What is the Covenant Church?
Oak Hills Covenant Church is part of the Evangelical Covenant Church. This denomination was founded in 1885. It has been around for awhile, but still many people often ask, "What is the Covenant Church?" But soon after discovering the Covenant Church, people often say something like, "this is the home I have been looking for," or, "why haven't I heard about this sooner?"
The Covenant Church believes those things that Christians have always believed. However, there are six Christian affirmations that give the Covenant Church its identity.
We affirm:
- The Centrality of the Word of God -- We believe the Bible is the only perfect rule for faith, for what we believe, for life and for how we live as the church.The dynamic, transforming power of the word of God directs the church and the life of each Christian. The motto of the early Covenanters was: "Where is it written."
- The Necessity of New Birth -- The Apostle Paul wrote, "if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). New birth in Christ means committing ourselves to him and receiving forgiveness, acceptance and eternal life. It means being alive in Christ, and this life has the qualities of love, rigtheousness, joy and peace. New birth is only the beginning. Growing to maturity in Christ is a lifelong process for both individuals and communities of believers. God forms and transforms us--and it is through people transformed by Christ that God transforms the world.
- A Commitment to the Whole Mission of the Church -- The early Covenanters were known as "mission friends"--people of shared faith who came together to carry out God's mission both locally and globally. Mission for them and for us includes evangelism, Christian formation, and ministries of compassion, mercy and justice. We follow Jesus' two central calls. The Great Commission sends us out into all the world to make disciples. The Great Commandment calls us to love the Lord our God and our neighbors as ourselves.
- The Church as a Fellowship of Believers -- Membership in the Covenant is open to all who confess a personal faith in Jesus. The church is not an institution, organization, or a building. It is a grace-filled fellowship of believers who participate in the life and the mission of Jesus Christ. It is a family of equals.
- A Conscience Dependence on the Holy Spirit -- We affirm the trinitarian understanding of one God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The New Testament tells us that the Holy Spirit works both within individuals and among them. We believe it is the Spirit who instills in our hearts a desire to turn to Jesus, and who assures us that Jesus dwells within us. It is the Spirit who enables our obedience to Christ and conforms us to his image, and it is the Spirit in us that enables us to continue Jesus' mission in the world.
- The Reality of Freedom in Christ -- The Apostle Paul wrote, "it is for freedom that Christ has set us free" (Galatians 5:1). This freedom is a gift from God and it manifests itself in a right relationship with God and with each other. It is a gift that is meant to serve the community and the world. Since we are united in Christ, we offer freedom to one another to differ on issues of christian beliefs or christian practice where the Bible seems to allow for it. We can agree to disagree as brothers and sisters in Christ over minor issues of faith. We will not break community over these issues, but we stand together united on the major issues of faith. If we are going to share heaven together, we can certaintly live together now as the church.
If you would like to read more in-depth about the Who is the Covenant and what we believe,
please click on the link below for a 17 page document entitled Covenant Affirmations
