Our Covenant Relationship

This sermon was prepared and preached by Pastor Mike Rose at First Federated Church in Des
Moines, Iowa, on Sunday, January 6, 2008.
Copyright © 2008, First Federated Church

One of the things I like about New Year’s is the feeling that no matter what happened in the year past, I
have the opportunity to put that behind me and chart a new course. In one sense it’s kind of silly. I mean,
January 1st is no more a magical day than any other. Literally, any day of the year I can determine to put
the past behind me and move in a new direction.

But there is something about a year officially ending and one beginning that heightens the awareness that
a new day is dawning – that if I didn’t quite get it right in the year past, I can strive to do it right in the
year ahead.

It is in this spirit that I’ve chosen to take the last Sunday of ’07 and the first Sunday of ’08 to focus on our
core foundations and core commitments as a church family and ministry.

Last week we revisited the core foundations – Truth, Grace, Transparency and Ministry – of our
New Beginning that started October 15, 2006. These are the foundations the Lord gave me for rebuilding
First Federated Church.

In addition to core foundations, the Lord also guided me to specific core commitments that we are to
make to one another as we join our hearts and hands to serve Christ as a local church.

These core commitments have become known as our Membership Covenant – four Promises, with
three corresponding action plans that we seek, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to live out as we exist and
function as a church in this community.

No doubt you are wondering why these men have joined me on stage. Let me explain: These men, 12 in
all (one is absent because of travel) are men who meet the Biblical qualifications to serve as elders. Each
has gone through a process to determine qualification and then, at some point, the church body selected
them to serve.

Along with the senior pastor, who, by the way, is an elder as well, we hold the responsibility of spiritual
oversight of this church. And because we share in this tremendous responsibility, I asked them to join me
in presenting the foug promises and 12 action plans of our Membership Covenant.

It is important that you understand that the elder body unanimously adopted this covenant, that we stand
behind it, submit ourselves to it, and being charged with the spiritual oversight of this church, we hold the
body accountable to do the same. So, I will present the four promises, each elder will present one of the
corresponding action plans and the supporting scripture that compels us to make this covenant together.

The four promises of our Membership Covenant are:

1. I will secure (protect) the unity of my church.

2. I will share in the responsibility of my church.
3. I will serve in the ministry of my church.
4. I will support the testimony of my church.

Before moving on take note of the key words that need to be firmly rooted in our hearts and minds:
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 1. Secure – unity. 2. Share – responsibility.

3. Serve – ministry. 4. Support – testimony.

I. I will secure (protect) the unity of my church.

a. By acting in love toward other members.

1 Peter 1:22 – New Living Translation (NLT) - 22Now you can have sincere love for each other as
brothers and sisters because you were cleansed from your sins when you accepted the truth of the Good
News (Gospel). So see to it that you really do love each other intensely with all your hearts.

Take note of what Jesus says to His disciples: John 13:34-35 – New King James Version (NKJV) – 34A
new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

b. By refusing to gossip.

Ephesians 4:29 – New International Version (NIV) – Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of our
mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.

There’s an old saying that bears repeating at this point: “Loose lips sink ships.” Many a church has been
sunk by the loose lips of gossip.

Gossip Defined: “a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others”

Rose’s Twist: “You’re neither part of the problem, not part of the solution, but you’re talking about it.”

Our Covenant Relationship requires that we refuse to gossip. It’s a commitment that says, if something
needs to be addressed, I’ll address the person or with the proper authorities in the church, but I will not
talk of it with my friends.

c. By following the Biblically appointed leadership.

Hebrews 13:17 – NLT - 17Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. Their work is to watch over
your souls, and they know they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this joyfully and not with
sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

Disclaimer: Obey your spiritual leaders (pastors, elders) does not mean submitting to anything that
violates God’s Word. It means, as they represent God’s Word, obey that Word. For example, we are
presenting that you are to refuse to gossip. That is a Biblical command, and you should obey it.

Summary: I secure the unity of my church by loving my brothers and sisters in Christ, by keeping my
communication edifying and by following Biblically appointed leaders as they follow the Bible.

II. I will share in the responsibility of my church.

a. By praying for its growth.

Colossians 4:2-4 NLT 2Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3Don’t forget
to pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to preach about His secret plan—that Christ
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is also for you Gentiles. That is why I am here in chains. 4Pray that I will proclaim this message as
clearly as I should.

One responsibility we have as members of the Body of Christ is to pray for its growth. That’s what the
Apostle Paul is concerned about here. Paul, his fellow Apostles, and the growing number of disciples,
were proclaiming the Good News that Jesus died and rose again to save all people from their sins. Paul
desired that they would have many opportunities to share this Good News and that the message would be
clear so that many would come to saving faith.

People coming to saving faith equals growth in the church. This needs to be our constant prayer: That
God would grant us many opportunities to share the Good News and that the message would be clear that
many might become followers of Christ.

b. By inviting the un-churched to attend.

Luke 14:23 – NLT - … Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to
come, so that the house will be full.

A sign that a church is healthy is when two things happen: (1) When the number of people who attend its
services is larger than its actual membership, and (2) when there is a large number of people coming who
have yet to be saved.

When this is true, it means that believers are active in their spheres of influence, inviting – even
compelling people who need Christ – to attend church with them.

Why would we want that? Because at First Federated Church, the Word of God is proclaimed every
week, and an invitation to trust in Christ or to ask questions about Christ is extended.

We want the “world” in our services because we want to declare and show them the grace of our God,
the magnificence of our Savior and the power of the Holy Spirit to change lives.

c. By warmly welcoming those who visit.

1 Thessalonians 3.12 – NLT - may the Lord make your love grow and overflow to each other and to
everyone else, just as our love overflows toward you.

It’s a wonderful thing to be part of a loving, accepting, encouraging church fellowship, but, if a Church is
really loving, accepting and encouraging, it won’t be focused on itself. It will intentionally reach out to
others.

Anyone who walks into this place should never walk out wondering if they were welcomed or not. We
should be so outward-focused that people leave knowing they have been in the presence of people who
loved them.

Summary: I Share in the responsibility of my church by praying for its growth, inviting the un-
churched to attend and warmly welcoming those who visit.

III. I will serve in the ministry of my church.

a. By discovering my spiritual gifts and natural abilities.

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1 Peter 4:10 – New American Standard Bible (NASB) - 10As each one has received a special gift, employ
it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Ministry – meeting the needs of others with love, is part of our core foundations on which we are
rebuilding Federated.

In order to be effective in ministry, we each need to understand how God has S.H.A.P.E.D. us for
ministry. We offer a class to help you discover your SHAPE. The next one will begin February 17, just
after the next Entry Point Class.

b. By being equipped to serve in ministry by my pastors.

Ephesians 4:11-12 – NLT - 11He (God) is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to
do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

The world, and much of the church have it all wrong. They think of pastors as being the people who do
the work of the church. NO! The work of the church is done by the church. The pastor’s work is to equip
the church so they can be unleashed to touch the world for Christ.

Now, for this to happen, then the Church is going to have to submit itself to the next action plan.

c. By developing a servant’s heart.

Philippians 2:3-7 – NLT - 3Don’t be selfish;… 4Don’t think only about your own affairs, but be interested
in others, too, and what they are doing. 5Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. 6Though
he was God, he did not demand and cling to His rights as God. 7He made Himself nothing; he took the
humble position of a slave …

Take note of verse 5: We who belong to Christ are to have the same attitude that Christ had – An attitude
that does not seek to cling to it’s own significance, but releases that to find true significance in the
purpose and plan of God.

God’s plan for Jesus was to serve humanity by giving His life for the sins of humanity. God’s plan for us
is to give ourselves to communicate that truth and to help others grow in their faith once they’ve received
that truth.

Church, only as we turn our focus upward and outward do we find the significance that God has for us
and thus find true fulfillment in living.

Summary: I Serve the ministry of my church by discovering my spiritual gifts, submitting myself to be
equipped by my pastors and by developing a servant’s heart.

IV. I will support the testimony of my church.

1. By attending faithfully.

Hebrews 10:25 – NLT - 25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage
and warn each other, especially now that the day of His coming back again is drawing near.

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It is surprising how cavalier many Christians are about their commitment to the weekly meetings of their
church fellowship. It seems many look at church attendance like this: Well, if the weather isn’t good,
Junior doesn’t have a ball game, or there isn’t a family birthday party to attend, you can count on me
pastor.

According to Acts 2, the early church met daily. Today, for many, it’s down to one service a week (1.5
hours), and still the standard excuse is “Well you know, we’re just so busy.”

Before becoming a pastor, I worked 40-50 hours per week for the Air Force, I had two young children, I
was taking 12 hours per quarter, working on my college degree, I was chairman of the deacon board,
taught young adult Sunday School class, sang in the choir, attended Sunday School, morning worship,
evening worship and Wednesday nights. And the truth is, I still had time for TV, Little-League games,
vacations, golf, yard work, and visiting my folks every couple of months.

The difference between my family and others, who were too busy to gather with their church family, was
being with my church to encourage and help them, and receiving the same in return, was a priority that I
scheduled everything else around.

2. By living a Godly life.

Philippians 1:27 – NLT - 27But whatever happens… you must live in a manner worthy of the Good News
about Christ, as citizens of heaven.

Just know this: if you are a Christian and a member of FFC, you carry with you the name of your Savior
and your church, and people judge both by how you act.

Remember, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – NKJV 19…your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,
whom you have from God, and your are not your own – 20For you were bought at a price; therefore
glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s

We are His representatives. Let us commit to representing Him in a manner that glorifies Him to our
community.

3. By giving regularly.

Proverbs 3:9 – NKJV - Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the first-fruits of all your
increase.

Let us be reminded that everything we have has been given to us by God. They are His possessions, and
we are accountable for how we use them. One thing God requires of us concerning His possessions is to
tithe them back to Him. A tithe of our time, talent, temple (body), testimony and treasure is to be given
back to Him for the work of His ministry.

That’s how the church’s work is supported, through the tithes and offerings of God’s people. Since
October 2006, we’ve seen great improvement in this part of our relationship to one another. But there’s
still progress that needs to be made.

The Power of The Tithe: According to Church records, in 2006 there were 1,200 recorded givers to this
ministry. If you took 400 of those away, dropping to 800 giving units, making the assumption that the

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average yearly income among those 800 was $40,000 – It’s amazing, but a simple tithe on that would
equal $3.2 million!

Just a tithe. No Easter offering, no Christmas offering, no missions offerings – nothing. Just a tithe would
be enough to fund our entire budget, our entire missions ministry and pay off our debt in one year.

That’s what faith and obedience to God’s plan for financing His work would do.

Summary: I Support the testimony of my church by attending faithfully, living a Godly life and giving
regularly.

Conclusion:

Church membership is about our relationship to one another as members of the Body of Christ. It’s a
relationship that comes with privileges and responsibilities.

At FFC – It’s a Covenant Relationship wherein we strive honor four basic, Biblical promises:

1. To Secure the unity of the church.

2. To Share in the responsibility of the church.
3. To Serve the ministry of the church.
4. To Support the testimony of the church.

May God grant us the understanding and the discipline to grow in Our Covenant Relationship in 2008.

The First Federated Church copyright, above, is for the sermon itself, not for any items quoted in
the sermon, unless otherwise stated. All quoted items are done so in good faith, and the source is
attributed when it is known.

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