If so, you are in the right place to sign our Partnership Commitment Form for 2022. Please read through the following information and prayerfully consider your re-commitment as a partner in 2022.

-Pastor Cory

Our mission at GFC is to see people live Jesus centered lives. We believe this is accomplished by establishing every person, child, family, and marriage on the foundation of Jesus. In order for our foundation to be established on Jesus we must understand the Gospel - the good news message from Jesus and be willing to share the Gospel with others.

STATEMENT OF BASIC BELIEFS

1. GOD’S ABSOLUTES ARE ABSOLUTELY GOOD. - We are committed to Biblical Truth.

We seek to understand the intent of each biblical writer by using grammatical, historical, and contextual principles of interpretation, focused on Christ, led by the Holy Spirit, and oriented by grace. We accept the absolute authority of the Bible rather than that of creeds, traditions, or leaders. We commit to an ongoing study, understanding and application of God’s unchanging truth in our constantly changing world, whether personal, social or cultural. (2 Tim. 3:16)

We affirm that true believers put their trust in Jesus Christ and are kept forever in the saving grace of God through His promises and His power. Every believer has been eternally justified, blessed with all spiritual blessings, and set free from all condemnation. (John 10:28-29)

We affirm that the Holy Spirit’s works of baptizing, sealing and indwelling occur simultaneously with regeneration and are the possession of every true believer. The Holy Spirit gives each believer a unique combination of spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving God and people. (Eph. 1:13-14, 1 Cor. 12:4)

We affirm that Jesus Christ gave ordinances to the church:

• BAPTISM testifies to the reality of our salvation and identifies us as disciples of the Triune God. We therefore encourage the practice of triune immersion. (Matt. 3:15, Matt. 28:19)
• COMMUNION testifies to our justification, sanctification and glorification, which are accomplished through Jesus Christ. We therefore encourage the practice of these symbols: the bread and cup, the washing of feet and the sharing of a meal. (Luke 22:18-20)

We encourage the practice of additional biblical symbolic actions, such as anointing with oil and prayer for the sick, laying on of hands for ministry, etc. (James 5:14)

We affirm that the Church began on a particular day of Pentecost when our ascended Lord sent His Spirit to the waiting disciples. The present Church age will come to an end when our Lord comes in the air to remove His Church from the earth and fulfill His promises to Israel. The second coming of Christ is the personal, physical, and visible return from heaven of Christ to earth with His Church, to establish His thousand-year reign before instituting His eternal kingdom. (Acts 2:1-4, Heb. 9:28, Rev. 20:6, Rev. 11:15)

1. DISCIPLES GROW BETTER TOGETHER. - We are committed to Biblical Relationships.

We affirm that the Triune God serves as the perfect and ultimate model for human relationships. As a result, each person has equal value yet different roles, which are expressed in loving unity. (1 Cor. 1:10)

We affirm that differences in gifts and ministries are a manifestation of the multifaceted grace of God. As a result, we encourage all believers to use their gifts in ways that promote the unity, growth and ministry of the local church. (1 Peter 4:10)

We affirm our obligation to love and respect one another, and to practice the ‘one another’ exhortations. As a result, we commit to work together and to resolve our differences, for the good of individuals, churches and communities. (1 Peter 3:8-9)

We affirm the responsibility of local churches to govern their own affairs while urging those churches to live and serve in community and interdependency with other churches. (Acts 14:23)

We affirm that the mandate and urgency to fulfill the Great Commission leads us to seek ways to cooperate with one another, and with like-minded Christians on the local, regional and global levels. (Acts 15)

3. FOLLOWERS OF JESUS INVITE OTHERS TO FOLLOW JESUS. - We are committed to Biblical Mission.

We affirm that God’s plan for this age is best summarized in Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations. This includes the evangelistic call to reconciliation with God by means of the completed work of Christ and the lifelong pursuit of obedience to God by means of the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 28)

We affirm that God’s plan for this age includes the recognition, training and releasing of spiritually qualified and appropriately trained leaders. While the specific gifts, abilities and responsibilities of leaders may vary, all leaders must serve as servants of God, shepherds of God’s people and stewards of God’s resources. (Ephesians 4:11-12)

We affirm that God’s plan for this age is most fully expressed through establishing healthy churches. Although practices may vary between cultures, healthy local churches are comprised of believers in Christ who assume a mutual commitment to worship, learning, service, prayer and witness. (1 Cor. 9:19-23, Acts 2:42)

We affirm that God’s plan for this age includes our responsibility to express the compassion of Christ through proclaiming the Gospel in words while loving in deeds. We are committed to finding creative and practical ways to address the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of a fallen humanity. (John 13:35)

OBLIGATIONS OF PARTNERS TO THE LEADERSHIP/ELDERS AND GRACE FAMILY CHURCH BODY

AS A PARTNER, YOU COMMIT TO: 

• Submit to the authority of the Scriptures as the final arbiter on all issues. (2 Tim 3:16) 
• Regularly practice spiritual disciplines that include Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship that reflect a pursuit of the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 15:1-11) 
• Be baptized after deciding to follow Jesus (conversion) by immersion. (Matthew 28:19) 
• Celebrate Communion. (John 13:17, 1 Corinthians. 11:20 22, 23, 33 34; Jude 12) 
• Regularly participate in the life of Grace Family by attending weekly services (at least 2/3 of weekend services in a year), engaging in a small group or LifeGroup, regularly participating in non-weekend gatherings, and serving with the ministries of Grace Family that exist both in and outside of this church. (Hebrews 10:24-25) 
• Steward the resources God has given you. This includes time, talents, spiritual gifts, and finances. This will be demonstrated by sacrificial and voluntary serving and regular financial giving (a guide of 10 percent of income given to kingdom work, with a strong encouragement that the majority of this kingdom-work giving would be given to the local church). (1 Corinthians 16:2) 
• Pursue holiness in all areas of life as an act of worship, including, but not limited to, the following: (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, Ephesians 5:18, 1 Peter 1:16) 
• Practicing complete chastity unless married. And if married, practicing complete fidelity within a heterosexual and monogamous marriage. (Heb. 13:4) 
• Pursuing purity and pursuing abstention from practices such as adultery, premarital sex, and pornography. (1 Cor. 16:8) 
• Working to preserve the marriage you covenanted to. This means working alongside Grace Family for counsel before pursuing divorce and conforming to NT standards for divorce. (Matt. 19:3-12) 
• Refraining from illegal drug use, drunkenness, gossip, and other sinful behavior as the Bible dictates. (Eph. 5:18, Eph 4:29, Phil 4:8) 
• Leveraging and using tools like social media, recreation, and your vocation in ways that honor the Lord and promotes unity. (Eph 4:29) 
• Being above reproach in business dealings. (1 Peter 1:16, Romans 12:2, Prov 11:1) 
• Confession and repentance of sin. (James 5:16)
• Share the Gospel message of Jesus with others so that they meet Him (evangelism). This includes being intentional in inviting others to weekend services and groups, serving others and speaking the Gospel message to others. (Acts 1:8)
• Submit to the leadership/elders of the church and pursue unity and peace within the church. (Hebrews 13:17)
• Submit to the procedures of church discipline with the hope of repentance and restoration. (Matthew 18:15-17)
• Do the following should you leave the church:
• Notify a Life Group leader, Pastor, or Elder of the church. (Philippians 2:4)
• Seek another church where you can carry out your biblical responsibilities as a disciple of Jesus. (Hebrews 10:25)

Please note: If you have a desire and a heart position to meet all of these qualifications, but a life circumstance is preventing you or your family from meeting an expectation, we invite you to pursue a meeting/conversation with an elder or pastor on staff.

OBLIGATIONS OF GRACE FAMILY LEADERSHIP/ELDERS TO GRACE FAMILY BODY

In addition to agreeing to fulfill the obligations of partners (as outlined above), our leadership/elders commit to: 

• Prayerfully seek God’s will for our church while stewarding her resources to the best of their ability based on the Spirit’s leading and their study of the Scriptures. (1 Peter 5:1-4) 
• Care for the partners of the church and lead those partners into growth in grace, truth, and love. (1 Peter 5:1-4) 
• Provide teaching and counsel from the whole counsel of Scripture. (Acts 20:27) 
• Equip and call partners to the work of the ministry. (Eph. 4:11-13) 
• Set an example and join other partners in fulfilling the obligations of church partnership. (1 Timothy 3:1-7) 
• Lovingly exercise church discipline when necessary. (Galatians 6:1, 1 Corinthians 5:4-5, Matthew 18:15-17) 

OBLIGATIONS OF PARTNERS TO PARTNERS

God designed us not only to need Him, but to need each other as well. We believe we work best when we live life in community. In light of that, Partners of our church should:

• Work to support and care for other partners as they attempt to live out the obligations of being a partner. (Galatians 6:2) 
• Graciously address another partner in an appropriate way if that partner repeatedly ignores the obligations of being a partner. (Matthew 18:15-17) 
• Promote unity and support of leadership/elders to other partners. (Hebrews 13:17) 

PARTNERSHIP COMMITMENT

Yes, I desire to commit to be a Ministry Partner at Grace Family for 2022. By God’s grace and through the empowerment of His Spirit, I aim to fulfill this covenant as outlined as above.