A Covenant Relationship
A covenant is an agreement between two parties that is beneficial to both. One of the most widely known was the covenant between God and Israel, when God said, “I will be your God and you will be my people, if…” A covenant established a relationship; and what could be expected from each party if the conditions of the covenant were kept.
When you consider becoming a member of the congregational Church Family, it is good to think in terms of a covenant. You should be able to expect something from a church. You should be able to count on them being near in times of need. That’s part of belonging to each other.
In all fairness, your Church Family has the same right to expect something from you too. You will be much happier and more fulfilled in your Christian walk if you accept the responsibilities that come with belonging to Christ – and to your brothers and sisters.
What to Expect From Us
As an active member of our family, you can be sure our elders are praying for, and leading us to be a church that will:
- Acknowledge God as Creator and the center of our whole life, with Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
- Be united in our love for God and one another, and avoid the sowing of discord within the body.
- Be concerned about justice, mercy, faithfulness; and deeply aware of our own short-comings.
- Be committed to knowing God and doing His Will as expressed in His Word.
- Be earnest in sharing the good news of God’s love and mercy as expressed in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
- Be sensitive and caring about others and responsive to both the physical and spiritual needs of those around us, not only in prayer but in action.
- Be diligent in following God’s commandments and careful not to make personal preferences into “additional requirements”.
- Keep diversity of opinion to ourselves in consideration of others, recognizing the need to continue to grow in our understanding of God’s Word without embracing error.
- Encourage and support the efforts of every member to be involved in our ministry.
- Do all we can to prepare our own families for eternity.
- Share God’s Word abroad as well as in our own community.
- Praise God while holding sacred His instructions for our worship and our lives.
- Do everything we do for the glory of God
What We Expect From You
As baptized believers in Jesus Christ; and faithful children of God, we ask you to commit to God and your Church Family, and that you will:
- Strive to maintain the holiness of the Halfmoon Family (Heb. 10:25; Phil 1:27; 1Pet.2:11)
- by regular participation (small groups, bible class, and worship services)
- by living a Godly life
- by resisting sin
- Share the responsibility of the Halfmoon Family (Rom. 15:7; Lk.14:23; Phil. 2:3,4,7)
- by warmly welcoming those who visit
- by inviting your friends to attend
- by developing a servant’s heart
- Support the ministry of the Halfmoon Family (1 Peter 4:10; Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Cor. 16:2)
- by using your gifts and abilities
- by being equipped to serve
- by regular, planned, and cheerful giving Protect the unity of the Halfmoon Family
- Protect the unity of the Halfmoon Family (Eph. 4:2-3; Eph. 4:9; Heb. 13:17)
- by acting in love toward others
- by refusing to gossip
- by following our leadership
Next to confessing your faith in Jesus and being baptized into His body, your choice of a local church is one of the most important spiritual decisions you will make. It is not a decision to be made quickly, but it is a decision you must make. You are needed and welcome here!
We invite you to visit us as many times as it takes for you to find answers to your questions. Take part in our Bible classes. If you have children, bring them to class. If you have teens, encourage them to participate in the teen class and discussions.
When you decide that the Halfmoon Church of Christ is the church family for you, complete this Information Form. After its completion, our eldership will discuss with you how you would like to go about announcing your newly placed membership with our local congregation!
