Would Sign This Document?

Church Covenant -

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Commitment Number 1:

I like the metaphor of membership. It's not membership as in a civic organization or a country club. It's the kind of membership given to us in 1 Corinthians 12: "Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it." (vs 27). Because I am a member of the body of Christ, I must be a functioning member, whether I am an "eye," an "ear," or a "hand." As a functioning member, I will give. I will serve. I will minister. I will evangelize. I will study. I will seek to be a blessing to others. I will remember that "if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it" (vs 26).

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Commitment Number 2:

I will seek to be a source of unity in my church. I know there are no perfect pastors, leaders or other church members. Neither am I. I will not be a source of gossip or dissention. One of the greatest contributions I can make is to do all can in God's power to help keep the church in unity for the sake of the gospel.

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Commitment Number 3:

I will not let my church be about my preferences and desires. That is self-serving. I am a member in this church to serve others and to serve Christ. My savior went to the cross for me. I can deal with any inconveniences and matters that just (?)

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Commitment Number 4:

I will pray for my pastor and leaders every day. I understand that the pastor's work is never ending. His days are filled with numerous demands that bring emotional highs and lows. He must deal with critics, He must be a good husband and father. Because my pastor cannot do all things in his own power, I will pray for his strength and wisdom daily.

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Commitment Number 5:

I will lead my family to be good members of this church as well. We will pray together for our church. We will serve together in our church. And we will ask Christ to help us fall deeper in love with this church because He gave His life for her.

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Commitment Number 6

This membership is a gift. When I received the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, I became part of the body of Christ. I soon thereafter identified with a local body and was baptized [or will be soon @). And now I am humbled and honored to serve and to love others in our church. I pray that I will never take my membership for granted, but see it as a gift and an opportunity to serve others and to be a part of something so much greater than anyone person or member.

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I am disappointed, but not surprised that the following passage of scripture was not invoked to justify not signing the document - at least #1 containing numerous "I will" commitments.

My disappointment is based on my church attendance over the past fifty+ years. I have never heard a sermon based on these verses. Not surprising since it is not taught!

(Jas 4:13 ESV) Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"--
(Jas 4:14 ESV) yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
(Jas 4:15 ESV) Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."
(Jas 4:16 ESV) As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
(Jas 4:17 ESV) So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.