COVENANT & CONNECTIONAL By Ps Ben KC Lee

The 2010 Singapore census shows that Christianity has grown from 14.6% to 18.3% in Singapore from the last ten years. The number and type of churches have also grown. We see churches that target the young, those that cater to families with children and others that focus on internationals. Some churches have grown numerically but I wonder if some are like musical chairs recycling believers. Perhaps people today no longer stay in the same job or the same church like their parents. 

Sure there are reasons for leaving a local church. The reasons seem to have become more frivolous. We walk away too easily.

Truth is that Christians tend to expect churches to have good worship, good preaching, good children ministry, good youth ministry, good Christian Education and good Christians. But we discover that Christians do actually hurt us. Back track a little to ask if our expectations of church are even consistent with Scripture.

So why do people who worship a covenant-keeping God church hop? Have we forgotten how to be a covenant-keeping people?

Why We Take Church Lightly 

Why do we take God’s church lightly? There are at least three reasons. The first is hyper individualism and personal autonomy. Elevating the status of the individual believer over and above the church is one reason why commitment is not in vogue. Rather than being Kingdom focused, ministry becomes personal projects to fulfill our desires. Some argue that we only covenant with God and not with each other. Further, modern culture is redefining marriage in a way that makes cohabiting and divorce common. A promiscuous society encourages us to take commitments lightly and forget them when it is not convenient.

Second, the focus on church-growth and numbers in a result-oriented culture has become the new norm. Godliness and holiness seem to count less. Pragmatic thinking considers church staff as hired hands rather than long-term partners. If we practice utilitarian community, why are we surprised when others respond in a similar fashion?

Third is the vision of the church. Many see church as individuals choosing to join an organisation. The church is not only an organisation. The New Testament word for church is ekklesia. This word means “the called out ones”. The Old Testament equivalent described Israel as the people summoned into the presence of God to hear him and respond in obedience. When God called His people, He called them into a covenant community as in Deuteronomy 5.

So What Exactly is Covenant? 

A covenant is a sacred promise. A covenant community is a group of people bound together by a sacred promise. Specifically, a church covenant is a commitment to the Lord among fellow brothers and sisters as to how covenant partners will conduct themselves under the Lordship of Christ in their mutual relationship as fellow members of a biblical church.

Some argue that there are no expectations in the Christian covenant community since we are saved by faith, and not by works. There is a difference between how we enter the new covenant community and how we live in the community. The New Covenant is such that God not only sets the obligations of faith and obedience, He also promises to create the faith and obedience (Heb. 8:10-12).

The Scripture in Matthew 18:19 teaches us that the idea of covenant is given in the word: “agree”. Christ followers make their agreement binding on each other under the lordship of Christ when they agree on how one should live in the community of disciples. A covenant clarifies the parameters of how one relates to the church and how a Christ follower realises their sin and restores their relationship with Christ and thereby the covenant community.

One of the best metaphors to describe the church is family. We are brothers and sisters; not just friends and definitely not fair-weather friends. Relationships are meant to be deep as we worship, serve and resolve conflicts together. The church today may be at risk of becoming a shopping mall for religious consumers wanting religious services that meet felt needs. If a more attractive offer comes along, or if friendships become strained, there is always another mall near enough. Easy-come and easy-go friendships do not make for a covenant relationship.

Entering a covenant is entering into a binding relationship. Theologically, a covenant is not something easily broken. To make a covenant is to enter an irrevocable agreement between two or more parties that cannot be broken except by the death of the one who breaks it. Christ demonstrated covenant by giving his life for us. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of what Christ did for us on the cross. It is a celebration of the two-fold communion we have with God in Christ and with one another.

There is the example of Ruth and Naomi. David and Jonathan in I Sam. 18:4 is another example. Jonathan had to put the covenant to the test when his father tried to kill David in I Sam. 19-20. Later it was David’s turn to honour the covenant when he had several chances to kill King Saul. He did not because King Saul was the Lord’s anointed and also because he was the father of David’s covenant brother, Jonathan. David honoured his covenant with Jonathan by searching for his son Mephiboseth and providing for a fatherless man (I Kin. 9).

What about Autonomous Christians and Churches? 

Like many churches, my home church sees all types of worshippers. We have chosen to have Covenant Membership and Membership. Covenant members are wiling to enter a deeper and more committed relationship to release the blessing, spiritual impartation and privileges of being in covenant. The idea is that such members will stand with the church even when others may bail out. Covenant members have more responsibilities as well voting privileges.

My home church is also part of a connectional church movement. Our church is inter-dependent rather than independent. Yes, I have wondered what’s in it for us and is it possible to get our money’s worth from our movement. I have also wondered why we should support a certain mission region of the globe.

But this is where the principle of covenant comes in. We have committed ourselves to God and to each other. Local church and a communion of churches are both, by definition ‘church’. A covenant is worthless if covenant partners cannot draw on it from time to time. The other part of the equation is that we need each other. The bible is about community like the Trinity, like the 12 disciples, like in Eden. God said, “It's not good for men to be alone.”

Today many congregations are autonomous. Some are part of a network. Network affiliations do sound temporary. Perhaps it is even more difficult for such congregations to have members to covenant to their congregation.

There is a proverb: “It takes a family to raise a child but it takes a village to raise a family.” Similarly, it takes a church to raise a Christ follower but it takes a family of churches to raise a church.

So should we be autonomous, whether as Christ followers or as churches? Or should we stand together? I believe we should stand in a covenant relationship with one another and that is a gift of God who has covenanted with us so that the whole world might be blessed through us.

Summary 

As members of a local church we stand in covenant relationship with God who then binds us together with one another, both inside the congregation and outside (Jn.17:20-26). The covenant extends beyond any church or denomination. 

I am Evangelical-Pentecostal. This is somewhat similar to Evangelical-Charismatic but not the same as “Evangelical-Cruisematic”. After all, Christ followers should desire to be covenant keepers rather than covenant breakers. It is in our promise making and our promise keeping that we reflect God’s image and strengthen the witness of the church. It is in the ordinary lives of Christ followers, living in faithful community where the power of the Gospel is magnificently displayed.

I have stopped playing musical chairs with church. By His grace, I am a one-church Christian (Psa. 92:13). I also love the word ‘covenant’ because it describes a quality of relationship that is close to the heart and character of God. My hope is for Christ followers to grow in commitment to the Lord as a covenant community as we grow in community outreach.

(First published as “Are We Growing” in Impact Christian magazine 2011 vol. 35 no. 3 (Jun-Jul) in Singapore)