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Having been led as we believe
by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord
and Savior and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized
in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we do
now and in the presence of God and this assembly most solemnly and
joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of
the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for
the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and giving
aid and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to
sustain its worship, ordinance, doctrines, and discipline; to
contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry,
the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread
of the gospel throughout all nations.
We also engage to maintain family
and secret devotions; to educate our children in our beliefs; to
seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk
circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in
our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all
tattling, backbiting, gossiping and inappropriate anger; to abstain
from the unscriptural use of and sale of mind altering substances;
to use our influence to combat the abuse of mind altering substances
and the spread of pornography; and to be zealous in our efforts to
advance the Kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one
another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid
one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian
sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to
take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the
instructions of our Savior to secure reconciliation without delay.
We moreover engage that when we
remove from this place we will as soon as possible unite with some
other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and
the principles of God's Word. (I Thes. 5:11-22)
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