Our Covenant

Early in the formation of our fellowship, we chose to write a covenant as a reflection of the values and commitments that we believed we were called to live out together. We continue to guide our fellowship by this Covenant. Annually we celebrate “Covenant Sunday” where we highlight an aspect of the Covenant. We review and update it from time to time to make sure it remains a relevant part of our lives. We believe the words we say to one another are important – not just to our past, but even more so to our future and what God is calling us to become.

We believe that God demonstrates and reveals through Jesus Christ that love is the basis for all relationships. 
We believe that Christ’s love calls us into relationship with God and with one another, forming Christ’s church. 
We believe that God gives Heritage Baptist Church a vision of a fellowship that accepts all who confess Jesus as Savior and Lord, recognizes all modes of Christian baptism, and of a fellowship that is committed to loving God and all people. 
We believe that God prepares us in our unique experiences to hear the call of Christ and to make God’s vision for us a reality. 

Because we hold these beliefs, we enter into this covenant: 

We commit ourselves to living under the authority of Jesus Christ as revealed by the Holy Spirit.
We commit ourselves to the open worship of God with dedication and devotion. 
We commit ourselves to serious and systematic study of the Bible, the inspired Word of God, with the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the aid of responsible scholarship, seeking to understand and apply its truth to our daily lives. 
We commit ourselves to regular and sacrificial giving of money, time and abilities, with joy and a thankful heart. 
We commit ourselves to preserve, promote and practice religious liberty by accepting and respecting the rights and responsibilities of the individual Christian, male and female, to live and to minister as led by the Holy Spirit, by affirming the autonomy of the local church; by upholding the separation of church and state; and by respecting the freedom of all people in matters of conscience. 
We commit to value and accept one another as unique and created in God's image, standing together in Christ. 
We commit ourselves to minister to one another and to the community through prayer, meeting physical needs, nurturing emotional well-being, and fostering spiritual growth. 
We commit ourselves to evangelism and missions, making known through word and deed the love of God and the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. 
We commit ourselves to the example of Jesus Christ, working for justice, practicing grace and forgiveness, and making peace among ourselves and all people. 
We commit ourselves to voluntary cooperation with other churches in the body of Christ, demonstrating the power of God’s love through our unity. 
We commit ourselves to prayer and the free and open exchange of ideas concerning the governance of the church, trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s will. 
We commit ourselves to the faithful care and creative use of our land and buildings. 

Believing that God offers and sustains this covenant relationship, relying on the power of God’s love and grace and giving support to one another, each of us joyfully pledges to keep these promises. Amen.