This document contains the church covenant for Gospel Baptist Tabernacle in Rossville, GA. It outlines the commitments members make to the church, including engaging in Christian love, regularly financially supporting the church and its ministries, maintaining devotions, and watching over one another. All principles are supported by verses to uphold doctrines, ordinances, worship, and further God's kingdom through the local church. The covenant aims to strengthen the church and its members through mutual care, prayer, and accountability.

1. 1
Gospel Baptist Tabernacle
781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741
Where the Love of God
abounds, everyone is
welcome.
Children’s Church taught
by Paul and Marsha Davis
during preaching.
www.rossvillechurch.com
June 16, 2013

2. 2
Church Covenant
Having been led, as we believe by 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, and this assembly, most solemnly and
joyfully enter into covenant (contract) with one
another as one body in Christ.

3. 3
John 6 44 (Jesus) No man can come to Me, except
the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will
raise him up at the last day.
John 3 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
We must receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord
if we would know God and go to Heaven.
That is what it means to be born again: born of
the Spirit of God into the family of God.

4. 4
No person should join any church until he or she
has been saved and baptized
And Baptists believe in and practice immersion.

5. 5
Romans 6 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as
were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into
His death? 4 Therefore we are buried with Him by
baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so
we also should walk in newness of life.
Water baptism represents the spiritual baptism
which has already taken place in believers.
Being placed under the water represents His burial,
And being brought up represents His resurrection.

6. 6
When we give a new
member the right hand of
fellowship, we are shaking
hands on the Covenant.
It should not be taken lightly, but agreed to with
sincerity and serious intent.
But it is a joyous occasion for all parties.
No one should lightly join a church, but only
when he or she is convinced the Holy Spirit is
leading to do so.
And no person should lightly leave a church.

7. 7
We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit
to walk together in Christian love; (1 Cor 13)
1 Corinthians 13 4 Charity (love; agape) suffereth
long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity
vaunteth not itself (doesn’t brag), is not puffed up
(not proud or haughty), 5 Doth not behave itself
unseemly (doesn’t act ugly or rude),

8. 8
5b(Love; agape) seeketh not her own (way, will,
riches, power), is not easily provoked, thinketh no
evil (holds no grudges); 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity,
but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things. 8 Charity never faileth:
This is what it means to “walk
together in Christian love.”
Nothing less!

9. 9
(We engage) to strive for the advancement of this
church, in knowledge, holiness, and comfort;
As a member of this church, if I would advance
its knowledge, I must increase my own
knowledge of the Word of God.
And as God leads me, I must teach others.
Holiness = dedicated and set aside for God.
The comfort of the church is speaking spiritually as
well as physically.

10. 10
1 Thessalonians 4 18 Wherefore comfort one another
with these words.

11. 11
(We engage) To promote its prosperity (have good
success) and spirituality
3 John 1 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that
thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy
soul prospereth.
The soul is the mind and emotions.
Our Father wants us to do well in mind and
emotions, as well as body and spirit.

12. 12
and to sustain its (this church) worship (be here
and participate), ordinances (baptism, Lord’s
Supper), discipline (of members), and doctrines
(beliefs);
Do you want to see this church not only survive,
but thrive?

13. 13
to contribute cheerfully and
regularly to the support of the
ministry, the expenses of the
church, the relief of the poor,
and the spread of the Gospel
through all nations.
Malachi 3 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house,
and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of
hosts, if I will not open you the windows of
Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there
shall not be room enough to receive it.

14. 14
2 Corinthians 8 12 For if there be first a willing
mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath,
and not according to that he hath not. 13 For I mean
not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14 But by an equality, that now at this time your
abundance may be a supply for their want, that
their abundance also may be a supply for your
want: that there may be equality:
We always give out of that which God
has first given us.
Set it aside on payday; put it in Sunday.

15. 15
We also engage to maintain family and secret
devotions; to religiously educate our children;
to seek the salvation of our kindred and
acquaintances;
to walk circumspectly in the world; (heedful of
consequences)
to be just (fair and honest) in our dealings, faithful
in our engagements,
Do what you say when you say.
and exemplary (worthy of example) in our
deportment (behavior);

16. 16
(We also engage) to avoid all tattling, backbiting,
and excessive anger;
Colossians 3 5 Mortify therefore your members
which are upon the earth; fornication (sex outside
of marriage), uncleanness, inordinate affection
(lust – not love), evil concupiscence (longing for
the forbidden), and covetousness -- which is
idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God
cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the
which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in
them.

17. 17
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger,
wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication
out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing
that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
James 1 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let
every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to
wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the
righteousness of God.
Galatians 5 15 But if ye bite and devour one another,
take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

18. 18
to abstain from the sale of, and use of, intoxicating
drinks as a beverage;
Proverbs 20 1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not
wise.
Ephesians 5 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but
understanding what the Will of the Lord is. 18 And
be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be
filled with the Spirit;

19. 19
Intoxicating drinks lower inhibitions that would
keep us from doing wrong.
In one, study 26% of men who acknowledged
committing sexual assault …55% were under the
influence of alcohol.
In the same study 21% of the college women who
experienced sexual aggression on a date … 53% were
under the influence of alcohol.
http://www.montana.edu/wwwai/imsd/alcohol/Vanessa/vwrapefactsheet.htm
Drinking booze makes your
conscience snooze.

20. 20
We are going to stop here this morning and
finish this study tonight.
I want us to recognize the importance of the church
covenant in our lives, if this church is to thrive.
Every principle is supported by Scripture.

21. 21
to be zealous (enthusiastic; eager; passionate) in
our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.
Titus 2 14 Who (Jesus) gave Himself for us, that
He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works.
As members of this church we are committed to its
good success, and promise to live by the principles
of the church covenant.

22. 22
Revelation 2 2 I know thy (church at Ephesus)
works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how
thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou
hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are
not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne,
and hast patience, and for My Name's sake hast
labored, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,
because thou hast left thy first love.
Jesus commended them for a lot of good
things, before He corrected them for one thing.

23. 23
We further engage to watch over one another in
brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer;
to aid one another in sickness and distress;
Romans 12 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is
evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one
another in brotherly love. Honor one another above
yourselves.

24. 24
Romans 13 8-10 Owe no man any thing, but to love
one another: for he that loveth another hath
fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal,
Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not
covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is
briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh
no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling
of the law.

25. 25
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another:
We can pay all our debts in full, save one:
Love.
I can love you with my whole heart today, and
when I wake up tomorrow,
I still owe you the debt of love.

26. 26
Love is as love does.
Love is not a feeling; love is a verb.
Galatians 5 13 For, brethren, ye have been called
unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to
the flesh, but by love serve one another.

27. 27
James 5 16 Confess your faults one to another, and
pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The
effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
much.
Admitting our wrongdoings and receiving
prayer is the key to a good life.
But be sure – God didn’t say gossip about one
another; He said pray for one another.

28. 28
to cultivate Christian sympathy (you care and you
show it) in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech;
Titus 3:1-2 (TLB) Remind your people to obey the
government and its officers, and always to be
obedient and ready for any honest work. They
must not speak evil of anyone, nor quarrel, but be
gentle and truly courteous to all.

29. 29
1 Peter 3 8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having
compassion one of another, love as brethren, be
pitiful (tender hearted; show pity), be courteous:
To be courteous is to be gracious (granting
grace kindly and generously DVT) and polite.

30. 30
(We engage) to be slow to take offense, but always
ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of
our Savior to secure it without delay.
Exodus 34:6 (NIV) And He passed in front of
Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the
compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger,
abounding in love and faithfulness,

31. 31
Numbers 14:18 (NIV) 'The LORD is slow to
anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and
rebellion. …
Proverbs 16 32 He that is slow to anger is better
than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he
that taketh a city.

32. 32
James 1:19-20 (KJV) Wherefore, my beloved
brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man
worketh not the righteousness of God.

33. 33
Be slow to wrath.
Keep a tranquil spirit.

34. 34
We moreover engage that when we remove from
this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with
some other church where we can carry out the
spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's
Word.
Hebrews 10 24 And let us consider one another to
provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as
the manner of some is; but exhorting (encouraging)
one another: and so much the more, as ye see the
day approaching.