Why Become a Covenant Member of Vintage 242?
One of Vintage 242’s core values is community; we believe that God is eternal community. God exists in perfect fellowship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe that God has created men and women to also live in community with one another. Therefore, we will sacrificially serve one another in authentic community. A by-product of authentic community, according to scripture, is its inherent attraction to unbelievers. As Jesus said, "By this will all men know that you are my disciples if you demonstrate love for one another."
Although membership is not mentioned in the Bible itself, we can see evidence of it through out the New Testament. In Acts 2:37-47 we see that at Pentecost that a numerical record was kept of those who entered into faith. That records were kept of widows (1 Timothy 5:3-16), elections were conducted (Acts 6:1-6), and that there was an awareness of who church members were (Romans 16:1-16).
Also, to help facilitate a biblical community that can be held accountable to the precepts that are given throughout scripture we believe that God has given elders a special task in the church; we can see this in the scriptures when Paul speaks with the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28 “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”
We also see in Hebrews 13:17 that the church is commanded to “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
We believe that covenant membership is one way that elders can more easily fulfill their God given role in our community, and also help others fulfill their role and calling. This can be seen in 2 Timothy 4:1-2 “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”
By entering into a covenant membership with Vintage 242 you do not have special status among other believers. Entering into a covenant with the community of Vintage 242 is a form of accountability that goes both ways, one in which Vintage 242 and it’s leaders are held accountable to you, and that you are held accountable to them. This covenant is an attempt to allow the elders and leadership of Vintage 242 to fulfill what God has called them to by calling its members to what God is calling them to.