I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the Westside church family. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members of Westside Fellowship to do the following:
I. I will protect the unity of my church
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· By acting in love toward other members.
· By refusing to gossip.
· By following the leaders.
· By agreeing with our Statement of Faith.
“So let us concentrate on the things which make for harmony, and on the growth of our fellowship together.” Rom. 15:19 (Ph)
“Live in complete harmony with each other — each with the attitude of Christ toward each other.” Rom 15:5 (LB)
“Have a sincere love for your fellow believers, love one another earnestly with all your hearts.” 1 Peter 1:22 (GN)
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up….” Eph. 4:29
“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be no advantage to you.” Heb. 13:17
II. I will share the responsibility of my church
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· By praying for its growth.
· By inviting the unchurched to attend.
· By warmly welcoming those who visit.
· By helping Westside fulfill the purposes of the local church.
“To the church...we always thank God for you and pray for you constantly.” 1 Thess. 1:2
“Go out into the country...and urge anyone you find to come in, so that My House will be full.” Luke 14:23 (LB)
“Warmly welcome each other into the church, just as Christ has warmly welcomed you; then God will be glorified.” Rom. 15:7 (LB)
III. I will serve the ministry of my church
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· By discovering my gifts and talents.
· By being equipped to serve by my pastors.
· By developing a servant’s heart.
· By finding a ministry and getting involved.
“Serve one another with the particular gifts God has given each of you...” 1 Peter 4:10 (Ph)
“God gave...some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of ministry, so that the body of Christ may be built up...” Eph. 4:11-12
“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ...who took on the very nature of a servant...” Phil 2:3-4, 7
IV. I will support the testimony of my church
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* By attending faithfully
* By living a godly life
* By giving regularly
* By representing the church well in the community
"Let us not give up the habit of meeting together...but let us encourage one another." Heb. 10:25
“But whatever happens, make sure that your everyday life is worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Phil. 1:27 (Ph)
“Each one of you, on the first day of each week, should set aside a specific sum of money in proportion to what you have earned and use it for the offering.” 1 Cor. 16:2
“A tenth of all you produce is the Lord’s, and it is holy.” Lev. 27:30
