We Believe . . .
The
Baptist Covenant
Having been led, as we believe, by the
aid of the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior;
and on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now in the
presence of God, angels and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully
enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the
Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the
advancement of this church in knowledge and holiness; to give it a place
in our affections, prayers, and services above every organization of human
origin; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrine; to
contribute cheerfully and regularly, as God has prospered us, toward its
expenses, for the support of a faithful and evangelical ministry among us,
the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel throughout the world.
In case of difference of opinion in the church, we will strive to avoid a
contentious spirit, and if we cannot unanimously agree, we will cheerfully
recognize the right of the majority to govern.
We also engage to maintain family and
secret devotion; to study diligently the word of God; to religiously
educate our children; to seek the salvation of our kindred and
acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be kind and just to
those in our employ, and faithful in the service we promise other s;
endeavoring, in the purity of heart and good will towards all men, to
exemplify and commend our Holy faith.
We further engage to watch over, to pray
for, to exhort and stir up each other unto every good word and work; to
guard each other's reputation, not needlessly exposing the infirmities of
others; to participate in each other's joys, and with tender sympathy,
hear one another's burdens and sorrows; to cultivate Christian courtesy;
to be slow to give or take offense, but always ready for reconciliation,
being mindful of the rules of the Savior in the eighteenth chapter of
Matthew, to secure it without delay; and through life, amid evil report
and good report, to seek to live to the glory of God who hath called us
out of darkness into His marvelous light.
When we remove from this place, we engage
as soon as possible, to unite with some other church where we can carry
out the spirit of this covenant and the principals of God's word.
The Church's Covenant
We have agreed with Rev. Be Louis
Colleton that we as a congregation, will commit ourselves to respect and
honor the office of our pastor, trusting him as a person of integrity and
ability, and that we will not only love him as our pastor but we will love
him and accept him as a human being.
We will give our pastor freedom in the
pulpit to express honest and thoughtful convictions in interpreting God's
word.
We ill inform our pastor of illness and
other special needs requiring pastoral care. We will obtain the
concurrence of our pastor before inviting other ministers to perform or
share in such services. We will call on our pastor for weddings, funerals,
and other pastoral services.
We will under gird our pastor's ministry
with daily prayer and with a positive and loving attitude. We will do our
best to shelter our pastor's family with affectionate care and freedom for
personal growth and expressions of their own unique personalities and
gifts.
We will assist the pastor by supporting
the Mission, Purpose, and Goals of Shiloh Baptist Church.
- from Installation Service, April 6,
1997
