We feel like this statement best represents a summary of how the Bible pictures a Christ-follower. With it, we strive to love God, love each other and live more like Jesus as we SEE, BE, GIVE and GO.
Having been led by the Holy Spirit to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour1, and having been baptized, upon my profession of faith, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit2, recognizing my call to actively participate in the Body of Christ which is the Universal Church, seeing the expression of that calling in service through the local church3, and being in agreement with the statements and strategy of Celebration!4, I commit to glorify God and actively pursue the growth of His Kingdom in accordance with the Holy Bible.5
Collectively, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we aim to accomplish this by advancing the church in knowledge and holiness6, by sustaining the church’s worship7, ordinances8, discipline9 and doctrine10, and by contributing to the church through service and giving: cheerfully, regularly and sacrificially for the spread of the gospel and the support of ministry11.
Privately, through the power of the Holy Spirit, seeing the importance of personal spiritual growth, I engage to spend time alone with God regularly12, to act and speak in love13, to pray14, to share the gospel15, to live in the world and not of it in an effort to abstain from sin16, to support fellow Christians17, to seek reconciliation always, according to the standards set by the Bible18, to obey godly leaders19, to participate in discipleship20, attend church faithfully21, and generally to conduct myself in accordance to the Bible22.
Understanding the importance of the divinely instituted local church in functioning as the Body of Christ in the world and in completing the growth of the Christian, I commit, upon removing from this place, if at all possible, to seek to unite with another church to continue in the spirit of this covenant.
1. Matt. 1:21; John 3:3-18, 14:6; Acts 2:21, 4:12; Romans 3:23, 6:23, 8:11, 5:8, 10:9-13; 1Cor. 15:3-4; Heb. 5:9
2. Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:41, 10:47-48, 18:8, 22:16; Eph. 4:5; 1Cor. 1:14-17
3. Acts 8:1; Romans 16:3-5; 1Cor. 12:18-28; Eph. 1:22-23, 2:19-22, 4:12-16, 5:22-32 *As an interesting note, the Bible records local churches in Antioch, Asia, Babylon, Caesarea, Cenchrea, Colossae, Corinth, Ephesus, Galatia, Jerusalem, Judea, Laodicea, Macedonia, Pergamos, Philadelphia, Philippi, Rome, Sardis, Smyrna, Thyatira, and Thessalonica.
4. The Statements and Strategy of Celebration! Church simply sets forth what the leaders and members prayerfully consider to be the practical exercise and direction of this particular local church based on our interpretation of scripture. It targets the area in which God has placed us and uses the gifts with which we feel God has equipped us. We do not elevate these documents to the level of scripture, they are meant only to add to the unity of our body and give direction to our practices. For covenanting purposes, we require affirmations of the sections The Bible, God, Humanity, Salvation, and the Church. Covenanters need not necessarily affirm the sections on Eternal Security and Spiritual Gifts, but they cannot actively teach against them.
5. Psalm 86:9; Is. 43:7; Hab. 2:14; Matt. 6:9-10, 9:37-38; 2Cor. 4:5-6; Eph. 1:11-12; Rev. 1:6; see also 15
6. 1Cor. 1:2; Eph. 4:14-15, 5:25-27; Heb. 3:1, 12:14; 2Peter 3:18; Rev. 19:6-8
7. 1Chron. 16:29; Psalms 9:1-2, 19:14, 29:1-2, 89:1, 150; Matt. 28:17; John 4:20-24, 9:38; Heb. 12:28; Rev. 7:9-12
8. Of the functions of the church, we believe these to be the most important: Baptism: see2, Lord’s Supper: Matt. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:15-20; 1Cor. 11:20-29, Biblical Preaching: Romans 1:14-16, 10:14-15; 1Cor. 9:16-18; Col. 1:25-29, Marriage: Gen. 1:27-28, 2:18-24; Mal. 2:14-15; Matt. 19:3-12; Eph. 5:21-33; Heb 13:4
9. Matt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5:1-13; 2Cor. 2:5-11, 13:10; Gal. 6:1; 2Thess. 3:6, 14-15; Titus 1:13; Heb. 13:17
10. The American Heritage Dictionary defines doctrine as “a principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief, as by a religious, political, scientific, or philosophic group.” Romans 6:17; 1Cor. 15:1-8; 2Tim 1:13-14,
2:1-2, 3:14-17, 1 Tim 4:1-2, 13-16; Titus 2:1; Heb. 6:1-2; Jude 3-4 *Also see the Celebration! Church Faith Statement
11. Mal. 3:8-10; Matt. 6:1-4, 24, 33, 20:26-28, 25:37-45; Luke 21:1-4, 22:27; Acts 2:44-45; Romans 12:11, 1Cor. 10:31, 16:1-2; 2Cor. 8:1-5, 9:6-15; Gal. 5:13; 1Peter 4:11
12. Ex. 34:29-25; Joshua 1:7-8; Psalms 1:1-3, 119:9-16; Prov. 2:1-5; Jer. 29:13; Mark 1:35; John 15:1-8, 17; Acts 17:24-28; 2Cor. 5:15; Heb. 10:18-22
13. Matt. 22:37-40; Mark 12:29-33; John 8:42, 14:15, 21, 23; Romans 12:9-10; 1Cor. 13; 2Cor. 5:14-15; Eph. 3:14-19, 4:1-3, 29, 5:1-2; 2Thess. 3:5; 1John 3:11, 16-18, 4:7-12,16-21
14. Gen. 4:26; 2Chron. 7:14; Psalm 116:4-6; Jer. 29:11-13; Daniel 4:34-35; Matt. 6:5-13; Luke 5:16, 11:1-4; Romans 12:12; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6-7; 1Tim 2:1-8; James 5:13-16; 1John 1:9
15. Matt. 9:35-39, 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 1:8, 5:42; Romans 10:14-15; 1Cor. 1:23, 9:16-18; 2Cor. 5:18-21; Gal. 1:6-12; Eph. 6:19-20; 1Peter 3:15-16;
16. Psalm 32:5, Psalm 51:1-6; John 15:5-8; Phil. 3:17-21; 1Thess. 4:1-8, 5:1-10, 22-24; Romans 6:1-23, 12:1-2; Heb. 12:1-4; 1Peter 1:1, 13-16
17. Gal. 2:10; Phil. 4:14-19; 1Thess. 5:11; Heb. 10:24, 13:16
18. Matt. 18:21-22; Eph. 4:22-32; 1Tim. 5:19-20; James 5:19-20; see also9
19. Acts 15:6; 1Tim. 3:1-13, 5:1-3, 17, 19-20; Titus 1:5-14; Heb. 13:7, 17; 1Peter 5:1-4
20. Matt. 28:19-20; John 15:1-8; Eph. 4:7-16; 2Peter 3:18; see also10
21. Heb. 10:25; see also3
22. Joshua 1:7-8; Matt. 5:17-20; Phil. 4:8; James 2:14-26; 1Peter 3:8-17
