Covenant of Understanding
Membership in the NCC is a church-level association; all memberships shall belong to churches, as approved by their leadership and local church membership through a process of their own choosing. Membership in the NCC is a covenant relationship, and comes with terms of commitment that every member church must support, uphold, and enact. By entering into this covenant, each member church affirms its commitment to the work of the NCC, and shall put that commitment into practice by:
- Operating in community in accordance with the NCC Bylaws;
- Understanding and teaching that churches are strengthened when we work in accord with one another, rather than in isolation;
- Encouraging one another to continue in the faith and endeavor to work in harmony with one another to advance the Gospel;
- Praying for one another as we seek to do Gospel-minded work in our region;
- Regularly attending and participating in NCC events and causes, understanding that our participation is integral to the expansion of the Gospel in north central Massachusetts and beyond;
- Engaging in a serious, ordered discipleship process in the context of our local church;
- Sharing our resources freely, including money, time, and people for the strengthening of the other churches and the multiplication of new churches; and
- Resolving to keep church members faithful in their commitment to their local church, which includes an appropriate restoration process as applicable for people seeking to leave their local NCC church.