Jericho Ridge Membership Covenant

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As CHURCH LEADERS, we covenant, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to do the following:
 
  1. We commit ourselves to lovingly care for you and seek your growth in Christ (Heb 13:17; 1 Thes 5:12).
  2. We covenant to provide teaching, preaching, and counsel from the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:16).
  3. We commit that this teaching will span the whole counsel of God’s Word (Acts 20:27-28).
  4. We commit to helping you in times of need (Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-35; James 2:14-17).
  5. We covenant that your pastors, elders, and ministry leaders will meet the criteria assigned to them in Scripture (1 Tim 3:1-13, 5:17-22; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet 5:1-4).
  6. We covenant to be on guard against false teachers (Acts 20:28-31; Romans 16:17-19; 2 Tim 4:3-5).
  7. We covenant to exercise biblical church discipline when necessary (Matt 18:15-20; 1 Cor 5:9-13; Heb 12:4-11). 
  8. We covenant to help you become equipped to serve Christ (Eph 4:11-13).
  9. We covenant to seek God’s will for our church community to the best of our ability as we study the Scriptures and follow the Spirit (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:1-5).
  10. We covenant to set an example and join you in fulfilling the duties of church members (1 Cor 11:1; Phil 3:17; 1 Tim 4:12).
  11. We covenant to protect the unity of the local body by confronting the sin of a divisive spirit and of sowing discord (Prov 6:18-19; 1 Cor 3:3; Titus 3:9-11).
  12. We commit to protecting and upholding the value of marriage and family. We believe that marriage and the family are instituted by God. The church blesses both marriage and singleness and encourages families to grow in love.
 As a member of Jericho Ridge, with the guiding help of the Holy Spirit,
I/WE the undersigned covenant the following:
 
  1. I am a Christian:
    1. I affirm that as a sinner I was eternally lost and spiritually dead until regenerated by God according to His decree and through the work of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:1-7).
    2. I affirm that Jesus Christ is my personal Lord and Saviour and that His promises are mine as a result of repentance and faith (1 John 1:9; Col 1:19-23; John 5:24).
    3. I affirm that Jesus Christ was, as God incarnate, fully God and fully man (John 1:1-5; Heb 4:14-16).
    4. I affirm that Jesus Christ is the only way to God, forgiveness, and eternal life (John 14:6).
    5. I affirm that Jesus’ perfect life, sacrificial death, resurrection from the dead, and ascension to the Father is complete payment for sin and defeat of death and Satan (Rom 5:9).
  2. I have been baptized to give testimony of my identification with the body of Christ and obedience to the Scriptures (Matt 28:19; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:27).
  3. I affirm that the sixty-six canonical books of the Bible constitute the Word of God (2 Tim 3:16-17).
  4. I have read and affirm the core values (page 3) and statement of faith (page 4) of Jericho Ridge and the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches and I agree to not be divisive to its teaching. (Please note: for further clarity, please see the detailed version of the MB Confession of Faith.)
  5. I understand and affirm the biblical requirement of submission to church leadership and will endeavor to maintain unity and peace (Matt 18:15-18; 1 Tim 5:20; 1 Cor 5; Heb 13:17; 1 Thes 5:12-13).  
  6. I will strive to maintain a close relationship with the Lord through regular personal Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, and other biblical spiritual practices. My journey in Christ will be evident through regular attendance in corporate worship gatherings and involvement in small groups and accountability relationships (Ps 119:97; Acts 2:42-47; Heb 10:23-25).  
  7. I will strive to biblically manage the resources God has given me including my time, body, gifts and talents, finances and possessions (Eph 4:1-16; Rom 12:1-2; Prov 3:9, 10).  
  8. I commit myself to the Jericho Ridge family and agree to help us fulfill our missional purpose by living as a missionary in culture and my personal context (Matt 5:13-16).  
  9. I will strive to follow biblical procedures (Matt 18:15-20) when confronting those who have offended me and submit myself to biblical correction and church discipline if the need should ever arise.  
  10. I will strive to uphold God’s standard of moral purity in the realm of human sexuality, affirming the biblical reality that sexuality is a gift as well as a responsibility (Eph. 1:4, 5:3; 1 Thess. 4:3-7; 1 Pet. 1:14-16).  
  11. I will strive to support the local body of Christ here at Jericho Ridge through the generous giving of my financial resources (sometimes referred to as tithes), regular prayer for and hospitality towards others, and willingness to show compassion and meet expressed needs.  
  12. I will strive to discover and apply my skills and spiritual gifts so that I can more eagerly participate in the works of service that God calls me to individually and us together.  
  13. I agree to notify Jericho Ridge’s leadership if at any time I can no longer commit to this covenant, or if I have questions, comments or concerns regarding Jericho Ridge’s mission or methods.  
 
JERICHO RIDGE’S CORE VALUES

Transformational Truth  
God’s character and His Word shape our thinking and behaviour. Biblical Truth is taught in our homes and church in such a way that it leads to holistic growth. We are committed to depth and maturity in our faith, fully aware of our need for grace in our spiritual apprenticeship. We desire to work out our faith in all aspects of our personal lives – intellectual, physical, emotional, spiritual – in order to transform our world as we are transformed.   
Scriptures: John 16:13; 17:17; 1 Peter 5-7; 2 Peter 3:18
 
Authentic Community  
God exists in community and models for us what it means to be both vitally connected with Him and interdependent with one another. We desire relationships with one another that are transparent, supportive, encouraging and rooted in a desire to love as we have been loved by God.      
Scriptures: Acts 2:42-47; 1 John 4:19 
 
Glocal Service  
We desire to love and serve one another and our world. We envision the people of JRCC investing in the lives of people who are far from God – both locally and globally - and thinking and acting as a part of the global community of faith. We believe that joyful service is an important part of holistic growth in following Jesus. We walk in obedience to God, actively looking for opportunities to use our time, talents and treasures for Kingdom growth and impact. 
Scriptures: Matt 28:18; Mark 10:45; John 3:16; Rom 12:6-8 
 
Generous Lifestyle  
We commit to living as faithful stewards, willing to cheerfully share what we have with others. We listen to and depend on God in every circumstance with a humble spirit of gratitude. Generosity touches all aspects of our lives – our friendships, our service, our time, our gifts and abilities and our material resources.  
Scriptures: Deut 15:10; Prov 11:25; 1 Tim 6:18
 
Holistic Worship  
Worship is the conscious submission to and adoration of the Creator. It is the humble everyday expression of every part of our lives to Jesus. We desire - both individually and corporately – to express and experience this with a level of intentionality, creativity, cultural relevance, and passion. As we worship, we experience the life-changing power of Jesus Christ and are empowered by the Spirit to respond as God wills.    
Scriptures: Psalm 29:2; John 4:24; Rom 12:1-2


 
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren - Confession of Faith
 
We believe in God as eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created and sustains the universe. The eternal purpose of God the Father is to create a people who will bring glory to God forever. God alone is worthy of worship.
We believe that God became human in Jesus Christ. Jesus came to restore the world because humans have rejected God in disobedience. Jesus taught and modeled the way of God’s kingdom. He died on the cross, making it possible for us to accept a renewed relationship with God. He rose from the dead, broke the power of sin and death, and frees us to live in obedience to God’s will.
We believe that God the Holy Spirit invites all people to be reconciled with God and to join the global family of faith. Believers confess their faith, are baptized, and join in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and guided by the Bible, members of the church seek to live as followers of Christ and invite others to experience this new life.
As Christians we are called to turn:
·   from ignorance of God to a personal relationship with God
·   from bondage of sin and past mistakes to freedom, forgiveness, and healing
·   from individualism to interdependence with others in the local church
·   from lifestyle choices that harm us, others, and the earth to choices that nurture wholeness, healing, joy and peace
·   from hating enemies and ignoring neighbours to showing love and justice to all
·   from loving possessions to sharing with all in need
·   from aimless existence to a mission of representing and proclaiming God’s kingdom on earth.

As Christians we look forward to the day when God will once again send Jesus to bring all things under God’s eternal rule.