The Pastoral Covenant

The Pastoral Covenant
[My Offline Bible] Hebrews 13
17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

[My Offline Bible] Hebrews 10
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

[My Offline Bible] Hebrews 3
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

The ultimate reason why we congregate and commit to the membership of a local assemby is not that we can't worship, pray or evangelize by ourselves but for a purposeful fellowship and discipleship. The end of that fellowship and discipleship is to help our efforts towards being conformed I the image of Christ and to get to heaven afterwards.
Since that is so, it had occurred to me for a long time now, which also we had advocated in our various teachings and trainings to pastors and leaders that there is a need for a pastoral covenant or agreement.
The bible says, can two walk together except they be agreed? Amos 3:3. Lack of prior agreement on basic issues is a major hindrance to achieving purpose in any relationship, and the pastoral ministry relationship is not an exception.
If the purpose of discipleship conformity to the Master, Christ is to be achieved then both the ministers in charge and the individuals must agree to it and to the process required to making it happen.
We must agree about the purposes of our relationship as in pastor/member relationship. We must agree to wanting to be conformed to Christ's image and to get to heaven at all cost. We must agree that our being together is to help both of us fulfil God's plan for our lives, conform to the image of Christ, prepare for heaven and serve each other in this same purposes.
We must agree to contribute and receive all that the other is equipped to do to achieve these goals. We must agree that nothing that is not in conformity to these purposes be permitted from each other no matter how pleasing to the flesh. We must agree that whatever is beneficial to this cause must never be deprived or withdrawn from any of the parties involved. We must agree that whatever discipline necessary to get there would be received from both sides.
What I also know is that doing this is a formality that encapsulates what's generally and unconsciously been done. Even if your pastor or your people haven't given you such an agreement to sign, you are still bound to that unspoken and unwritten agreement under God. It is fundamental that pastors will give account to God over their members and individuals too will give account of his or her own service before God, so the written form of the covenant is actually to help and focus us on what's right.
It follows therefore that every congregant deserves to be given a platform where all such a person needs to become all that God wants is provided for, both in words and in exemplary deeds by the grace and the power of God.
If your aim is to be the Christian God wants you to be and you attach yourself to a group of people in the name of a church whose goals are different from that, then you are in a wrong place. If you are comfortably committing sin, and no one in your local assembly from the pulpit to the pews either by word of mouth or by the move of the Holy Spirit is there to check you, consciously and unconsciously, then you are in a boat sailing away from the path of salvation.
A church that's committed to this purposes would not mind whatever smear its reputation receives from people who aren't ready to go with them. Such a church though would desire to go to heaven with as many as possible won't bother if some decide to jump ship. Jesus's job was to come preach, if He hadn't, we would have had no sin, but that He has done His part, we have no cloak for our sin, John 15:22. That should be the attitude of those assemblies committed to conformity to Christ's image. Do your part and let people make their choices. The control churches have is to make sure that the best in word and in practice capable of helping people make heaven is made available both secretly and openly. Aside that control, it amounts to manipulation to control or force people to do God's will.
If you are a Christian know that we have but a short time. We have to be true to ourselves about our convictions to christ and His cause. It's time to fight for your own soul and take personal responsibility of your eternity. Christ has died and risen, ascended and seated at the right hand of God, the work is finished, it is left to us not to take that grace in vain, it is left to us to make sure that all that He did count in our lives. It is time to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Don't be part of evil either in church or outside church. Be bold to stand for truth and for righteousness. Don't follow a bandwagon into hell. It is your life and you are responsible. If what you are submitting to isn't deeply seated in God you aren't submitting to God. If you are in a covenant that has locked you away from divine order such agreement isn't of God, let your original covenant with God take pre-eminence. Take personal responsibility of your eternal home. Make up your mind that whatever will deny you your place in God must leave your life, either a person, system, character or habit. If your relationships aren't exhorting you daily towards the day of judgment and in spite of such relationships you are being hardened by the deceifulness of sin, then that covenant is militating against your covenant with God, deal with it and protect your walk with God. Heaven is home, preserve your journey! Good morning!