Is this a missional document?
In short, this is not a missional document. It is a covenantal document. The term "missional" is an adjective describing the posture of living as a missionary intent on proclaiming the gospel in one's sphere of influence. This membership covenant is a document between believers regarding their biblical obligations to the Lord, His church and one another. These obligations certainly have implications concerning our commitment to proclaim the gospel to the world, but this is not the primary purpose of the document.
The process for making revisions to this membership covenant would be the same as when we revised the original. We would discern that there is a legitimate need for revision, make the revision(s), gain elder consensus and implement the change. All proposed revisions are taken seriously, but are not necessarily ultimately implemented.
The Village Church has three statements which reflect the theological beliefs of the leadership of the church. These three statements are all in agreement, but present varying depths of belief.
The "Statement of Basic Belief" contains those doctrines which the Scriptures and the Church have always declared to be foundational to the faith. Those wishing to be baptized at or enter into membership within The Village must believe these doctrines due to their centrality within the gospel message.
The "Statement of Biblical Doctrine" functions as a supplement to the "Statement of Basic Belief" and contains particular doctrines which are not required for baptism or membership at The Village. Though these doctrines are not essential, it is imperative that potential members familiarize themselves with these particular beliefs as we are passionate about teaching, preaching, and counseling in accordance with our understanding.
The "Statement of Faith" is our most comprehensive statement and encompasses and more fully explains those doctrines which are included in the other two statements ("Basic Belief" and "Biblical Doctrine"). As with the "Biblical Doctrine" members are not required to believe all of the elements of the "Statement of Faith." However, members are expected to promote unity and fight against any divisiveness in those areas in which they disagree with the position of the church. This would certainly include the expectation that members would not teach any doctrines which are contrary to the understandings of The Village Church as articulated in the "Statement of Faith."
We hope and pray that both leadership and members will respectively remain faithful to the calling to which we have been called by the Lord. In the event that one of these parties is unfaithful to the covenant, meaning they are being disobedient to the Scriptures which the covenant expounds, the other party has the right and responsibility to engage the other in regards to their particular error. It is expected that this engagement would follow all of the appropriate levels of discipline according to the dictates of Scripture. If one party continues in unrepentant and habitual sin, it might become appropriate to separate from fellowship.
An example of how the church elders might fail in such a way as to lead a member to engage and ultimately leave the church would be doctrinal error. If the leadership of the church begins to teach heterodox (as opposed to orthodox) theology, then the members are encouraged to confront us and seek our turning from error. If we were to be unwilling to repent of doctrinal error, then we sincerely hope you would leave and find a place that preaches the true gospel.
An example of how an individual member might fail in such a way as to lead the church to engage and ultimately ask a member to leave would include unrepentant immorality. If a member of the church was involved in adultery, for example, the church would approach him or her to seek repentance and reconciliation. If that member was unwilling to acknowledge and repent from his or her sin, the discipline might ultimately escalate to the point where he or she was no longer allowed to participate in life here at The Village Church until such a time as he or she was repentant and ready to pursue healing and restoration.
The "Statement of Basic Belief" is introduced by a sentence which reads "The following beliefs represent a core of central orthodox beliefs from a biblical and historical perspective."
Throughout the history of the Church, as her pastors and theologians have sought to follow the pattern of the Scriptures, certain beliefs have been marked off to be more central and essential than others. While the Church through the ages has not always agreed on the details of the end times, or the age of the earth, she has always confessed that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh and died for our sins. We want to be aware of and sensitive to the 2,000 years of Christian scholarship and teaching as we follow those who have gone before us.
Though history is a helpful authority for us, it is not the final authority. Thus our ultimate reason for choosing the particular doctrines included within the "Statement of Basic Belief" is that the Scriptures mark these explicit beliefs as reflecting the essence of the Christian faith. For example, our statement declares that Jesus Christ is fully human. This belief is specifically stated in Scripture to be an essential profession of the believer as 1 John 4:2-3 states "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God..." As is evident from this verse, belief in the incarnation of Christ is essential to true belief. There is thus clear Scriptural evidence that each of the doctrines which we have included in the "Statement of Basic Belief" is crucial for orthodoxy.
One of our most faithful covenant members was Del Steele, the former chairman of our elder body. Del passed away in the spring of 2008 after more than 25 years of dedicated service and leadership. He once said, "A person should never leave a church based on self-preference or because of tough times. A person should only leave because God has told them to." During his time at The Village, he saw many changes in the pulpit, the music and the membership. However, he did not buy into a consumer-driven culture and leave for the sake of convenience. His legacy is one of a covenant-keeper.
Today, many churches have lost the biblical essence of membership. Being a part of a church should be an experience of oneness with the body. Members should come to love and serve one another, while joyfully following their God-given shepherds. But society has taught many of us to be consumers—to come to church only to receive; to ask "how can this church benefit me," with no thought of serving others; and to leave when we feel like we can get a better "product" somewhere else.
In signing a covenant at The Village Church, you are making an agreement before God and others to faithfully fulfill a member's obligations to this body. You are vowing that you will honor this covenant with integrity. A church covenant has sometimes been compared to wedding vows. Essentially, you are committing to be a member of The Village Church "from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health" with the intent "to love and to cherish" this fellowship.
But, are you also committing to be a member at The Village "til death do us part?" Are you only relieved of the obligations of a member upon your death or upon the church closing its doors? In the instance of a church covenant, your obligations are to be viewed as conditional. That is, the covenant is considered void if either party (the church or member) does not fulfill the agreed expectations. Also, there are several righteous reasons for leaving a church body beyond a broken covenant.
First, by way of covenant, a member can leave a fellowship if the elders do not fulfill their promises to you (see covenant). Elders are held to a biblical standard of leadership, and the church body should expect them to faithfully live out the requirements as presented in the scriptures and to publicly repent when they fail to do so. Elders are best seen as shepherds. They are to preach the gospel unashamedly. They are to ensure that the truth is taught in sanctioned church settings and to protect against heresy. They are to equip the body for service. They are to love the flock by creating the necessary ministries and appointing the necessary leadership to care for the members. They are also to be accessible to the members in times of grief and great need.
Next, by way of circumstance, a member can transfer membership after moving to a new city. Also, a member may wisely choose to attend another grace-driven, Christ-centered, Bible-preaching, Spirit-filled body that is closer to their home. Some of our members will attend The Village until a healthy church is planted in their city or neighborhood. On occasion, marriage may warrant transferring membership, so that the new couple is able to attend a church where both spouses feel like a part of the body.
Finally, a member can righteously leave by way of calling. Though more subjective, a member should ultimately sense the Spirit's guidance in transferring to another body. If there are elements by way of personal preference that make it difficult to attend a church, yet you do not feel led by God to leave that place, do not go! As Ajith Fernando writes, in his book Jesus-Driven Ministry, "When Christians seek to know the will of God, they do not only ask about their qualifications and rights. They want to know what the will of God is. And when they face something attractive but are not sure whether it is God's will, they would rather be safe than sorry. That is, they prefer to remain in what they know is God's will for them rather than go into something new without being sure about it." On the other hand, if everything seems perfect, but you sense God calling you to join and serve with another body, you should seek to be obedient to His voice.
We must note here—negative on-lookers can sometimes perceive leaving by way of calling as a "cover-up" on our part. That is, they desire to find deficiency in either the church or the member. They may ask, "What is wrong with that church, that you are leaving it now?" If you choose not to invent slander, they may then ask, "What is wrong with you, that you would leave that church behind?" Be careful to guard your heart and your tongue against lies. Have confidence in God's calling over man's approval.
As for unrighteous reasons for transferring membership—a member should not leave a church out of a spirit of consumerism. That is, better speakers, cooler music, or more dynamic ministries can often serve as self-centered reasons for moving to a new church. Next, a member should not transfer during a time of sin and rebellion. If you have broken a covenant with a former church, it should be made right before joining a different fellowship. Finally, a member should not leave in a state of hurt and offense. Often, we may feel offended by a certain message, by a perceived lack of care (like being denied full access to the lead pastor), or by the decisions of a ministry leader. Yet, the scriptures teach that a believer should first seek out and discuss the matter with the offender before breaking fellowship (Matthew 18:15-17). This includes members offended by the church. If not, we may end up leaving in a state of perceived offense, not on righteous grounds.
We would never recommend that a member stay if an elder or pastor is allowed to continue in unrepentant sin—financial, sexual, or otherwise. Nor would we want a member to remain under the preaching of heresy or a blatant lack of love and care. Yet, difficult times do not always necessitate leaving. They first call for loving, seeking out, and exhorting. And they never excuse gossiping or slandering. As John Bevere writes, in The Bait of Satan, "How often we take offenses to everyone else before we go to the one who sinned against us, as Jesus told us to do! We do this because we have not dealt with our own hearts. We feel justified as we tell everyone else our side of the story. It strengthens our cause and comforts us when others agree with how badly we have been treated. There is only selfishness in this type of behavior." Thus, motives for leaving should always be submitted to the Holy Spirit during our personal study of the scriptures.
In the end, it is wise for a church member to consult an elder or pastor before making a decision to transfer membership. The member can also trust that God will not only guide them in when to leave a church, but also how to leave that body righteously.
For other teaching on this topic:
Divorce is a painful and tragic result of the collision of sin in the lives of fallen individuals. It should always be avoided as sacrificial and selfless love, forgiveness and reconciliation is exalted as the greatest path for the believer.
Given the continued struggle with the flesh in this fallen world, divorce is an unfortunate reality, even within the Church. How such divorce affects a man or woman for leadership within a particular local church is very complex and depends greatly upon the exact circumstances leading up to and continuing on as a result of the divorce.
The Scriptures nowhere directly state that a man or woman who has been divorced is universally prohibited from holding positions of leadership within a local church. That said, one's continued sinful response to a divorce (bitterness, unforgiveness, unwillingness to pursue reconciliation, etc.) may certainly do so.
Members of The Village Church who have been divorced and now desire positions of leadership within the church are encouraged to speak with a pastor for help in wading through the issues. Our desire is in no way to condemn or discourage, but rather to encourage whatever repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation is necessary because only in such obedience will your true joy be found.
The Scriptures do not explicitly state that an elder must be married. Given that both deacons and elders are required to be "the husband of one wife" (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6), many interpret this verse to state that elders (and deacons) must be married in order to hold that particular office. However, it seems more likely that the verses are not requiring marriage, but instead necessitating faithfulness within the bond of marriage for those who are married. This would be in following with the general theme of the requirements for eldership which are more consistently requirements of character and morality and not external circumstances.
Ephesians 4:11-16 says that Christ has given specific spiritual gifts to people in the church whose primary purpose is to proclaim the Word of God so that the church will be trained and prepared to carry out gospel-centered ministry (service). All believers have been endowed with spiritual gifts that serve a necessary purpose. The pastoral staff has been given the privilege of preparing the membership for serving the body, the city and the world.
There are several ways we equip the church: weekly preaching, corporate worship, Recovery, home groups, service opportunities, mission trips, Saturday Seminars, Culture & Theology events, Bible studies, prayer meetings, online articles and books. We also have an entire ministry to preschool, children and Middle School and High School students.
There are two equally dangerous errors within churches. First is a tendency to promote rules at the expense of grace to such a degree as to give rise to legalism. Second is a tendency to ignore rules while using grace as a license to sin. Both are clearly rejected in the Scriptures and are to be avoided by those who love the Lord and His Word.
The Scriptures explicitly state that certain behaviors and attitudes are proper and others improper among God's children. Where the Scriptures speak on the matter, we want to do the same. That said, if we were to list out every single attitude and action which is promoted or prohibited in the Scriptures, this section of the covenant would be quite lengthy. We therefore wanted to provide instruction on those behaviors which are explicitly required or rejected in the Scriptures, and especially those which are particularly relevant to our culture.
It is certainly true that the Scriptures emphasize matters of the heart more than external behavior so why have we not simply required such commands as love, humility, and forgiveness? Our thinking behind not including these attitudes is that they are not measurable. Our hope behind this document is to give our members tangible evidences of God's grace so they might see if their lives are in accordance with the Scriptures. It is important to note that the Scriptures themselves do this same thing. In 1 John while describing the necessity of the attitude of love, the author realizes the inherent ambiguity of such a word and therefore gives some clarity. Rather than merely saying "love one another," he gives a real life, pastoral example to help us qualify the command. He makes the overarching command tangible by speaking of our generosity toward others as an evidence of the reality of our love (1 John 3:16-18). The goal is love, but generosity and giving is a test to determine the validity of our love. In this way, all of the moral obligations are merely our way of helping to paint a picture of what it looks like to put to death the old manner of life and clothe ourselves with the newness of life that comes through the Spirit.
Given the remaining corruption of the flesh in the life of a believer, it is to be expected that each and every member of The Village Church will break the covenant. While this is not encouraged, it is an unfortunate reality of the present struggle with sin.
The proper response to a break in the covenant is repentance, but depending on the way in which the covenant is broken, repentance might be sought in a number of ways. The proper response to some breaks would merely include confession to a trusted friend. For example, if a member were to go out one night drink to the point of drunkenness, they are expected to confess that action and whatever attitudes might lie behind that action to those with whom they walk in community. If the drunkenness was not isolated, confession should also be accompanied by seeking out further help when necessary, for example, we would encourage participation in Recovery at The Village.
The proper response to other breaks in the covenant could include not only confession to one's particular community, but also a conversation with the pastoral staff. For example, if a member was engage in gossip about a fellow member or pastor and such gossip led to division in the church, it is appropriate for the member who has erred to confess their role in the strife to the church. Such honestly not only displays humility, but also gives the leadership of the church the knowledge of the circumstances of the division which is necessary to bring light into the issue and promote unity.
Jesus said that life in Him is more than just obeying His commands. In one of His final teachings, Jesus explained, "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you (John 15:15)." Jesus is declaring that we, as His disciples, now have access to a loving, intimate friendship with God!
Before this astounding statement, Jesus said of our relationship with Him: "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me, you can do nothing (John 15:4-5)." In using this earthy example, Jesus teaches us that, just as healthy vines require time and care, our relationship with Him also requires cultivating. That is, a friendship with God assumes time and care, just as any intimate friendship does.
The question then becomes, "How does one abide in Jesus?" In setting out to answer that question, we must explore three facets of the same idea: 1) What can one do to cultivate an intimate relationship with Christ, 2) How often should this take place, and 3) What are the motivations behind doing it?
To answer the first facet, the church fathers studied the example of Christ in creating "spiritual disciplines." Over the years, these disciplines have been practiced and understood in many ways. Yet, as Stephen Smith explains in Embracing Soul Care, they can be seen as "simply making space for God." That is, the follower of Christ has been declared a friend of God. As His friend, God desires to communicate with us, comfort us, and challenge us, just as we know a true friend would. We must make our relationship with Him a priority in our lives and make space in our schedule to simply enjoy Him.
The spiritual disciplines have been categorized in several ways. One of the most helpful ways is described in the book The Spirit of The Disciplines by Dallas Willard. He divides them into disciplines of abstinence and disciplines of engagement. He writes [definitions added], "Abstinence and engagement are the outbreathing and inbreathing of our spiritual lives, and we require disciplines for both movements. Roughly speaking, the disciplines of abstinence counteract tendencies to sins of commission [sinning against God by what we have done], and the disciplines of engagement counteract tendencies to sins of omission [sinning against God by what we have left undone]."
Disciplines of abstinence are strategies to "abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul (1 Peter 2:11)." They include solitude, silence, fasting, giving, chastity, secrecy, and sacrifice. In each of these disciplines, the goal is to deny oneself things such as food, sex, wealth, and approval until you are better able to enjoy these things as gifts of God, without being tempted to idolatry.
Disciplines of engagement include study, worship, celebration, service, prayer, fellowship, confession, and submission. As opposed to helping us master those things that might pull us way from our relationship with God, these disciplines seek to engage us in the activities that strengthen our pursuit of Him. Studying His Word, singing His praises, celebrating His glory, trusting His promises, loving His sheep, and obeying His anointed leaders all cultivate a real sense of nearness to Him (Psalm 73:25-28).
It is important to note that these lists are not comprehensive. God gives gifts to us individually (1 Corinthians 12) and communes with us as individuals (Psalm 139). Others have noted that nature hikes, journaling, meditation, mourning, and even physical labor can be ways to stir affections for God. The goal, as our lead pastor Matt Chandler once blogged, is to pay attention to what stirs our affections to Christ—and to what robs our affections for Him. We should regularly do those things that help us run our race. Some disciplines, like prayer and study, are shown in the scriptures as sure means to draw us nearer to Him. Others are discovered through our personal experience.
This leads us to the second facet—how often should we participate in spiritual disciplines? Martin Luther has been quoted as saying every morning he emptied himself, and every evening he purged himself. That is, he desired to be filled by the Spirit (breathing in—Ephesians 5:18-20) and cleansed of unrighteousness (breathing out—1 John 1:8-10) daily.
While the scriptures do not set out a time regiment for practicing spiritual disciplines, we can pick up on several principles. First, Jesus does command us to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23). Next, in saying that we should abide in Him, Jesus was saying that our relationship with Him needs regular cultivation. Abiding is a quantitative work, not just a qualitative one. That is, we cannot assume that attending church or hearing a good sermon even once a week will sustain us in our daily battle against sin and our daily pursuit to glorify God. Though our schedules may be busy, and our mornings and evenings full, the Christian should recognize that there is "one meeting" we cannot cancel! Our strength comes from regularly spending time in God's presence. We can do nothing apart from Him. But we can do all things through Him (Philippians 4:13).
In discussing the third facet—motivations behind spiritual disciplines—we must quickly acknowledge that the concept of "quiet time" (daily spending time with God) has been touted in some church circles today as a way to somehow earn God's love through sheer joyless duty. We are made to believe that it is just one more thing to do on our religious checklist. However, simply going through the motions from a cold, legalistic heart is not pleasing to God. Instead, it is offensive to Him and an affront to His offered friendship!
Yet, does the danger of legalism mean that we do not practice spiritual disciplines out of fear of its ugly grasp? In short, no. Jesus never ruled out the disciplines as a means to cultivate our relationship with God just because of the Pharisees and their motivations. Instead, Jesus tells us that our righteousness must surpass theirs (Matthew 5:17-20). We can also note that, when speaking about the disciplines of giving, praying, and fasting in Matthew 6, Jesus does not speak of "if" you do these things, but "when" you do them.
Consider an excerpt from the article "Does Grace Enable?" by Matt Chandler:
Legalism is not an action, it is a motive. It's why we do things that can make the action wrong. It's the trap legalistic people fall into of trying to earn love already given to them or trying to pay back God for mistakes and sins. Both of these motives produce "good works" based off of wrong motives. In the end, they destroy one's understanding of God and grace, and make his or her ability to extend grace nearly impossible. The bottom line is—we do not keep God's commands in order to improve our relationships with God, to win His love, or to receive more of His love. Think back on John 8 for evidence of this. What did the woman caught in adultery do to receive the grace and forgiveness of Jesus? When the story begins, she was caught in the act of sin. She wasn't suspected of it—she was actually found guilty of it. Yet before she obeyed even one of God's commands, she was forgiven. Love was extended to her before she even confessed, made things right with her husband, went to church, or memorized any Scripture. How is this possible? The only answer is that God's love for her was not rooted in her actions but in the soon-to-be death of Jesus on the cross.
This leads to the issue of "right motives." What do you think she felt in that moment—the moment where undeserved love, forgiveness, and grace were extended to her? Do you think she was thinking about going back to what she was doing before? Surely not. I have found that there is a difference between you grasping the concept of grace and grace grasping you. When the reality and truth of grace captures your heart, when it's your turn to stand naked and beaten before all, guilty, and deserving of death, and when you hear the words "neither do I condemn you," then in that moment all the right motives for obedience are born.
There are at least three motives. The first is gratitude. We obey the commands of God because our hearts overflow with gratefulness that was birthed in the grace extended to us. And we want to obey Him—not to earn His love—but because He gave His love to us freely. We obey not to pay back but because we owe nothing. Keeping God's commands as an expression of love is the second motive for obedience. It brings us pleasure to obey God because we love Him. Think of being in love. I love my wife, Lauren, very much. And because I love her, I like doing things that make her happy—even if I don't necessarily like the actual things I must do. A few examples would be watching romantic comedies or cleaning the kitchen. However, I don't mind doing those things, because they make my Love happy and therefore bring me joy.
The third motive is obedience as an act of devotion. This motive can't be separated from the first two, or it becomes begrudging submission. And begrudgingly submitting to someone is very different from obeying as an act of devotion because the latter is loyalty birthed out of grateful love. I am not devoted for devotion's sake. I am devoted to obey the commands of God because He has written them on my heart, because I am thankful for those commands, because I'm in love with Him for giving them to me, and because of who He is.
Still, at other times, we may think that spiritual disciplines can somehow be used as a bargaining chip. We reason, "If I spend time with God, He will give me what I want." However, participating in spiritual disciplines should not be seen as a means to manipulate God and His will, but as a way to relate to God and His friendship. As Fil Anderson writes, in his book Running on Empty, "To my dismay I find that my interest in God often has more to do with the disappointing condition of my circumstances than my longing for intimacy with God. I'd rather have his healing and restoration than his friendship." Yet, "there is [only] one gift that God promises, and that gift is God."
Finally, it must be noted that one can be tempted to compartmentalization in practicing the disciplines. The goal is to worship Christ in all things. "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31)." We are not to draw lines between "holy time spent with God" and "secular time spent in the world." Instead, the disciplines can help us keep our faith lenses on at all times—to see His beauty, to seek His glory, and to love His truth everywhere.
For more on spiritual disciplines, we recommend the following books and articles:
The Baptist tradition has historically required two elements to baptism. First, the baptized must be a believer. Second, the mode of baptism must be by immersion. The Village Church differs a bit from our Baptist tradition.
We require baptism following a profession of faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ for the purpose of membership. This is commonly called "believer's baptism" given that we are only baptizing those who openly profess to be believers. This is opposed to what is called infant baptism (paedobaptism). On this point, we are in agreement with the Scriptures and our Baptist tradition.
Given that there is overwhelming evidence in the Scriptures for baptism by immersion, the mode of baptism practiced within the context of our body is immersion. This is opposed to sprinkling or pouring which are common in some churches. This is in agreement with the Scriptures and our Baptist tradition as well. What is perhaps not in agreement with our tradition is that we have not made mode requisite for membership. This means that one who was sprinkled by water or had it poured upon them following a profession of faith is not required to undergo baptism by immersion in order to become a member at The Village Church.
For a thorough explanation of why we believe baptism is to be after conversion and by immersion, we highly encourage one to attend one of our baptism classes which are held on regular basis throughout the year.
When speaking about communion, the scriptures say little about the when and the where. Instead the emphasis is on the who and the why. That is, the focus of the Lord's Supper is not on the location where it takes place or the frequency it is held. The main factors in celebrating communion are who is involved and why it is being observed.
The first observance of the Lord's Supper is found in the gospels. Jesus and His disciples observe it around a table, during a meal together. It took place in a very relational and informal setting. The church eventually observed a more formalized, corporate version of communion during its worship services, based on Paul's instructions in 1 Corinthians 11. Yet there is no evidence that they stopped observing it "day by day, from house to house" as described in Acts 2.
However, we should not diminish the weight of this ordinance in the life of the Church. Besides the active preaching of the gospel, observing communion is another important means by which we "proclaim the Lord's death to the world until He comes." Care should be taken when sharing in the Lord's Supper. It should be an opportunity for believers (i.e., the who) to proclaim Christ's death, engage in personal repentance, and emphasize the unity of all believers (i.e., the why). While ordained clergy or selected church officers do not need to be present, Wayne Grudem notes: "To guard against abuse of the Lord's Supper, a responsible leader ought to be in charge of administering it."
The Village Church regularly observes the Lord's Supper during corporate worship gatherings. Our Denton location ends worship with communion each week, while our Highland Village campus strives to observe it quarterly. We also encourage our members to consider sharing "believers-only" communion with family and friends during special times such as holidays or weddings. Communion can be a very powerful worship experience for a small group as well. However, the atmosphere should be Christ-centered, and the leaders should take care to explain the meaning and importance of this ordinance, in case unbelievers are present.
For more teaching on the Lord's Supper, we recommend reading:
The Village wants it members to live "Christianly." We want to be distinct in the way we work, speak, think, rest and play. We want to do those things which glorify our gracious Lord and Savior. To properly reflect His communal nature and to follow His communal commands, we must as a people engage in fellowship which sacrificially loves, consistent, worshipful and authentically transparent. In this way, we seek to "do life together." A biblical community is one that demonstrates sacrificial love, meets consistently, worships corporately and is authentically transparent about sin, sorrow, joy and triumph.
There are many ways at The Village to engage in biblical community. Our primary means for adults is through our Community Group Ministry and Recovery Ministry.
For a more full treatment, please read our article on What is Biblical Community?.
The hope for members is engagement in biblical community, not necessarily group attendance. We do believe that our group ministry provides a viable opportunity to engage in biblical community, however we do not believe it is the only means to engage in it. Therefore, home groups are not required for covenant membership. They are one of the recommended vehicles we have to provide an opportunity for people to find biblical community, but they are not the only available option. Essentially, covenant membership at The Village means, in part, that you have agreed to be engaged in biblical community. Home groups is not the only place this occurs, but it is the primary place for most people in membership.
For a more full treatment, please read our article on What is Biblical Community?.
There is great freedom in the gospel. We are no longer under law but grace (Romans 6:14). This means that there is an incredible amount of liberty in regards to the appropriate actions of a believer. We can partake with thanksgiving in many things which have historically been restricted. This does not however mean that anything goes.
The Scriptures state that there are two types of actions which are inappropriate for believers. The first are those behaviors which are explicitly prohibited as sin within the Scriptures. The second are those behaviors which are not explicitly prohibited and yet wisdom would deem them foolish in particular circumstances.
Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8-9 in particular speak of this second type of prohibited behavior. Both passages clarify the general call for the believer to give up his or her own personal rights for the sake of the promotion of the gospel and the good of others. From giving up alcohol in the presence of an alcoholic, to giving up television where you find yourself enslaved to it, true freedom is found not in grasping for our rights, but in seeking the glory and renown of Jesus Christ, who is glorified in us as we more closely mirror Him.
In the end, all of our behaviors are to be toward the goal of the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Anything which does not stir our affections for Him and provide in some manner for us to better exalt the Lord and promote His gospel is to be gladly avoided. With single-minded focus, we are to pursue His glory, joyfully denying ourselves the lesser pleasures which the world offers for the lasting pleasure of the presence of Christ.
1 John 1:9 states, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Confession of sin is a crucial element of discipleship and spiritual formation. When men and women came forward to be baptized by John the Baptist, they confessed their sins (Matthew 3:6; Mark 1:5). When the city of Ephesus was being turned upside down by the power of the Holy Spirit working through the teaching of Paul, the people who came to fear God did so in part by confessing their sins (Acts 19:18). Confession is a natural response of the heart and mind that understands the horror of sin against a perfectly holy and good God.
To whom do we confess? Do the Scriptures tell us to merely confess privately to God? Must we visit a priest? Must it be in the presence of many witnesses?
Certainly, all sin of which one is aware should be confessed to God. After all, all sin is ultimately an affront to Him. In addition to confessing known sin, it is also wise to pray for the recognition of sin of which one is not currently aware that we might continue to root out and put to death by the Spirit that corruption which remains (Psalm 19:12-14).
The Scriptures also tell us to confess our sins to each other (James 5:16). However, the Scriptures never give explicit practical insight into what this looks like. Do we confess every sin to every friend? To every member of the church? The Bible does not give overt instruction here.
Based upon the full revelation of Scripture, it seems appropriate to have varying degrees of public confession. For some sins, confession to another might merely include telling your spouse or one other trusted friend for the sake of your own humility and as a safeguard against that sin taking root. For other sins, it might be appropriate to confess to all of those with whom you pursue biblical community. For example, if you find that you struggle with anger, it would be prudent to confess a particular incident in order to continue to ask for accountability and prayer within the group. Still other sins would wisely be confessed in the context of church leadership. For example, sins which have caused division within the church should be communicated to leaders so that they might be appropriately informed in order to be best prepared to fight strife and promote unity.
As a general rule, the extent of the confession should probably correspond to the extent of the sin. For a helpful article on this principle, please visit Desiring God.
An old hymn includes the chorus, "Trust and obey / for there's no other way / to be happy in Jesus / but to trust and obey." When struggling with deep-rooted sin, one often feels overwhelmed by its presence and joyless in its bondage. As such, the advice to "trust and obey" can seem overly simplistic. Yet, the biblical wisdom in this hymn is superior to the human tendencies of self-reliance and isolation in achieving victory.
When faced with persistent sin, we often resort to a fruitless cycle of "trying harder" to crucify our desires. We vow to "never do it again" and resolve to use our "free will" in making a different choice in the future. However, when we stumble again, we return to a state of guilt and shame—sometimes even deeper than our previous state. This cycle is contrary to the gospel message, which teaches us that we are in bondage to sin and reliant on the powerful grace of God in Christ to free us from its death-hold. Our part is not to try harder to be good people, but to acknowledge our inability to come to Christ apart from His Spirit. We are powerless apart from Him. We must not return to self—reliance in overcoming sin, but trust in His sovereign grace to set us loose. The scriptures teach us that even maturity in our faith is subject to His will, not ours (Hebrews 6:3). The good news for us in Christ is that we can boldly come to God and receive the grace and mercy we need—based on the life and ministry of Christ, our Lord (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Another strategy we must avoid is isolation. Our feelings of guilt and shame can often keep us from the encouragement we need from others in overcoming the deceitfulness of sin in our lives (Hebrews 3:13-14). When we stop attending church services, we miss out on opportunities to sit under biblical counsel and set our mind on things above (Hebrews 10:24-25; Colossians 3:2). Failure to seek out those stronger in faith, or to study the lives of the biblical "heroes," keeps us from focusing on the cloud of witnesses, from whom we draw strength and example (Hebrews 12:1-4).
Though our flesh may be telling us to "run and hide," the Spirit encourages us to draw near to God and others (James 4:6-10). God already knows our sins and struggles (Hebrews 4:13). And the biblical prescription for forgiveness is confession to Him and other believers (1 John 1:8-10; James 5:16). The Bible repeats a key principle in several passages: God gives grace to the humble, but opposes the proud. Our pride may be keeping us from calling out to Him and confessing to others—therefore, keeping us from His available grace and the freedom therein. The answer—trust and obey.
In some cases, obedience may mean short-circuiting sinful behaviors by getting rid of sources of stumbling (such as the internet, movies, music, or even food) or ending relationships that are not God-honoring (cf. Matthew 18:8-9). This is not to suggest that the objects involved are inherently evil or demonic. This may not mean that these relationships are out of your life forever. It mainly means that you will abstain until God is once again restored to the throne of your heart. While believers in Christ are no longer under the power of sin, removing temptations helps us overcome the practice of sin.
Also, issues in trusting God can be compounded by assailing doubt or spiritual depression. When battling for biblical assurance, we may encounter dark periods or feelings of faithlessness. At this point, it is important to be honest with God and others about the state of your heart. Peter recognized that coming to Christ was not always the easy thing to do, but the only thing to do in order to find eternal life (John 6:67-69). We must humble ourselves under the biblical truths of God's power, love, and timing in bringing about healing and restoration (1 Peter 5:6-7). Living by faith is different than acting from feelings (2 Timothy 2:13). Be comforted that God loves you where you are at, but He never leaves you there.
If you are struggling with persistent sin in your life, we recommend:
For further help in overcoming sin, we recommend:
If you desire further information and are unable to find it on this page, use our online contact form and select "Membership" from the category drop-down menu. An e-mail will be sent to the ministry leader who can answer your question(s). You may also contact Katie Mayer, office manager, at (972) 537-1322.
