Section A – Basis for the Covenant

The basis upon which we are able to make a covenant with each other as members of Oikos Community Church is as follows:

1. We believe that the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is the Word of God and, thus, the final authority in our lives;

2. We believe that, because of our sinfulness, we need a Savior and that we, therefore, cannot trust in our own works, but must trust in Jesus Christ alone and in the sufficiency of His works;

3. We acknowledge Jesus Christ as the sovereign Lord of our lives and believe that, by His grace, we can serve Him and turn from whatever displeases Him to a life that is pleasing to God; and

4. We believe that this congregation of God’s people will help us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our God and Savior, and are willing to submit to the authority of the spiritual leadership of this congregation as those who uphold its Constitution, who care for our spiritual well-being, and who must give an account to the Lord on the last day.

Section B – Commitments of the Covenant

Upon this basis, therefore, we covenant together as Members of Oikos Community Church to lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him.

1. Worship – We promise, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, to worship the Triune God in spirit and in truth – privately, in our families, and together as the Body of Christ; and to obey God in every area of our lives as an expression of our worship of Him.
2. Leadership of our Homes – We will train our children in the reverence and admonition of the Lord.  We also engage to maintain family and secret devotion; to educate our children in the Christian faith; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances and to practice hospitality. 
3. Character – We also promise to exhibit a Christ-like character in our individual lives, in our families, in the church, and in every area where we have influence, as a witness to the world of the reality of the living God.
4. Care for Brothers and Sisters – We will strive to exhibit a Christ-like care and watchfulness over each other by faithfully encouraging, exhorting, and admonishing one another that each of us may grow in our obedience to and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ in all areas of our life; to demonstrate our love for the Lord and our loyalty to one another by warning and rebuking another brother who may be overtaken in a fault or sin according to the steps in Matthew 18:14-17; to employ each and every member’s gifts to the furtherance of the Church’s purity, worship, and building up of the Body of Christ. 
5. Giving – We further promise to give of our time, talent and means in the measure that God has prospered us so that we might share with those in need, first within the Body of Christ, and then in the community and throughout the world, as a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and to commit ourselves to the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world.
6. Peace Keeping – We pledge to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from all appearance of evil, to pray for the unity of the church and for victory over evil and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Saviour.
7. Prayer and Bible Reading – All of this is impossible without prayer and the guidance of God’s Word.  We will commit ourselves to daily spending time with the Lord in the primary spiritual disciplines of imploring His aid and seeking His wisdom in the Word. 

Being mindful of our own weaknesses and insufficiency, and knowing that of ourselves we can do nothing, we humbly implore God’s help and guidance in our solemn endeavor to fulfill this Covenant.