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The last time I wrote about church covenants, I argued that the desire to make covenant commitments to those we love is a natural and godly desire; and that in fact, the inclination to make those commitments exists in our hearts precisely because we are created in the image of a covenant making God. (If you haven’t read that post it would be best, I think, to click here and read it before going on.) Having established what I think is a solid biblical rationale for making covenants, I now want to look at the practical rationale for making church covenants.
I want to make one thing clear, though. I don’t remotely think that I have this all figured out. I believe, on the one hand, that making and using church covenants is profoundly biblical; on the other, I have very little practical experience with them. In fact, some of you reading this have much more insight into and experience with church covenants than I do, so I hope you’ll participate in this discussion. I say all that just to say that I offer these thoughts as a fellow learner and disciple, and not in any way as an expert.
A practical rationale for making church covenants
There is a command in Hebrews 10:24 that provides the biblical basis for thinking about developing and using a church covenant:
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works
You and I are called to consider–to think hard–about how to stir up, spur (NIV), stimulate (NASB) one another to love and good deeds. That command is coupled with another in the next verse to encourage or exhort one another, and all the more as we get closer to the return of Christ–which implies, amazingly, that we should be even more diligent to exhort each other now than when the command was originally given.
I believe that making a covenant with other believers in a local church is one excellent way to stimulate love and good works.
What difference does a church covenant make?
What are the practical benefits of having and using a church covenant? I see several.
- A well written church covenant is an efficient way to summarize the biblical teaching on how we are to live and relate to one another in the local church (whereas a statement of faith summarizes what we believe).
- The regular renewing of a church covenant is also an effective way for us to remind each other of our responsibilities to love, encourage, care for, correct, and discipline one another within the local church. And we desperately need daily reminders: “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:13)
- As a result of those reminders, our practice of love, fellowship, accountability, and biblical church discipline is deepened and strengthened; membership becomes more meaningful (membership means almost nothing in churches that do not take their covenant commitments seriously); and a direct assault on the hardening deceitfulness of sin is launched.
- Finally, church covenants offer both new and prospective members a clear and concise understanding of the joys, privileges, and weighty responsibilities they will inherit when they join a local church.
Matt asked me what a church loses by not having a covenant. That prompted me to ask in reply what a marriage loses by not having vows. In both cases, it seems to me, the loss is great.
The vows we make in a church covenant function in much the same way vows in a marriage do. 1) They are a public proclamation (and therefore a solemnization) of the commitments we’ve made to each other in the presence of God and witnesses; 2) they are a natural and biblical expression of the love we have for each other; and 3) they provide the commitment and security we need for working through the inevitable difficulties that arise in every marriage and in every local church.
Do you love a woman? Then don’t just use her; be a man and commit your life to her. Do you love the church, the bride of Christ? Then don’t hesitate to commit your life to her.
who am i? 
I love the analogy between church covenants and marital covenants. The vows mean nothing if the sincerity isn’t on the inside, but with the sincerity on the inside the vows out the outward expression of that covenant. Great word.
My wedding ring means nothing if I am not committed in my heart, but with that commitment my ring is a testament to the world of my love and faithfulness to her! Great post.
The reality is that most evangelicals will join a church without ever seeking to understand what it means to be a member there. In our 101 class we go over our church covenant and by a long shot, most people weren’t even aware that churches had such documents. This makes sense when looking at the whimsical nature of church membership in our culture. If I don’t liek the way the nursery is laid out, I’ll just go down the street to a different church where little Fletcher can play in an appropriately-sized nursery. Leaving and joining churches is not seen as a serious occasion. A church covenant sets the tone for a right understanding of church membership and prevents it from being treated in a cheap manner. Great post!
When we were welcomed into membership we founding members recited our covenant. All of us had come from churches that as a matter of policy did not have membership or even a list of “regulars” aside from those signed up to volunteer. This was a whole new ball of wax. As we read aloud I began to feel as if I were getting married and even said something to that effect. I won’t relate it in its entirety, but it goes along these lines:
“1) Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God, to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God, angels and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.
2) We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love…
3) We also engage to maintain family and personal devotions; to educate our children in the Christian faith; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment, to avoid all tattling and gossip, backbiting and excessive anger….
4)We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress….”
Very sobering stuff. I felt more nervous as we read than I did when I spoke my wedding vows. After all, I got to choose who my husband would be. He was my best friend. These other folks, well…I think you can see what I mean. I’m humbled and convicted every time I read it over again, and sometimes – on my bad days – wonder what on earth I’ve gone and gotten myself into.
Matt,
I agree–the marriage vow analogy is excellent. Wedding vows are an example of an everyday covenant that most of us can easily understand. I like the comparison you made between the wedding ring and the covenant. Very helpful.
thejessenhome,
Understanding and intentionally embracing the responsibilities of membership really does seem to be the heart of the matter, doesn’t it? You put it well–the covenant “prevents [membership] from being treated in a cheap manner.”
Laurie,
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sure that entering into a church covenant should always be a sobering experience. It strikes a deadly blow to the casual approach to church membership prevalent in most churches. I’d really like to hear from some others who have some personal experience with using church covenants.
I couldn’t help but smile at your last paragraph, though. You can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family, and, well… that’s exactly what the local church is.
To all–Keep the comments coming!
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As a pastor, I am struggling with our “covenant”. Why do we have to put in man made rules to enforce God’s Word? After all, we already have the ten commandments, and most people have trouble with that. Last I remember there was only One who was able to keep them, and they killed Him. When we covenant or make a vow or pledge, God takes that seriously. If we break that vow or pledge, we are under judgement.
Pastor Paul, I would say that a good church covenant doesn’t consist of any man made rules. At some point I’ll post the covenant that our church wrote. It’s essentially a simple reiteration and reminder of the many “one another” commands in Scripture.