Faith Church’s Covenant of Grace

Our Relational Covenant – Holy Manners for a Faith Community:

In our work, conversations, and theology, we realized that there can be conflict, disagreements, and misunderstandings. We can be guided by healthy norms in order to maintain clear communication and personal assumptions. Therefore, we covenanted together in these guidelines for loving relationships and values to guide our ministry.  Colossians 3:12-17;  1 Thessalonians 5:12-26

Gratitude with Humility

We are grateful for the blessings of church and community which God has given us. With repentant and humble hearts, we recognize that there are times when we fall short of God’s plan for our church. We are thankful for God’s grace and love as we acknowledge our shortcomings and seek to follow His direction for our church’s renewal in love for God.               2 Corinthians 4:14-15

Relationships that are God-Honoring

In every way, by thought, word, and deed, we seek to build God-honoring relationships with each other. We will build each other up and not tear each other down.  We will make positive investments in each other’s lives. We promise to maintain relationships of confidentiality in personal and professional matters. We promise to be good stewards of our time, talents, and treasures together for the benefit of one another and the church we serve. We promise to support one another and the work of the church through prayer.   John 13:34; Romans 12:10; Colossians 4:2

Always Gentle, Loving, and Open Communication

Our approach to dealing with difficult issues will be gentle and loving.  We will offer our opinions with charity and humility. We will seek to communicate clearly and completely.  We promise to make our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, to express criticism and negative feelings first to the person, and not to others, and seek reconciliation as far as possible.  We accept disagreement, conflict, and evaluation as normal and natural. We will seek to deal constructively with disagreements or conflicts by utilizing one or all of the following:

1.     Going directly to the person with who there is a disagreement or conflict. We will speak for ourselves only.

2.      Having an agreed upon third party meet with the conflicted persons.

3.      Agree to meet with an assigned committee to work out the disagreement or conflict. If necessary, we will seek an outside negotiator.     

Ephesians 4:31; Matthew 18: 15-17, 5:23-24; Romans 12:18

Considerate and Respectful, Graceful, and with Empathy

We will constantly strive to be respectful of one another’s point of view, graceful in our manner of communication, and always acting with empathy and understanding of another’s ideas or circumstances. We will listen, with an open mind, to the opinions, ideas, and concerns of others and respond with thoughtfulness and sensitivity. We will focus on issues and not personalities.  Romans 12:18; Ephesians 4:2-3

Everyone Seeking Unity

We will seek unity by willingly sacrificing our own desires to those of our Risen Lord in faithfully building the church He desires for us. We recognize that we are a church built on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ as the Head of the church universal.  Ephesians 2:20, 1:22

Congregation Approved: 01-31-16