Membership Covenant
Hawkwood Baptist Church's Membership Covenant
Having received Christ as my Lord and Saviour, having been baptized by immersion, and being in agreement with HBC’s mission and vision, strategy and structure, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the Hawkwood Baptist Church family. With God’s help, I commit myself to Him and to the other members, to strive to do the following:
Having received Christ as my Lord and Saviour, having been baptized by immersion, and being in agreement with HBC’s mission and vision, strategy and structure, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the Hawkwood Baptist Church family. With God’s help, I commit myself to Him and to the other members, to strive to do the following:
- To live in God’s grace
- To grow as a believer
- To share in group life
- To serve with my gifts
- And to be a good steward
- I will protect the unity of my church
- By acting in love toward other members- “So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.” (Romans 14:19 HCSB). “Have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22 NIV).
- By refusing to gossip- “No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29 HCSB).
- By following the leaders- “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” (Hebrews 13:17 HCSB).
- I will share the responsibility of my church
- By praying for its growth- “We haven’t stopped praying for you. . . . so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10 HCSB)
- By intentionally involving myself in Christ’s mission to the world- “…As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21 NIV).
- By warmly welcoming those who visit- “Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.” (Romans 15:7 NLT).
- I will serve the ministry of my church
- By discovering and using my gifts and talents- “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV).
- By being equipped to serve- “[God] gave … some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Ephesians 4:11-12 NIV).
- By developing a servant’s heart- “Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who . . . . emptied himself by assuming the form of a slave.” (Philippians 2:3-4,7 HCSB)
- I will serve the testimony of my church
- By attending faithfully- " And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other...” (Hebrews 10:24-25a HCSB).
- By living a godly life - “Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” (Philippians 1:27 HCSB).
- By giving regularly- “On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he prospers, so that no collections will need to be made when I come.” (1 Corinthians 16:2 HCSB). “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.” (2 Corinthians 8:12 NIV)