Our Church Covenant
You will find the details of our official Church Covenant below. These are the values by which we try to order our congregational life. Don't be fooled by them into thinking that we have already arrived at some ideal place. We are still working on them, using them as guides as we seek to be God's people. They are more like a snapshot of this time in our church life and who we hope to be. As such, they reflect something important about us. If after reading them you want to talk about any of this, please contact the pastor through the church office.
Approved by the members of Twinbrook Baptist Church
June 25, 2006
Preamble
Recognizing that as people of faith we are called to ”be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may discern what the will of God is” (Romans 12:2), we, the members of Twinbrook Baptist Church, confess 1) that God is; 2) that we are made in God“s image, created for relationship with God and others; 3) that God“s spirit is at work in the world, especially in Jesus Christ; 4) that God invites each of us to join in that work as partners.
Our confession embodies 3 unique freedoms which we treasure as a people of faith:
1) the freedom of conscience-each believer is responsible to God for his or her convictions
2) the freedom for ministry-each believer will discern and follow God“s call to serve and love
3) the freedom for partnership-each believer will join with others in mutual strength, sharing, encouragement and work.
In light of these freedoms, we vow to maintain and renew the identity of the church. Recognizing that our identity as a people of God is both a gift from God and an ongoing task, we seek to establish and understand ourselves as a church through the covenant commitments we hold in common and through the integration of new members into our shared life.
Covenant Commitment: Who We Seek to Be
We are together to be the church of God, formed by the heritage of faith expressed in the Bible, following the way of Christ. In our shared life, ”there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of us are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Therefore, we are inclusive of all people regardless of race, age, gender, abilities, church position, or any other distinctions.
We will gather regularly to worship God, celebrate and share the good news, and reflect on its significance for our lives. We will respect our differences in worship, even as we invite others to join us.
We will seek out opportunities for growth and learning in our faith, recognizing that the life of faith is a continuing journey, and that the truth of God can be found in the Bible, history, the arts, the natural world, current events, and other places.
We will seek to discover and affirm the gifts God has given each of us, and we will use them in God“s service. We will encourage, affirm and celebrate the gifts God has given to others
We will be responsible to God for the creative use of our money and possessions. We will support the ministry of the church through consistent, and even sacrificial, giving.
We will give of ourselves as Christ“s followers in support of a variety of mission efforts (sharing good news, sharing our lives and resources, and living out our vocations), both here and around the world
We will bear witness to the peace of God as peacemakers in our lives and in the world, and we will strive for greater justice among all people.
We will seek to know and love and trust all our sisters and brothers in our fellowship, and we will let ourselves be known and loved by them.
We will seek to embody the best of our Baptist heritage, emphasizing the spirit of freedom and gospel passion that has been handed down to us. Therefore, we will seek to live out this covenant as a valued expression of who we are in this time and place, respecting the freedom of each person to live it in his or her unique way, and humbly recognizing that it depicts the truth of God within the limits of our best understanding.
Membership
Any person who confesses her or his faith in God, and who embraces the covenant commitment above, will be received into the fellowship of this church as a member. A person who professes faith in any of the following ways will become a member:
a. by giving public witness to Christian faith and being baptized by immersion
b. by obtaining a letter of recommendation from another Christian church
c. by affirming or reaffirming one“s Christian faith
Each new member will be officially welcomed at a congregational meeting and will be added to the membership record. New members will be encouraged to participate in the life of the fellowship.
Any member who desires a letter of recommendation in transfer to another church shall receive it upon request with approval by the church council.
Approved by the members of Twinbrook Baptist Church
June 25, 2006
Preamble
Recognizing that as people of faith we are called to ”be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may discern what the will of God is” (Romans 12:2), we, the members of Twinbrook Baptist Church, confess 1) that God is; 2) that we are made in God“s image, created for relationship with God and others; 3) that God“s spirit is at work in the world, especially in Jesus Christ; 4) that God invites each of us to join in that work as partners.
Our confession embodies 3 unique freedoms which we treasure as a people of faith:
1) the freedom of conscience-each believer is responsible to God for his or her convictions
2) the freedom for ministry-each believer will discern and follow God“s call to serve and love
3) the freedom for partnership-each believer will join with others in mutual strength, sharing, encouragement and work.
In light of these freedoms, we vow to maintain and renew the identity of the church. Recognizing that our identity as a people of God is both a gift from God and an ongoing task, we seek to establish and understand ourselves as a church through the covenant commitments we hold in common and through the integration of new members into our shared life.
Covenant Commitment: Who We Seek to Be
We are together to be the church of God, formed by the heritage of faith expressed in the Bible, following the way of Christ. In our shared life, ”there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of us are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Therefore, we are inclusive of all people regardless of race, age, gender, abilities, church position, or any other distinctions.
We will gather regularly to worship God, celebrate and share the good news, and reflect on its significance for our lives. We will respect our differences in worship, even as we invite others to join us.
We will seek out opportunities for growth and learning in our faith, recognizing that the life of faith is a continuing journey, and that the truth of God can be found in the Bible, history, the arts, the natural world, current events, and other places.
We will seek to discover and affirm the gifts God has given each of us, and we will use them in God“s service. We will encourage, affirm and celebrate the gifts God has given to others
We will be responsible to God for the creative use of our money and possessions. We will support the ministry of the church through consistent, and even sacrificial, giving.
We will give of ourselves as Christ“s followers in support of a variety of mission efforts (sharing good news, sharing our lives and resources, and living out our vocations), both here and around the world
We will bear witness to the peace of God as peacemakers in our lives and in the world, and we will strive for greater justice among all people.
We will seek to know and love and trust all our sisters and brothers in our fellowship, and we will let ourselves be known and loved by them.
We will seek to embody the best of our Baptist heritage, emphasizing the spirit of freedom and gospel passion that has been handed down to us. Therefore, we will seek to live out this covenant as a valued expression of who we are in this time and place, respecting the freedom of each person to live it in his or her unique way, and humbly recognizing that it depicts the truth of God within the limits of our best understanding.
Membership
Any person who confesses her or his faith in God, and who embraces the covenant commitment above, will be received into the fellowship of this church as a member. A person who professes faith in any of the following ways will become a member:
a. by giving public witness to Christian faith and being baptized by immersion
b. by obtaining a letter of recommendation from another Christian church
c. by affirming or reaffirming one“s Christian faith
Each new member will be officially welcomed at a congregational meeting and will be added to the membership record. New members will be encouraged to participate in the life of the fellowship.
Any member who desires a letter of recommendation in transfer to another church shall receive it upon request with approval by the church council.
