Why Sign a Covenant?

For one of the previous videos click the following links Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

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Signing a document is an indication of our commitment to one another. We sign contracts, licenses, and all sorts of other things affirming our commitments and the truthfulness of our testimony. We practice signing a covenant together to that same end. As we sign and recognize others who have committed to membership, we are strengthened and encouraged by each other's commitment.

At The Way, we don't covenant together to do anything the Lord hasn't called us to do through His Word. As His Gospel ministers and missionaries, we commit to one another to strive to live lives worthy of that calling.

In fact, we designed our covenant to reflect Gospel mission and ministry. Let’s take a look:

• The Covenant Part 1 – Worship (the primary goal of His Gospel work)
  • Keep God First – passionately pursue God with all of your heart, soul, mind, & strength.
  • Study God's Word –seek to be a student of God's character and priorities
• The Covenant Part 2 - Restoration (making new what has been redeemed)
  • Live in Community ¬– strive to proactively connect with and live at peace and in unity with the rest of the church family and others that come and join our mission.
  • Serve Your Community – use your God-given time, finances, gifts, & talents to build up this Community of faith.
  • Live an Examined Life – honestly open your life up, receive, and give truth in love.
  • Pray for One Another –strive to understand the needs of the others in the Community and pray for them regularly.
• The Covenant Part 3 – Redemption (salvation and foregiveness)
  • Be a Missionary – intentionally seek out and build relationships with people who do not yet know Jesus.

The Gospel is God’s mission to redeem sinners, restore His image in them, so that together we all worship Him, so we commit to live in such a way that it is in step with His Mission.

We sign a covenant together because membership in a local church matters.

Without a healthy membership process, how does the church know who to depend on or to entrust leadership positions to? How does the church know who they should evangelize or disciple? Without a membership process, how can a church commit to one another in Christ and stand together in front of a lost world? Membership matters, and though it isn't explicitly commanded, it is the wise application of much of what the New Testament calls the church to be and do.