The Way: for the attorneys (VOLUME 2)

More questions and answers to give clarity regarding the operations of The Way.

Q) It was indicated that the church will place no value in membership, but rather will encourage the individual covenant to join the congregation for a period of one year. Please describe the “covenant partnership” in more detail: Will you use an application form? If yes, please provide a copy or indicate what will be included in the form.

A) There will be a covenant agreement which every person who attends the way will be given to sign on an annual basis. The items of this covenant are taken verbatim from Acts chapter 2 verses 42-47. They are as follows:

As followers of The Way, I covenant over the next calendar year to regularly attend weekly gatherings at The Way for the purpose of keeping to the Apostle’s teaching as they are outlined in the Holy Bible, to the breaking of bread together, and to prayer.

As a follower of The Way, I covenant over the next calendar year to sharing my possessions to the best of my ability for the hopes of meeting the needs of those around me as they are brought to my attention.

As a follower of The Way, I covenant over the next calendar year to opening up my life, even my home, for the purpose of sharing the love of Jesus Christ, and meeting with others with a glad and sincere heart, delighting in the favor of all people and praising God as He adds to our number daily the number of souls being saved.

This covenant has less to do with attaining any rights per se within the organization, but rather it is intended to keep the values of The Way in front of its congregation on a regular basis.

Q) If an individual can become a covenant partner and still be a member of other church, please describe the circumstances in which your covenants would be involved in your church and another church.

A) The covenant of The Way, as mentioned above, is taken verbatim from the NIV translation of Scripture. Therefore, the behaviors held within the covenant should not in any way conflict with any other Bible believing church of which a covenant follower of The Way is a member. Furthermore, The Way views the practice of church membership, as it is commonly practiced in our society, as something that bears little if any eternal implication and true personal meaning. Therefore, we are making it our practice to make regular covenant agreements about the way that we live our lives and interact with each other and God instead of any one-time-decision to become a “member” of our organization. We believe that this practice will reinforce the practice of living a Christian lifestyle as of far greater importance than the completion of any sort of criteria that affords one the right to be called a “member” of our specific church.

If a covenant follower of The Way comes to us and makes that covenant after having been a member of a religious institution other than Christianity, we at The Way will recognize their conversion to Christianity and profession of faith in Jesus Christ as a denouncement of their previous religious views. We, therefore, accept that their public profession of faith to be sufficient in this matter and will accept them as covenant follower.

Tomorrow's installment will deal with "need-base giving".

And don't forget:
Our next prayer meeting is this Saturday morning at 10 o'clock! We hope to see you there!

Grace and Peace be with you.