New Year's Resolve - Membership Covenant

Announcements:

New Year’s Eve party at Evan’s (gauge interest) : 9pm

No evening service this Sunday

We will be meeting in the Ed building every week

We will continue our series through the Discipleship Challenge beginning next week.

Prayer Prompts for Bible Baptist Church in 2023

Ask God to protect the unity of his people (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Ask God to give wisdom and direct church leaders (James 1:5)

Ask God to give opportunities for discipleship (Matthew 28:19-20)

Ask God to breathe new life into every worship service (Acts 4:31)

Ask God to keep the preaching Bible-centered and Spirit-empowered (2 Timothy 4:2)

Pray for our music ministry team to exalt the Lord in worship (Psalm 13:6; Psalm 30:4; Psalm 98:1)

Ask God to bless each Bible study and Sunday school class with spiritual growth (2 Peter 3:18)

Ask God to keep missions as the heartbeat of our church (Acts 1:8)

Ask God to lead the children’s ministry as they impact families (Proverbs 22:6)

Ask God to speak powerfully to the youth (Hebrews 12:26)

Ask God to protect young adults from the many temptations they face (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

Ask God to open doors for senior adults to minister and disciple others (Titus 2:2-3)

Ask God to reveal opportunities to witness and serve the community (Matthew 5:16)

Introduction:

How many have decided to make New Year’s resolutions this year? (Would anyone care to share their resolutions?)

I’m sure, if you’re anything like me, that we all desire our lives to be better, or more purposeful, or waste less time. And for these reasons most of us decide to form habits in the New Year that allow us to become of best self.

How many of you have ever made spiritual New Year’s resolutions? (Would anyone care to share their resolutions?)

Hopefully, we all desire to grow spiritually. I am assuming this is the case because you all showed up tonight. Tonight we’re going to continue journeying together in spiritual accountability to each other through the means of church membership.

What is Church Membership?

How would you define church membership?

Pastor Eric defines church membership this way: Church membership is when a person becomes a part of a local church. This is an individual’s commitment to a local church and the local churches’ commitment to help a believer grow in Christ.

Jonathan Leeman writes, “Church membership is a formal relationship between a church and a Christian characterized by the church’s affirmation and oversight of a Christian’s discipleship and the Christian’s submission to living out his or her discipleship in the care of the church.”

It’s important to note that a church is not an organization, a building, or a pastor. But rather, it is a local group of Christians.

Jonathan Leeman again writes, “A local church is a group of Christians who regularly gather in Christ’s name to officially affirm and oversee one another’s membership in Jesus Christ and his kingdom through gospel preaching and gospel ordinances.”

How do you join Bible Baptist Church?

In a nutshell, that is a quick overview of what a church member is. But tonight I want to look at something that might be a little new to you: our Membership Covenant

Why become a member of Bible Baptist Church?

Scripture teaches that we are to support, comfort, encourage, warn, and serve one another (1 Thessalonians 5:14; Galatians 5:13). Local church ministry is about “striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27). Church membership enables you to get on board and become a part of this body and the work here in Everett.

Membership Covenant

Whether or not you are aware of this, when you joined BBC, you made a covenant to the members of BBC which they in turn made to you. Here is what our membership covenant states.

I will work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)

I will walk in brotherly love, exercising an affectionate care, admonition and encouragement to others as I have the opportunity. (Romans 12:10)

I will attend church gatherings regularly and pray for the needs of others. (Hebrews 10:24)

I will take care to teach and nurture children in my care and lead them by a loving example to seek salvation in Christ. (Ephesians 6:4)

I will rejoice with those who rejoice and be compassionate and tender with those who sorrow. (Romans 12:15)

I will, with God’s help seek to live a holy life. As a baptized believer, I will lead a new life in Christ. (Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 5:17)

I will work together with other faithful believers in this church to sustain worship, ordinances, doctrines, and discipline.

I will contribute to cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, and our missionaries. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

I will unite with another church if I am to move, where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

Ultimately, church membership is a privilege and not a right. It is expected that a member of Bible Baptist Church will regularly sacrifice their own wants and wishes for the good of the church, and to spread the gospel. Local church ministry is about “striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).

Application

Normally, resolutions concern who? Myself right?

Tonight I want us to focus on two questions during our split times.

How can I seek to establish covenantal relationships for spiritual growth this year?

In which areas of the membership covenant do I need accountability or encouragement?

We all want spiritual growth. And throughout the Bible how do we see spiritual growth happen? Through relationships centered around the Word. In the New Testament we find Paul advocating for all believers to have a church family that provokes one another to good works (Hebrews 10:24). Do you think that you can grow apart from these relationships?