Covenant Partnership

A Covenant Partner is someone who commits before God and the church to pursue Christ together and take responsibility for the life and mission of Lockwood Community Church.

A Covenant Partner is someone who commits before God and the church to join Lockwood in its purpose: to be a people committed to Christ, to Christlikeness, to each other, and to the world.

What is a Covenant Partner?

A Covenant Partner (CP) is someone who makes a commitment before God and the church to join Lockwood in fulfilling its purpose: to be a people committed to Christ, to Christlikeness, to each other, and to the world.
It is not so much that a Covenant Partner is making a covenant commitment to this church. It is that our church has made a commitment to God to be a people committed to Christ, to Christlikeness, to each other, and to the world, and an individual Covenant Partner joins in this commitment that our church has already made.
- The individual CP publicly commits in front of the church so that both God and the church can witness that this person intends to take part in the commitment our church has made.
- By doing this, they also show that they are personally invested in making Lockwood the best church it can be—which is a church that is pleasing to God. A CP takes on responsibility for the church rather than just being a consumer of what the church has to offer.
The person who makes this covenant is accountable to God and is accepting accountability personally. By becoming a CP, they are saying that they want to live a holy life and build up this church, and are willing to be corrected if they stray from that commitment.
A CP is someone who will be faithful to Lockwood through good times and hard times, as long as the church and its leadership are following Christ in accordance with the truth of the Scriptures, or until God calls them to serve him in another location.

Why become a Covenant Partner?

Every believer needs to be fully invested in a local fellowship of believers. The New Testament simply assumes that Christ’s disciples would be fully devoted to one another, sharing life, time, and resources with one another, and worshiping and praying regularly with one another.
We think that making a covenant is a good idea because it shows commitment and inspires accountability. We live in a culture that does not want to commit to anything out of fear or desire for self-protection. Making the covenant is a way of putting one’s trust in God and valuing the church above oneself.
The church (by which I mean all of God’s people on earth) is the most important thing going on in the world right now, even though Lockwood is just one little part of Christ’s church in the world and Lockwood itself is not the most important thing going on in the world. But since we live here in this little corner of the world and we have chosen to make this local church our fellowship, we should be fully invested in God’s people by being fully invested in God’s church here at Lockwood.

Making a Covenant Partner commitment shows your trust in God and your investment in the life of the church.

A Covenant Partner is an adult believer who has been faithfully attending Lockwood, demonstrates genuine faith, and is willing to serve.

What are the requirements?

Over 18 years of age
Have been regularly attending LCC for at least the past six months (need to make sure it matches our constitution/bylaws)
Have a genuine faith in the Lord and have been baptized.
Be willing to serve the church in the areas of their giftedness and availability.

What are the expectations?

Live a life that brings glory and praise to God inside and outside these walls.
Continually learn and grow in their knowledge of Christ and his Word.
Attend church in person on Sundays whenever reasonably possible. The Bible says that we “should not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing” (Heb. 10:25).
Attend church meetings if possible (annual meetings, special meetings). CPs are the ones who vote on proposals and affirm leadership, and they will sometimes be asked to give advice to the Elders on major decisions affecting the life and direction of the church.
Only CPs vote and affirm, not because we do not care what non-covenant partners think or want. We very much do! But because an Elder has heard their testimony of faith and they declared their commitment to LCC’s purpose to be a people committed to Christ, Christlikeness, each other, and the world.
CPs submit themselves in the Lord to the Elders’ oversight and direction.
Support the ministry here through regular giving. This is never something the church checks up on or enforces. There is no dollar amount expected. It is whatever the Lord places on your heart to give. But setting aside a portion of your income for the ministry of the church is something Christians have always done from the very beginning.
Pray for your brothers and sisters here regularly.
Be involved, or be willing to be involved, in some kind of ministry and service at Lockwood.
Be a part of the fellowship and community of Lockwood. We know that not everyone will come to everything, but we expect that a Covenant Partner would think of Lockwood as their true family and want to take part in the family life of the church.
If you are a snowbird, keep up with the church and what is happening here while you are gone, and continue to pray for and support the church as much as possible.

Covenant Partners live for Christ, serve the church, grow in faith, and actively participate in the life and fellowship of Lockwood.

Ready to become a Covenant Partner? Fill out a Tear-Off on Sunday or schedule a meeting with an Elder to share your faith and join the covenant.

How do you become a CP?

Indicate that you want to be a CP on the Tear-Off and put it in the offering plate, or set up an appointment with one of the other Elders or me through the church office. We will meet with you, hear your testimony of faith, and your desire to be a part of Lockwood. We will go through the Covenant Partner section of the bylaws with you. Then we will set a Sunday for you to be received as a Covenant Partner.

Email: office@lockwoodchurch.org

Phone: 517-279-7536