First Baptist Church of Forgan
Understanding Membership Expectations
Our Church Covenant
We at First Baptist Church of Forgan believe that our church is a local body of baptized believers who are associated by covenant through our faith in Jesus Christ. This covenant is the “new covenant” (Hebrews 8:6-12, 9:11-17) referred to by Jesus in the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:24). When you are saved, God establishes this covenant with you (Heb 8:10; 2 Corinthians 3:2-6). God, the composer of the local body (1 Corinthians 12:24), places you as a member in a local church as it pleases Him (1 Corinthians 12:18). By this covenant in the faith we, the members of our church, are associated and bound together.
Our Purpose for the Membership Expectations
Our common covenant in the faith informs us that our Christian faith is not to be defined merely in terms of an individual relationship with the Lord. The Bible does not teach an isolated, solitary Christian life. In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul teaches us every member is necessary and indispensable.
Thus, our covenant relationship in Jesus Christ places on us as members shared responsibilities necessary to build a unified, growing church. The purpose for our Membership Expectations is to define what we believe are essential shared responsibilities as church members. Such definition allows you, the prospective member, to understand what we believe is expected of you (as well as of ourselves) when you join our Church.
Living obediently to the Christian calling and lifestyle is a matter of free will choice. The spirit of our Membership Requirements and Expectations seeks to honor God’s covenant with you, His divine choice of placing you in our Church, and your choice to obey God. However, our openness to your free will does not lessen your responsibilities or the high cost of following Jesus (Matthew 16:24-25; Luke 9:57-62; Luke 14:26-27, 33).
Our expectation for you as a member is to choose obedience to Jesus. Thus, to the best of your ability, with help of your Lord, and the support of your church family, we expect you to joyfully accept and fulfill your responsibilities as a member of First Baptist Church of Forgan. As your Church family, you should expect of us to love you, encourage you, build you up, and involve you in God’s work at our Church. You should expect us to make you feel and believe you are the necessary and indispensable member God has already made you to be.
We believe the Bible constitutes the only authority for faith and practice in the New Testament church. Therefore, the Bible is the ultimate source and guide for you to determine your responsibilities as a member. We recognize our Membership Expectations are not exhaustive or inclusive of all responsibilities as taught in the Bible, but what we believe as essential to the health of our Church.
First Baptist Church of Forgan
Membership Expectations
God’s Purpose for our Church: To love God so much that we love and serve others by making them followers of Jesus
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-39
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age Matthew 28:19-20
To unify and work together to fulfill God’s purpose for our Church we believe a member’s essential shared responsibilities are:
To worship and glorify God . . .
. . . by faithfully and expectantly joining together to worship and glorify our God
The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him John 4:23
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. . . Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. Psalms 100:1-2, 4
If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord Isaiah 58:13-14
. . . by honoring God through tithes and sacrificial giving
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of Hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. Malachi 3:10
On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper 1 Corinthians 16:2
To get involved in the work and ministries of our Church . . .
. . . by discovering, developing, and using one’s spiritual gifts
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Peter 4:10
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. . . But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12: 4,7
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:14-16
. . . by developing a servant’s heart
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ, who . . . made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond-servant Philippians 2:4-5,7
Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve. Mark 10:43-45
To go and tell others about Jesus . . .
. . . by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others
You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8
We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:19-20
. . . by inviting and bringing the lost and unchurched to participate in our services
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more,. . . I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the Gospel’s sake 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22-23
. . . by warmly welcoming all those who visit
Above all things, have fervent love for one another, . . ., be hospitable to one another without grumbling 1 Peter 4:8-9
. . . by living a godly lifestyle
As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct 1 Peter 1:15
Let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ Philippians 1:27
To learn the Word and be equipped to serve . . .
. . . by growing in spiritual maturity through personal Bible study
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth 2 Timothy 2:15
Be doers of the Word and not hearers only James 1:22
. . . by learning the truths of the Bible and their application to life through participating in the teaching ministry of our church
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
To build and strengthen relationships with each other . . .
. . . by working for and guarding the unity of our church
I plead with you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10
And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Colossians 3:12-15
. . . by acting in love to build up my fellow members
In sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart 1 Peter 1:22
Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another Romans 14:19
Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification for even Christ did not please Himself Romans 15:2-3
. . . by faithfully joining in the fellowship of our church when we assemble
Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, . . . but exhorting one another Hebrews 10:24-25
. . . by praying for our church, its unity and growth
At all time they ought to pray and not lose heart Luke 18:1
Continue earnestly in prayer being vigilant in it with thanksgiving Colossians 4:2
Always laboring fervently for you in prayers that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God Colossians 4:12
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