Examining covenant community biblically

by Pastor George Toews

At Rosenort EM Church there are listed 317 Scripture uses various images to describe this members, but only about 257 are active. On togetherness around the centre—Jesus. Ephesians any Sunday 400 people could attend because 5:29 speaks of the “body of Christ,” which reminds of regular non-members. Our Sunday morning atus that Christ is the head and the church is His tendance averages around 260. Who is the church? body. Ephesians 2:19-21 uses building imagery,

The way in which belonging to a church is declaring that “in him the whole building is joined expressed is changing. Although together and rises to become many churches have formal a holy temple in the Lord.” membership, some have adopted The church exists because Along with the centrality new structures. Some have an of its relationship to Christ of Christ, the Spirit is the annual covenant; others simply unifying factor in the church. identify those who are actively and His Spirit, which results Ephesians 4:4 reminds us involved in ministry. in a bond between all who “there is one body and one Having a membership list has problems and formal membelong to Christ. Spirit.” These passages teach the church exists because of bership is changing its forms its relationship to Christ and in some churches. In such flux, His Spirit, which results in a what biblical truths about belonging must continue bond between all who belong to Christ. to be a part of what churches do? This connection was immediately obvious on the first day of the Church. As soon as new believA Community in Christ ers were indwelt by the Holy Spirit, they behaved

The meaning of church is identified by Jesus uniquely. They “devoted themselves to the apostles in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three come teaching and to the fellowship.” “All the believers together in my name, there am I with them.” were together and had everything in common” and Church happens when people gather with Jesus at “they continued to meet together” (Acts 2:41-47). the centre. As we read on in the New Testament, the

language of community does not diminish. In Following ‘one another’ Local Church the letters of John, likely written quite through the New Testament The above is intended of all believers relating with one another. late, the same relation ship is described and teach one another How is that to be lived out practi cally? In the New Testament the church encouraged; believers existed in local settings. are to love each other. The be subject to one Paul wrote his letters to local congregaNew Testament assumes another tions. We read in Ephesians 1:1, “To the community and addresses saints in Ephesus.” The instructions in Christians in the context of serve one another those letters describe what the church is community. to be. From that observation alone, we Community is clearly seen in many passages which hold one another gather the Bible recognizes that most realistically church is lived out in local speak about how believers accountable gatherings of believers. should relate to one another. If we follow “one another” through encourage one Marking Belonging the New Testament letters, in another Did the Early Church have a list the church we are to teach one of those who belonged? The verse another (Romans 15:14), be subforgive one often used in support is Acts 2:41. ject to one another (Romans 12:16), serve one another (John 13:14), hold another On the day of Pentecost “about three thousand were added to one another accountable (Galatians 6:1-2), encourage one another (1 be engaged in their number that day.” Does this really speak of a memberThessalonians 5:11), forgive one mission together ship roll? To what were they another (Ephesians 4:32), be engaged added? in mission together (2 Corinthians above all, love one Though that passage may 5:18-19) and, above all, love one another another not entirely convince us, (1 John 4:7). there was awareness in local churches of who was in a coveA Covenant Community nant relationship and who was not. That awareness

Was this a natural relationship or was it an is demonstrated in 2 Corinthians 2:5-11. A man who intentional community? There was a close commusinned had been punished (1 Corinthians 5:1-5), and nity, but was it a covenant community? now Paul was encouraging the church to restore

The intentionality of covenant is seen in him and reaffirm their love for him. How would Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider how we may they discipline and receive him back if they did not spur one another on toward love and good deeds. belong to one another? Let us not give up meeting together. Let us encourWe also see a sense in 1 John 2:19: “They went age one another.” It is seen in Romans 12:5: “so in out from us, but they did not really belong to us. Christ we who are many form one body, and each For if they had belonged to us, they would have member belongs to all the others.” remained with us; but their going showed that none

In an age when commitments to organizations of them belonged to us.” are often weak, the covenant the church expects of If such an awareness of who belongs and who those who belong is unique—not to an organization does not is membership, there were membership or a constitution, but a commitment to one another lists in the New Testament. Is it possible to have because of Christ. an awareness of who belongs and who does not

To have purpose, to be intimately and caringly without a formal list? One current church with no involved with other people with the same goal, formal membership realized it must identify those mission, and eternity, is a powerful blessing to hold who belong, and includes all whose names are in on to. the address book.

Whatever membership is, or becomes, this life To be in a covenant relationship, it is critical of intentional belonging to one another must be a to have a clear understanding of belonging to one part of it. another. It is not only necessary to acknowledge