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Covenant of Fellowship
a) Having been led by God the Holy Spirit by grace
alone to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal
Savior and Lord by faith alone to God's glory alone, and
b) Calling Meadow Valley Community Church (MVCC) my church home by
uniting in the worship, fellowship,
and testimony of this portion of Christ's spiritual body, and
c) Having read the statement of doctrine of MVCC, and acknowledging it
to be the basis of its belief and
teaching,
I
therefore, by the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, covenant with
others in this church to strive toward
living
out the following principles:
1) Christian love - To walk together in brotherly love
(Rom. 12:10-13; 1 Pet. 4:8), as becomes followers of
Christ (John 13:34-35). We endeavor to exercise an affectionate
care and watchfulness over each other
out of a gratitude for Christ's sacrificial love for us (1 Jn. 4:11,
19). We agree to faithfully admonish and
entreat one another to obey and serve the Lord
Jesus Christ in a spirit of humility (Gal. 6:1-2).
2) Church Attendance - To regularly and faithfully
assemble together (Heb. 10:23-25) to hear the
preaching of the Bible, worship God in corporate singing, participate in
genuine Christian fellowship and
prayer (Acts 2:42).
3) Relationships - To rejoice with one another's joys
and bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2) and
sorrows with tenderness and sympathy (Eph. 4:32).
We endeavor to be slow to take offense and quick to
forgive and seek forgiveness (Rom. 12:9-21; James 1:19-20; Prov. 16:32).
4) Service - To assist, as the Lord enables, in the
work of the church, and to promote its usefulness as a
witness to the saving grace of God in Christ Jesus (Gal. 5:13). We
endeavor to guard the spiritual and
biblical purity, peace, and prosperity of the church and its growth in
biblical knowledge and godliness
(1 Tim 3:14-17; 2 Pet. 3:17-18).
5) Obedience - To live carefully in the world (Eph.
5:15-21) in awe and reverence of God (Ps. 147:11),
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts (1 Jn.
2:15-17). We accept the special obligation to lead a new and
holy life pleasing to the Lord (Eph. 4:17) as one
who has died with Christ and been raised with Him
(Rom. 6:1-7)
6) Giving - To contribute cheerfully (2 Cor. 9:7) and
regularly to the financial support of the church
(Lk. 12:33-34), the relief of the poor (2 Cor.
8:1-5; 9:13-15), and the spread of the gospel to all nations to
the praise of His glory (Acts 13:1-3).
7) Personal Devotion - To engage in regular and
faithful personal study of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:14-17) and
prayer (1Th. 5:17; Eph. 6:18) in order to remain
close and faithful to God who is the strength of our hearts
and our portion forever (Ps. 73-25-28).
8) Family - To bring up our children and those who may
be in our care in the nurture and admonition of the
Lord (Col. 3:18-21; Eph. 6:4; Deut. 6:4-7) and, by
a pure and loving example, to seek the salvation of our
family and friends (1 Th. 2:8-9; 1 Pet. 3:1).
9) Pastoral Leadership - To support and pray for MVCC's
pastoral leadership (Heb. 13:17) in their role as
under shepherds in the worship, instruction,
ordinances, discipline, and doctrines of the church (Acts
20:28-32) as those accountable to the Great
Shepherd of our souls (1 Pet. 5:1-4).
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