, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 18 Topic Count: 350 Topics Per Day: 0.13 Content Count: 7,512 Content Per Day: 2.70 Reputation: 5,410 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/27/2016 Status: Offline Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 12 hours ago, Willa said: I have been attending a small Missionary Baptist Church's Wednesday night Bible study. On the wall in the sanctuary is posted the church covenant. In it is an agreement to give to the church. I personally want to and do give to this church, even though it is not my home church. But I will not join such a church and be put under bondage to give there. I did that once before, and as soon as I did our income was cut by 1/4 and I couldn't continue to give gifts above my tithes. Moreover, I was shamed when the church treasurer contacted me and demanded the money. We are told not to owe any man anything but love. Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. Hello Willa, Same here, our church covenant is posted in a large frame on the wall of the sanctuary; and it does contain an agreement to give to and support the church. Our community church is a small country church with a long history of congregation problems I've found out. The most recent was about a year ago when our pastor suddenly and unexpectedly resigned and a number of members also left. At the very next monthly business meeting I publicly asked what was going on; and more or less got a "you know" answer. I'm not comfortable sticking my nose into something that might not be my business. One thing I'm suspecting is there's gossip going on and peoples feelings are getting hurt and leaving, we're not edifying one another. Gossip is slander. Shortly after the above, I received a phone call from our pastor that resigned, asking me to help him move some heavy things out of the parsonage. I got his side of the story and later on some other members of the church gave me some information from their viewpoint. In the mean time, I decided to attend another Baptist Church nearby to sort out my feelings and pray and ask the Lord about what I should do. I felt lead back to our church, all churches have their problems; especially during these end times. Anyway, I also felt at home at this other church for the couple of months I attended, before I returned back to my home church. I love the Pastor and my brothers and sisters in Christ there too; and every few months or so, I'll attend worship service there just to see everyone and worship the Lord there. I'll give my weekly tithe there in-lieu of my home church. As a Christian and member of a particular church in the body of Christ, it's incumbent on me to tithe and support the church I'm a member of. But I see no reason why my tithes and offerings can not go to another church on occasion while visiting them? I suppose I'll be finding out the view of our new Pastor coming up over the next six weeks. I'm thinking a 'church covenant' and 'statement of faith' have some differences and will ask if we have a published statement of faith. When I was a child and young adult attending church, I don't remember all the problems Satan is causing in the churches today and all the apostasy of today? Just one of many signs we are living and witnessing the climax of the end of this age, and the nearness of our Lord's return. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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