Covenant Affirmations (What We Believe)
We affirm the centrality of the word of God. We believe the Bible is the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct. The dynamic, transforming power of the word of God directs the church and the life of each Christian. We affirm the necessity of the new birth. The Apostle Paul wrote, "If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come." (II Corinthia
ns 5:17, TNIV) New birth in Christ means committing ourselves to Him and receiving forgiveness, acceptance, and eternal life. New birth is only the beginning. Growing to maturity in Christ is a lifelong process for both individuals and communities of believers. We affirm a commitment to the whole mission of the Church. The early Covenanters were known as "Mission Friends" - people of shared faith who came together to carry out God's mission both far and near. Mission for them and for us includes evangelism, Christian formation, and ministries of compassion, mercy and justice. We follow Christ's two central calls. The Great Commission sends us out into all the world to make disciples. The Great Commandment calls us to love the Lord our God and our neighbors as ourselves. We affirm the Church as a fellowship of believers. Membership in the Covenant Church is by confession of personal faith in Jesus Christ and is open to all believers. We observe baptism and Holy Communion as sacraments commanded by Jesus. We believe in the priesthood of all believers - that is, we all share in the ministry of the church. The church is a grace-filled fellowship of believers who participate in the life and mission of Jesus Christ. We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit. The Covenant Church affirms the Trinitarian understanding of one God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe it is the Holy Spirit who instills in our hearts a desire to turn to Christ, and who assures us that Christ dwells within us. It is the Holy Spirit who enables our obedience to Christ and conforms us to His image, and it is the Spirit in us that enables us to continue Christ's mission in the world. We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Galatians 5:1, TNIV) This freedom is a gift of God in Christ, and it manifests itself in a right relationship with God and others. United in Christ, we offer freedom to one another to differ on issues of belief or practice where the biblical and historical record seems to allow for a variety of interpretations of the will and purposes of God. We in the Covenant Church seek to focus on what unites us as followers of Christ, rather than on what divides us.
