Thursday, November 19, 2009

Kaleo's community covenant

This is taken from the Kaleo Church website:

We promise to honor one another, be members of one another, live in harmony with one another, build one another up, be like-minded towards one another, accept one another, care for one another, serve one another, bear one another's burdens, be kind to one another, forgive one another, abound in love towards one another, comfort one another, encourage one another, stir one another up to love and good deeds, confess our sins to one another, be hospitable to one another, greet one another, fellowship with one another, submit to one another while not passing judgment on one another, not provoking one another, not envying one another, not hating one another, not slandering one another, and not bearing grudges against one another.

We do all this because Christ has loved us in each of these ways and this frees our hearts to love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34).

I'd add others like:

  • Admonish one another (Col 3.16; Rom 15.14)
  • Pray for one another (James 5.16)
  • hold one another accountable(Matt 18.15-17; 1 Cor 5)
  • maintain unity with one another (Eph 4.3)
  • as we strive side by side (or, "together") with one another for the faith of the gospel (Phil 1.27)
  • Speak the truth in love (Eph 4.15) - this implies upholding orthodoxy though certainly not limited to this
  • not neglecting to meet together (Heb 10.25)

So in the end it might go something like this:

We renew afresh our covenant together before our Lord Jesus Christ to be members of one another, honor one another, live in harmony with one another, maintain unity with one another, build one another up, be like-minded towards one another, accept one another, care for one another, serve one another, bear one another's burdens, be kind to one another, forgive one another, abound in love towards one another, comfort one another, encourage one another, stir one another up to love and good works not neglecting to meet together, confess our sins to one another, pray for one another, admonish one another, hold one another accountable as a church, be hospitable to one another, greet one another, fellowship with one another, listen to one another, speak the truth to one another, submit to one another while not passing judgment on one another, not provoking one another, not envying one another, not hating one another, not slandering one another, and not bearing grudges against one another as we strive side by side with one another for the faith of the gospel.

We do all this because Christ has loved and continues to love us in each of these ways and this frees our hearts to love one another as he has loved us. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.

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