Church Vows

One thing that our society is terrible at is keeping promises. Vows of marriage today are about as expendable as facial tissue. The same is true for one's marriage to a church.

A weird phenomena is occurring today in the American church, Christians are beginning to excommunicate the church. We have church hoppers, church shoppers, and people who "church at home." Where is the commitment to the local church, to serve them with your gifts and graces and fellowship with them? Surely the eye is saying to the hand, "I don't need you."

If I could have Solomon's one wish, it would be that the Lord would bring about a renewal among evangelicals with regard to their commitment to their church. Remember, O Reader, that the Lord calls His people to be united to a Bible -believing, Jesus preaching church. That means they must love it like Christ himself and pour themselves into it as serving the Lord.

Just like it is good to remember your vows of marriage, I like to remind our congregation from time to time of the vows they take when they become members of CRF. I post them for your benefit.

1. Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in His sovereign mercy?
2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and the Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?
3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes followers of Christ?
4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?
5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?

Let me also add this: some people shouldn't be dedicated to their churches--because their churches are not dedicated to the Lord. One is not obligated to a church that is not Bible believing and Christ preaching. In such a case, the church has already deserted you (and the Lord), and that is grounds for lawful divorce.

Our philosophy at CRF is to reach the spiritually dead, the underfed, and the misled. That means we reach out to those who are not Christians, Christians who are not being taught the Bible in their churches, and/or those who are being taught the wrong truths in their church (i.e. a liberal church).

Whenever someone comes to me from a good evangelical church, I try to direct them back to their church. I try not to be in the business of swapping sheep. You have made a vow to that church, and I think it is my duty to honor that vow. Moreover, my theory is: if you are willing to leave that church, what will keep you at ours?

Yet, if there is a sheep without a shepherd, it is my deepest honor to serve this little one with all my heart. And if you are willing to take these vows at CRF and honor them, it will be our honor to have you in our fellowship.