Our Covenants

A covenant can be seen as a seriously held promise made before God.

The pre-membership covenant is detailed so that the member is reminded of the serious promises they are making before membership can even be considered.

Membership requires that you:

1) Have received Jesus Christ as your Saviour (Titus 3:3-5)

2) Agree with our Church Statement of Faith

3) Will support the Church ministry prayerfully and financially

4) Want to serve the Lord Jesus and look to Him to disclose your place of ministry in the on-going life of our fellowship

5) Should feel that the Holy Spirit is leading you and has placed you here to work in co-operation with the whole body, so there can arise mutual respect, trust and love for the body.

If someone requests membership and fulfils the other Biblical requirements then a supporting covenant is offered:

In response the Leadership are committed to provide:

Instruction: We commit ourselves to teach and feed you the pure Word of God (John 21:16). We will seek to strengthen you and build you up in the grace and the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ.

Intercession: We commit ourselves to pray for you (1 Peter 5:2; Hebrews 13:17). The Pastors will bring your needs before God regularly.

Protection: We commit ourselves to stand by you in any time of need, burden or personal crisis. You are never alone if you let us know when needs arise.

Devotion: We commit ourselves to care for you. Our commitment is to love, serve and help you to become the person God created you to be.

Correction: We will seek to counsel or correct you should you drift from the truth as it is in Jesus (2 Timothy 4:2). We are committed to doing everything as lovingly as possible.

Should you feel you have been hurt, neglected or misunderstood, please know that it is unintentional. The Pastors and Leaders are always pleased to arrange to meet with you.

NB This ministry of care is achieved by members caring for and ministering to one another.

On becoming a member, a new covenant is expected, these are promised to further the work of the church and to protect the other members and attenders of the church:

Membership Covenant

Having received Christ as my Lord and Saviour and been baptised, and being in agreement with Statement Structures and Strategies, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the RCF family. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other RCF Members to do the following:

1) I will protect the unity of my Church

… By acting in love toward other members

… By refusing to gossip

… By following the leaders

“So let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony, and on the growth of our fellowship together”. Romans 15:19 (Ph)

“Live in complete harmony with each other – each with the attitude of Christ toward each other”. Romans 15:5 (LB)

“Have a sincere love for your fellow believers, love one another earnestly with all your hearts”. 1 Peter 1:22 (GN)

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs..”Ephesians 4:29

“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be no advantage to you”. Hebrews 13:17

2) I will share the responsibility of my Church

… By praying for its growth

… By inviting the un-churched to attend

… By warmly welcoming those who visit

“To the church… we always thank God for you and pray for you constantly”. 1 Thessalonians 1:2

“Go out into the country… and urge anyone you find to come in, so that My House will be full”. Luke 14:23 (LB)

“So, warmly welcome each other into the church, just as Christ has warmly welcomed you; then God will be glorified”. Romans 15:7 (LB)

3) I will serve the ministry of my Church

… By discovering my gifts and talents

… By being equipped to serve

… By developing a servant’s heart

“Serve one another with the particular gifts God has given each of you…”_1 Peter 4:10 (Ph)

“God gave… some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of ministry, so that the body of Christ may be built up…” Ephesians 4:11-12

“Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the_interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ… who took on the very nature of a servant…” Philippians 2:3-4,7

4) I will support the testimony of my Church

… By attending faithfully

… By living a godly life

… By giving regularly

“Let us not give up the habit of meeting together… but let us encourage one another”. Hebrews 10:25

“But whatever happens, make sure that your everyday life is worthy of the gospel of Christ”. Philippians 1:27 (Ph)

“Each one of you, on the first day of each week, should set aside a_specific sum of money in proportion to what you have earned and use it for the_offering”. 1 Corinthians 16:2

“A tenth of all you produce is the Lord’s and it is holy”. Leviticus 27:30

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