Covenant For Reform

For any review of the church to be successful, there needs to be a recognition of the issues involved and a willingness to participate in the necessary reform. Indeed, there needs to be an agreement by the participants to follow a specific course of action. And from experience, that agreement is better served if it is put in writing.

As a consequence, I offer a proposed draft which can be used for that purpose.

The draft incudes both a statement of what the church believes, and a commitment (with time frames) to the process of reform. It should, however, be adapted to meet the needs and circumstances of the specific church or organisation.

COVENANT FOR REFORM

Covenant between …………………………………………………………………………………………… church and God.

A. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

This church covenants with God:

1. That this church is to be God-centred, not man-centred;

2. That this church’s role is to be a community of faith intent on worshipping God, making disciples, and teaching others about Jesus and the Christian faith; and

3. That this church is aware that non-biblical teaching and practices have developed within the church and that they need to be addressed in terms of their validity and relevance for today.

B. SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES

Specifically, this church acknowledges:

a) Property

1. That all church buildings are to be practical and of use to the congregation, and not to be kept or maintained at the expense of the Gospel;

2. That the church’s buildings are to be set apart for sacred purposes, and not used for secular or other purposes;

b) Congregation

3. That the responsibility for ministry is to be shared by all its members, and that no one person is to be expected to carry too heavy a load;

4. That the church it to only use resources provided by its members or the wider Christian Church, and is not to accept money or property from those outside the Christian Church;

5. That communion should be celebrated as part of a fellowship meal. Indeed, that the church should promote the sharing of meals in which communion can properly take place;

c) Pastoral Issues

6. That the church is to promote a biblical view of marriage, unencumbered from any legal definition provided by the State. Furthermore, it is not to represent the State in the conduct of any wedding ceremony;

7. That the church is to care for the elderly amongst its members. But it is not to be involved in the running of a retirement or nursing home for those outside the community of faith or provide care for its own members where care should properly be provided by their own Christian family;

8. That the church is to provide pastoral care for the bereaved amongst its members, but it is not to conduct services, in a church building, for the burial of the dead;

d) Outreach

9. That anyone who represents the church (employed or otherwise) is to be a believing member of the congregation or from the wider Christian Church. Indeed, the church is not to employ non-Christians to represent God under any circumstances;

10. That any social welfare is to be provided by its members using its own resources, and is not to administer any programme run by organisations outside the Christian church or apply for Government funding;

11. That the church is to teach people about Jesus. But it is not to provide education based on secular academic criteria, or where academic excellence has priority over the teaching of the Gospel;

12. That the church is to provide support for members with a medical condition. But it is not to run a hospital for both Christians and non-Christians alike, that is funded from sources outside of the church;

e) Other Faiths

13. That the church is to distinguish between genuine Christians and people who say they are Christians;

14. That the church acknowledges that understanding other faiths and cultures may be important, but only for the purpose of being able to tell others about Jesus; and

15. That none of the property owned by the church is to be given, loaned out, or hired for any practices associated with any other religion.

C. AREAS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

That the church covenants with God that the issues on the attached Appendix will be addressed by the set date.

D. REVIEW

The church also covenants with God, that a review of progress in the keeping of this covenant is to be conducted annually.

Signed on behalf of …………………………………………………………………………………….church.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Date ……………………………………………….

A copy of this covenant has been lodged with ……………………. church, who have agreed to provide support and act as overseers.

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APPENDIX

List the church’s practices which are contrary to the principles of the covenant, and provide dates by which each matter is to be resolved.

1. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………   …../……/……

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