LMCC Essential Questions
What Does LMCC Believe?
How Does LMCC Make Decisions?
How Does LMCC Develop Disciples?
What Does LMCC Believe?
We are an Evangelical Covenant Church (www.covchurch.org)
Our essential beliefs are summed up in what we call Covenant Affirmations:
We affirm the centrality of the word of God.
We believe the Bible is the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct. The dynamic, transforming power of the word of God directs the church and the life of each Christian. This reliance on the Bible leads us to affirm both men and women as ordained ministers and at every level of leadership. It is the reason we pursue ethnic diversity in our church and is the inspiration for every act of compassion, mercy, and justice.
We affirm the necessity of the new birth.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, TNIV). 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 and righteousness, 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.
We affirm 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 far and near. Mission for them and for us includes evangelism, Christian formation, and ministries of compassion, mercy, and justice. We follow Christ’s 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.
We affirm the church as a fellowship of believers.
Membership in the Covenant Church is by confession of personal faith in Jesus Christ and is open to all believers. We observe baptism and Holy Communion as sacraments commanded by Jesus. We practice both infant and believer baptism. We believe in the priesthood of all believers—that is, we all share in the ministry of the church. We also affirm that God calls some men and women into professional, full-time ministry. The church is not an institution, organization, or building. It is a grace-filled fellowship of believers who participate in the life and mission of Jesus Christ. It is a family of equals: as the New Testament teaches that within Christian community there is to be neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, but all are one in Christ Jesus
(Galatians 3:28).
We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit.
The Covenant Church affirms 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 Holy Spirit who instills in our hearts a desire to turn to Christ, and who assures us that Christ dwells within us. It is the Holy 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 Christ’s mission in the world. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to us as individuals and binds us together as Christ’s body.
We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1, TNIV). This freedom is a gift of God in Christ, and it manifests itself in a right relationship with God and others. It is not a private gift to be used selfishly, but is given to serve the community and the world. For Paul, this freedom means that we are set free from the power of those things that on their own tend to divide. United in Christ, we offer freedom to one another to differ on issues of belief or practice where the biblical and historical record seems to allow for a variety of interpretations of the will and purposes of God. We in the Covenant Church seek to focus on what unites us as followers of Christ, rather than on what divides us.
How Does LMCC Make Decisions?
Denominational Input:
Lund Mission Covenant Church is part of the Evangelical Covenant Church which means that some of our decisions are directed by the denomination.
(We ask the question, "What does the ECC expect of its churches in this matter?”)
The LMCC Constitution:
The Lund Mission Covenant Church Constitution is the governing document that has been voted on by the membership of the church. The LMCC Constitution lays out how the church is to be organized and how it is to go about essential tasks.
( We ask the question, “What does the LMCC Constitution expect of its membership and/or leadership in this matter?”)
Membership:
The members of LMCC make up the voting body that the LMCC Constitution gives the power to make decisions.
Members are also eligible to represent LMCC as delegates at the Evangelical Covenant Church Annual Meeting.
Seeking to become a member at LMCC involves...
1) Meeting with the pastor to become more familiar with the Evangelical Covenant Church and the LMCC Constitution.
2) Filling out and submitting an Application for Membership form.
3) Attending a meeting with the LMCC Leadership Team.
(We ask the question, “What does the membership desire in this matter?”)
*You do not have to be a member of the church to attend LMCC.
Congregational Meetings:
LMCC Congregational Meetings are specified gatherings of the members (voting body) of LMCC in which updates are given, concerns are raised, proposals are made, votes are taken, and leadership is installed. LMCC works to hold business meetings four times per year (quarterly). The first meeting of the year is called our LMCC Annual Congregational Meeting where a formal yearly report is made available. Those who are not members are welcome to attend the business meetings to hear about the business of the church.
(We ask the questions, “Was there a decision made concerning this matter at a previous business meeting?” and “Does the membership need to vote on this matter?”)
Leadership Team:
The LMCC Leadership Team is a group that is voted upon by the membership to enact the LMCC Constitution which includes the approval of membership applicants and facilitating business meetings. The team works to meet once a month. The Leadership Team determines what decisions it has the power to make and what decisions should be brought to the membership for action.
The Leadership Team is also charged to create and approve vital Ministry Teams.
(We ask the question, “What is the matter at hand and how should it be acted upon?”)
Ministry Teams:
LMCC Ministry Teams are led by members of LMCC and are made up of both members and non-members of the congregation. Ministry teams volunteer their time to meet vital ministry needs. When there is an awareness of a ministry need, a Ministry Team may be formed in order to meet that need. Ministry Teams report to the Leadership Team and are given the power to make decisions concerning their ministry area as is appropriate according to the LMCC Constitution.
(We ask the question, “How do we work to meet a vital ministry need?”)
How Does LMCC Develop Disciples?
Jesus developed disciples as he went along in his ministry life, and as Jesus’ Church, we desire to participate in the work that Jesus did by developing disciples of Jesus for each generation.
Romans 12 has given guidance to LMCC over many years as it has sought to be a faithful church. We continue to learn much from this chapter, and the Holy Spirit is using it to inform our discipleship process. Below are five practices that LMCC works to nurture in the life of each believer. These practices work toward growing flourishing mature faith in God.
We encourage and work to enable all of our congregants to...
PRESENT themselves before God in worship.
TRANSFORM their lives through frequent exposure to God’s Word.
DISCERN God’s calling and gifting in their lives through prayer.
SERVE others in Jesus’ name.
WITNESS to those around them of God’s love, of the hope that Jesus offers, and of the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)
When we PRESENT ourselves before God, we are showing that we honor and acknowledge God as worthy of our worship. We come and gather before God offering our time, talent, and treasure...offering ourselves to be used by the Holy Spirit and praising God for making us acceptable, holy, and pleasing to him through what Jesus Christ did for us through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
God’s Word, the Bible, is a Living Word that the Holy Spirit uses to TRANSFORM. Every time we read and wrestle with the scriptures we are shaped by them and by the Holy Spirit. Exposure to God’s Word is an important part of growing as a disciple of Jesus. Every opportunity to study scripture is an opportunity to be open to further positive transformation into the likeness of Christ.
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” (Romans 12:4-6a)
We have different gifts, but what are they? How are we to use them? Opportunities to pray give us opportunities to DISCERN our God given gifts and use them for the benefit of the whole church. Taking time to talk to God and to listen to the Holy Spirit is another essential part of growing our life as a disciple of Jesus.
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)
As we have opportunity to SERVE, we enter into the life of our suffering servant, Jesus. Placing ourselves aside in order to bless those around us grows the character of Christ within us and keeps us grounded in the work of building God’s Kingdom here on earth instead of our own.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
Introducing others to the good that comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of those who put their trust in Jesus is the much needed WITNESS that we can offer to the world. To be able to freely share the Good News through our words, our actions, and our relationships is another essential growth area of a disciple.
Our prayer is that by focusing on these FIVE practices, the Holy Spirit will work through LMCC to continue to develop well rounded disciples that do powerful work for the Kingdom of God.
We are an Evangelical Covenant Church (www.covchurch.org)
Our essential beliefs are summed up in what we call Covenant Affirmations:
We affirm the centrality of the word of God.
We believe the Bible is the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct. The dynamic, transforming power of the word of God directs the church and the life of each Christian. This reliance on the Bible leads us to affirm both men and women as ordained ministers and at every level of leadership. It is the reason we pursue ethnic diversity in our church and is the inspiration for every act of compassion, mercy, and justice.
We affirm the necessity of the new birth.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, TNIV). 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 and righteousness, 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.
We affirm 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 far and near. Mission for them and for us includes evangelism, Christian formation, and ministries of compassion, mercy, and justice. We follow Christ’s 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.
We affirm the church as a fellowship of believers.
Membership in the Covenant Church is by confession of personal faith in Jesus Christ and is open to all believers. We observe baptism and Holy Communion as sacraments commanded by Jesus. We practice both infant and believer baptism. We believe in the priesthood of all believers—that is, we all share in the ministry of the church. We also affirm that God calls some men and women into professional, full-time ministry. The church is not an institution, organization, or building. It is a grace-filled fellowship of believers who participate in the life and mission of Jesus Christ. It is a family of equals: as the New Testament teaches that within Christian community there is to be neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, but all are one in Christ Jesus
(Galatians 3:28).
We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit.
The Covenant Church affirms 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 Holy Spirit who instills in our hearts a desire to turn to Christ, and who assures us that Christ dwells within us. It is the Holy 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 Christ’s mission in the world. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to us as individuals and binds us together as Christ’s body.
We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1, TNIV). This freedom is a gift of God in Christ, and it manifests itself in a right relationship with God and others. It is not a private gift to be used selfishly, but is given to serve the community and the world. For Paul, this freedom means that we are set free from the power of those things that on their own tend to divide. United in Christ, we offer freedom to one another to differ on issues of belief or practice where the biblical and historical record seems to allow for a variety of interpretations of the will and purposes of God. We in the Covenant Church seek to focus on what unites us as followers of Christ, rather than on what divides us.
How Does LMCC Make Decisions?
Denominational Input:
Lund Mission Covenant Church is part of the Evangelical Covenant Church which means that some of our decisions are directed by the denomination.
(We ask the question, "What does the ECC expect of its churches in this matter?”)
The LMCC Constitution:
The Lund Mission Covenant Church Constitution is the governing document that has been voted on by the membership of the church. The LMCC Constitution lays out how the church is to be organized and how it is to go about essential tasks.
( We ask the question, “What does the LMCC Constitution expect of its membership and/or leadership in this matter?”)
Membership:
The members of LMCC make up the voting body that the LMCC Constitution gives the power to make decisions.
Members are also eligible to represent LMCC as delegates at the Evangelical Covenant Church Annual Meeting.
Seeking to become a member at LMCC involves...
1) Meeting with the pastor to become more familiar with the Evangelical Covenant Church and the LMCC Constitution.
2) Filling out and submitting an Application for Membership form.
3) Attending a meeting with the LMCC Leadership Team.
(We ask the question, “What does the membership desire in this matter?”)
*You do not have to be a member of the church to attend LMCC.
Congregational Meetings:
LMCC Congregational Meetings are specified gatherings of the members (voting body) of LMCC in which updates are given, concerns are raised, proposals are made, votes are taken, and leadership is installed. LMCC works to hold business meetings four times per year (quarterly). The first meeting of the year is called our LMCC Annual Congregational Meeting where a formal yearly report is made available. Those who are not members are welcome to attend the business meetings to hear about the business of the church.
(We ask the questions, “Was there a decision made concerning this matter at a previous business meeting?” and “Does the membership need to vote on this matter?”)
Leadership Team:
The LMCC Leadership Team is a group that is voted upon by the membership to enact the LMCC Constitution which includes the approval of membership applicants and facilitating business meetings. The team works to meet once a month. The Leadership Team determines what decisions it has the power to make and what decisions should be brought to the membership for action.
The Leadership Team is also charged to create and approve vital Ministry Teams.
(We ask the question, “What is the matter at hand and how should it be acted upon?”)
Ministry Teams:
LMCC Ministry Teams are led by members of LMCC and are made up of both members and non-members of the congregation. Ministry teams volunteer their time to meet vital ministry needs. When there is an awareness of a ministry need, a Ministry Team may be formed in order to meet that need. Ministry Teams report to the Leadership Team and are given the power to make decisions concerning their ministry area as is appropriate according to the LMCC Constitution.
(We ask the question, “How do we work to meet a vital ministry need?”)
How Does LMCC Develop Disciples?
Jesus developed disciples as he went along in his ministry life, and as Jesus’ Church, we desire to participate in the work that Jesus did by developing disciples of Jesus for each generation.
Romans 12 has given guidance to LMCC over many years as it has sought to be a faithful church. We continue to learn much from this chapter, and the Holy Spirit is using it to inform our discipleship process. Below are five practices that LMCC works to nurture in the life of each believer. These practices work toward growing flourishing mature faith in God.
We encourage and work to enable all of our congregants to...
PRESENT themselves before God in worship.
TRANSFORM their lives through frequent exposure to God’s Word.
DISCERN God’s calling and gifting in their lives through prayer.
SERVE others in Jesus’ name.
WITNESS to those around them of God’s love, of the hope that Jesus offers, and of the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)
When we PRESENT ourselves before God, we are showing that we honor and acknowledge God as worthy of our worship. We come and gather before God offering our time, talent, and treasure...offering ourselves to be used by the Holy Spirit and praising God for making us acceptable, holy, and pleasing to him through what Jesus Christ did for us through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
God’s Word, the Bible, is a Living Word that the Holy Spirit uses to TRANSFORM. Every time we read and wrestle with the scriptures we are shaped by them and by the Holy Spirit. Exposure to God’s Word is an important part of growing as a disciple of Jesus. Every opportunity to study scripture is an opportunity to be open to further positive transformation into the likeness of Christ.
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” (Romans 12:4-6a)
We have different gifts, but what are they? How are we to use them? Opportunities to pray give us opportunities to DISCERN our God given gifts and use them for the benefit of the whole church. Taking time to talk to God and to listen to the Holy Spirit is another essential part of growing our life as a disciple of Jesus.
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)
As we have opportunity to SERVE, we enter into the life of our suffering servant, Jesus. Placing ourselves aside in order to bless those around us grows the character of Christ within us and keeps us grounded in the work of building God’s Kingdom here on earth instead of our own.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
Introducing others to the good that comes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of those who put their trust in Jesus is the much needed WITNESS that we can offer to the world. To be able to freely share the Good News through our words, our actions, and our relationships is another essential growth area of a disciple.
Our prayer is that by focusing on these FIVE practices, the Holy Spirit will work through LMCC to continue to develop well rounded disciples that do powerful work for the Kingdom of God.