Our Covenant Agreement

(May Weekend Retreat 2003)

I understand that a covenant is the public declaration of those who subscribe to, and are determined to honour, the common good of a community of people with its distinctive set of principles and properties.

I recognize that there is a continuous witness of covenanting throughout the Scriptures and that God initiated covenants with the Jews and with the Church. These covenants between God and man, embodied in Jesus Christ, define and describe the nature of the community formed by those in covenant with God.

As a believer in Christ Jesus, guided by Scripture's precepts and strengthened by God's Spirit,
I hereby covenant with Jubilee Christian Community as a fellowship of Home Groups, in the following ways;

I. I am committed to the principles of Jubilee that Jesus spoke as the greatest commandment :
1. To Love the Lord our God with all my heart, soul and mind
2. To Love my neighbour as myself
And,
that Jesus declared from Isaiah 61, as fulfilled in Him (Luke 4:17-21):
3. To preach good news to the poor
4. To proclaim freedom to the prisoners
5. Recovery of sight for the blind
6. And release the oppressed
7. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.

II. I affirm Jubilee's statements of Faith and Doctrine as well as the Vision and Mission statements attached to this covenant.

III. I gladly present my offerings and gifts of time and money for support of this fellowship and its ministries to each other and those around us.

IV. I submit to those who the Lord has called and equipped for leadership among us, entrusting myself to their wisdom, guidance and care, and supporting them with my prayers, respect and kindness.

V. I devote myself to this community of believers and submit myself to the others in love and mutual respect, committed to the support and discipleship of each other in the context of Home Groups and weekly gathering for worship.

VI. If God should call me away from this Fellowship, I commit to unite as soon as possible with another fellowship where I can continue to carry out the spirit of a covenant such as this one.

We at Jubilee acknowledge only one creed and final authority in all matters of life, faith and practice among us, that being the Bible.

Precis of Sermon series September 2000