What is a Covenant?

This week is a special week at The Road. We are going to covenant together as a body officially. People will step up and make this promise below to each other in Christian brotherhood. A covenant is an OT idea stronger than an agreement or a contract; more like a blood oath, a solemn vow, or a three-way promise which we enter into with each other. We will still worship with all the family of Christ who joins us on Sundays, but this group will have a promised commitment to one another, with a desire to be accountable to it, as they follow Christ themselves. Baptists have always been a covenant people, with many churches designing their own in order to capture the important points for their congregation. Here is ours

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 covenant with each other.
We will work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 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 not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, nor neglect to pray for ourselves and others.

We will endeavor to bring up such as may at any time be 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. 

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.

So excited for this Sunday, and for the body of Christ known as The Road!

Church Membership for Children

As many of you know, I have some strong opinions/convictions on church membership, responsibility, covenants, and accountability in the local church. I believe them to be biblically based, but I know that some of you may disagree. But humor me for a minute and give me your feedback as if you agreed with me.

Recently, I have had a family that wants to unite with our church in membership. They have taken the membership class, and are ready to join with us. The question that we have is about their 7-year old. He has made a profession of faith and been baptized. These parents are godly people who have been very diligent to instruct their child about the realities of salvation, church membership, Christ and the gospel, and they have seen evidence of genuine saving faith since his conversion. They want him to understand the seriousness and responsibility of church membership in the covenant community before he becomes "officially" a member of a local church.

So we are set to have a little meeting (His father, him, and I) this week. None of us really believe that he is going to be able to fully comprehend the accountability and responsibility that comes with covenanting yourself together with other believers, but he may surprise us. He did not sit through the membership class (which is required for membership, along with a signed covenant for the church). It is a little much for a 7-year old. But obviously, if he is truly saved, he is a member of the universal church, should his lack of full understanding prevent him from being a member with a local covenanted people?

And that is where I would like your input. I am sure that many of you have dealt with similar situations. And maybe your churches have ways of dealing with situations like this. As it stands our church does not. One of many things that needs to be revisited and updated within our church constitution (a discussion for another day). So I am curious for your thoughts and experiences and biblical convictions that may help us see this more clearly and handle it in a way that upholds the seriousness of membership, pleases Christ, and encourages young faith, and a family that truly sees their son as a brother in Christ as well as a biological family member.

Thanks for your help!