Our Covenant - Your Resolutions

I’m not one to make New Year resolutions.  I do, however, take the time to reflect on progress and accomplishment in certain areas of my life, and how I should improve in others.  The second of these two takes much more time!

My wife was having a conversation with one of our members yesterday about this subject.  The member said that as she considered the topic of ‘resolutions’ in her own life she was led to our church covenant.  After reading it again and reflecting on it she realized our covenant is the perfect place to begin in prayerfully evaluating our lives and  progressing on toward spiritual maturity. 

Let me encourage you to do the same thing. 

WESTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH COVENANT

By God’s mercy and grace I have been led by the Holy Spirit to repent and believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord; and have given evidence to this through public profession of faith and have identified with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection through believer’s baptism. I am in full agreement with Westwood’s mission and Statement of Faith, and do now pledge before God and this assembly to solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with my brothers and sisters in Christ.    Through God’s sustaining grace within this covenant relationship:

I Will Seek To Be a Faithful Participant in Worship and Bible Study

Because I was created to worship and glorify God I will not neglect the assembling together of this church for regular corporate worship where God’s Name is exalted, His Word is proclaimed and His ordinances are practiced. (Hebrews 10: 23-25) Because God’s will for me is spiritual growth and conformity to the image of Christ, I will seek to become a part of, and regularly meet with, a Sunday School class and/or small group Bible study. (Ephesians 4: 13-15) Because it is God’s will that He be glorified in my family, I will encourage my family to strengthen our spiritual lives through regular family devotions, Bible study and prayer. (Deuteronomy 6: 5-7) Because it is God’s will that I live within a relationship of love and mutual accountability, I will both submit to the church’s discipline upon myself and lovingly assume my responsibility to participate in the discipline of other members as taught in Scripture. (Matthew 18: 15-20)

I Will Seek To Be a Faithful Steward

Because everything belongs to God, and He has entrusted me with the responsibility of stewardship, I 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.” (Malachi 3:8-10; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15)

I Will Seek To Be a Faithful Servant

Because God has called me here as an active part of His body, I will prayerfully seek to discover the spiritual gifts and talents He has given me for service, and I will seek to use those gifts and skills to help build up the body at Westwood. (Romans 12: 1-8; I Corinthians 12, Philippians 2: 3-7) Because God has called me to the task of sharing His message of salvation to a lost world, I will seek to serve within Westwood in the area of missions and evangelism through praying, training, giving and going as God leads so that others may know and worship Him. (Matthew 28: 18-29; Acts 1:8)

I Will Seek To Be Faithful Protector of the Unity of Westwood

Because God desires to make known His wisdom and glory though His church, by His grace I will walk in love, humility and patience toward others (Ephesians 4: 1-3); I will be thoughtful and courteous to others, slow to take offense, quick to forgive and to seek forgiveness (Matthew 6:14-15, Colossians 3:12-13); I will refrain from gossip, and will endeavor to speak and listen to only that which builds up and strengthens the fellowship of my church (Ephesians 4:29); I will pray with and for all the members of Westwood, bearing with them their burdens, sorrows and joys (Galatians 6:1-2, Ephesians 6:18); I will, by God’s grace, seek to live a life of holiness and I will seek His help in abstaining from anything which would bring unwarranted harm to the body or jeopardize my own or another’s faith. (I Corinthians 8: 9-13; Ephesians 5: 1-12); I will pray for and follow those whom God has placed in the position of spiritual leadership here at Westwood (Hebrews 13:17); and I will work to preserve the spiritual and scriptural purity of this church and encourage its growth in Biblical knowledge, godliness and peace (Hebrews 3:13, 2 Peter 3:18). I will, when I move from this place, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where I can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word. (Hebrews 10: 23-25)

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.

Westwood Baptist Church