Becoming a Member of Church of the Lakes
Statement of Faith
We Believe:
1. The Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men and the Divine and final authority for Christian faith and life.
2. In one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. That Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He is now our High Priest and Advocate.
4. That the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict men, regenerate the believing sinner, and indwell, guide, instruct and empower the believer for godly living and service.
5. That man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is, therefore, lost and it is only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit that salvation and spiritual life be obtained.
6. That the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only such as receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and thus become children of God.
7. That water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during the present age. They are however, not to be regarded as means of salvation.
8. That the true Church is composed of all such persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the Body of Christ of which He is the Head.
9. That only those who are, thus, members of the true Church shall be eligible for membership in the local church.
10. That Jesus Christ is the Lord and Head of the Church and that every local church has the right, under Christ, to decide and govern its own affairs.
11. In the personal pre-millennial and imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and that this “Blessed Hope” has a vital bearing on the personal life and service of every believer.
12. In the bodily resurrection of the dead; of the believer to everlasting blessedness and joy of the Lord; of the unbeliever to judgement and everlasting consciousness and punishment.
Church of the Lakes Membership Covenant Introduction
“…Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2) As Christians, we are members of God’s household (Eph. 2:19) called to function, participate, and minister in a particular place within the body of Christ. A healthy body requires that each member do its part well. A healthy church requires the same: members who are sacrificially committed and well-equipped to do the works of service that God has prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10; 4:12). COTL holds its members in high regard; we expect them to lead as missionaries of the Gospel to culture. God, in His sovereignty, placed us in this city, among these people, in this century, for a reason (Acts 17:26-27).
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…” (Romans 12:3-8). Being a member of COTL is really about being part of a family. All members are disciples of Jesus, unified by their identity in Christ. This unity is expressed in the way they collaborate in loving God, loving fellow Christians, and loving non-Christians. Members who enter into a covenant with their local church are called to a higher degree of responsibility and service. At the same time, the elders and deacons are covenanted to assist members first and foremost, to love and lead, provide counsel and aid, and pray for, teach and guide them. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace…” (1 Peter 4:8-10)
What is a Covenant?
A covenant is a promise by which we obligate ourselves to one another in such a way that the obligation of one party is not dependent on the faithfulness of the other (Ezek. 20:44; 36:22; Ps. 76:11; Hos. 2:19-20; 3:1; 2 Tim. 2:13). The COTL covenant includes a statement of faith, the obligations of COTL to its members, and the obligations of members to COTL. Though the covenant does define the relationship between members and the church, it is first and foremost a promise made to God as a commitment to His glory and His bride, the Church (Eph. 5:25).
Obligation of COTL to its Members
We covenant that your elders and deacons will meet the criteria assigned to them in the Scriptures (1 Tim. 3:1-13; 5:17-22; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-4).
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 Peter 5:1-5).
We covenant to care for you and seek your growth as a disciple of Christ, in part by equipping you for service (Eph. 4:11-13) and praying for you regularly, particularly when you are sick (James 5:14).
We covenant to provide teaching and counsel from the whole of Scripture (Acts 20:27-28; Gal. 6:6).
We covenant to be on guard against false teachers (Acts 20:28-31).
We covenant to exercise church discipline when necessary (Matt. 18:15-20; 1 Cor. 5; Gal. 6:1).
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).
My Obligation to COTL as a Member
I have read and understood the COTL Statement of Faith and will not be divisive to its teaching. I also understand the importance of submission to church leadership and will be diligent to preserve unity and peace (Eph. 4:1-3; Heb. 13:7, 17).
I covenant to submit to the authority of Scripture as the final arbiter on all issues (Ps. 119; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
I will maintain a close relationship with the Lord Jesus through regular Bible reading, prayer, fellowship and practice of spiritual disciplines. My relationship will be evident through my participation in weekly worship services, communion, COTL fellowship, service and a life that glorifies Jesus (Ps. 105:1-2; Ps. 119:97; Acts 2:42-47; Heb. 10:23-25; 2 Peter 1:3).
I will steward the resources God has given me, including my time, talents and treasure (Prov. 3:9-10; Rom. 12:1-2; Gal. 5:22-26; Eph. 4:1-16; 5:15-18). This includes regular financial giving, service and participation in fellowship that is sacrificial, cheerful, and voluntary (Rom. 12:1-8; 2 Cor. 8-9; 12:7-31; 1 Peter 4:10-11.)
I will not function in leadership or as a member in another church family (Heb. 13:17).
I covenant to submit to discipline by God through his Holy Spirit, to follow biblical procedures for church discipline in my relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ, to submit to discipline by church leadership if the need should ever arise (Ps. 141:5; Matt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5:1-5; 2 Cor. 2:5-8; Gal. 6:1-5, 8; 1 Tim 5:20; 2 Tim. 2:25; Titus 1:9; 3:10-11; Heb. 12:5-11; Rev. 2:5-7; 14-25).
I agree, by God’s grace, to walk in holiness as an act of worship to Jesus Christ, who has saved me from my sin that I could live a new life (2 Cor. 5:17); I will practice complete chastity before marriage and complete fidelity in heterosexual marriage by abstaining from practices such as cohabitation, pornography and fornication (Job 31:1; Prov. 5; Rom. 13:12-14; 1 Cor. 6:9-7, 16; Heb. 13:4); I will refrain from illegal drug use, drunkenness and other sinful behavior as the Bible, my pastors and my conscience dictate (1 Cor. 8:7; Gal. 5: 19-21). Should I sin in such a manner, I agree to confess my sins to Christian brothers or sisters and seek help to put my sin to death (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5; 1 John 1:6-10).
My Commitment to the Mission of Church of the Lakes
The mission of COTL is to see people commit their lives to Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and live in obedience to Him as His disciples.
I commit to participate in this mission as a diligent, faithful disciple of Jesus, that my identity will be in Him, my worship will be for Him, my fellowship will be through Him, and my interaction with the culture will be for His glory.
I understand that this covenant obligates me to the members of COTL and is an acknowledgment of my submission to the elders of the church. I accept the responsibility to notify COTL leadership if at any time I can no longer commit to this covenant, or if I have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding COTL.
Church of the Lakes Member Covenant
We are excited that you are interested in becoming a member of Church of the Lakes! Please fill out the following membership paperwork and sign and date the back page of the Covenant. When you are finished please turn it in to the office.
Name: _______________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________City:__________________Zip:_______
Date of Salvation: ______________ (some of you may not know the date and that’s okay)
Please write a brief account of your conversion experience and tell us how and when God graciously brought you to Himself. (I.e. your personal testimony)
Church of the Lakes Member Covenant
Being convinced that I have been spiritually born into a relationship with God by means of faith in Christ and repentance from sin, and being in agreement with Church of the Lakes philosophy and standards, I feel led by God to become a part of the COTL family. I hereby place myself under the spiritual leadership of this church.
In doing so I am saying the following:
__I will seek to grow as a believer in Christ.
__I will protect the peace and purity of my church.
__I will support the worship and work of my church.
I understand that the above standards cannot be maintained without relying on the Holy Spirit to work in my life and without specific commitment on my part. I agree with and do set the following as standards of maturity toward which I will strive.
In order to grow as a believer I will strive to:
__spend routine time along with God in prayer and in the Scriptures
__obey the teachings of Scripture and submit to its authority
__regularly participate in communion
__routinely fellowship with other believers
In order to protect the peace and purity of my church I will strive to:
__act in love toward other members
__refuse to gossip or to encourage gossip
In order to support the worship and work of my church I will strive to:
__attend faithfully
__give regularly
__discover and use my spiritual gifts
__willingly serve others within the church
__pray for the churches health and growth
__share with unbelievers and invite the un-churched to attend
__warmly welcome those who visit
_____________________________________________ ___________________
Signature Date
It’s very exciting when God prompts a believer to make a commitment to become a member of a local church. Membership at COTL not only unifies us as believers in this community but it also binds us together in a covenant agreement. This covenant is described in the documents included in this packet. We encourage you to read and pray over these documents in regards to becoming a member at COTL. When you are finished, please turn in the family information and member covenant documents to the office.
The documents included in this packet are:
1. Statement of Faith
2. COTL Membership Covenant Introduction
3. COTL Membership Covenant- Turn in to the office.
4. Family Information Sheet- Turn in to the office.
If you have questions regarding any of the documents in this packet please give me a call. Note: We do have actual packets in the office if you prefer to pick one up.
For His Glory,
Jon Lucas
Pastor, Church of the Lakes
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-47