Posted June 1/08
The following is the text of a recent sermon preached by Pastor Matt McPhillips of the
Court Street Baptist Church in Port Huron, MI.
Today's Halfway Covenant
I would like to discuss a growing problem in Baptist Churches today that is very similar to the halfway covenant of the Congregationalists of the 17th century. The expectations for membership in a Congregational church in the 17th century were strict and in keeping with many biblical teachings on the church being a holy, separated, assembly from the culture at large. The Cambridge Declaration of 1649 stated, "The doors of Christ's churches on earth do not stand so wide that all sorts of people, good or bad, may freely enter as they desire. Those who are admitted to church membership must first be examined and tested as to whether they are ready to be received into church fellowship or not. These things are required of all church members: repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore repentance and faith are the things about which individuals must be examined before they are granted membership in a church, and they must profess and demonstrate these in such a way as to satisfy rational charity that they are genuinely present." While I remind you I am a Baptist and believe we can trace our heritage back to Jesus Christ, I am simply using the Congregational church as an example of the modern day halfway covenant. As time went on the membership in the Congregational church began to decline and in 1662 the Halfway Covenant was presented as a way to increase membership and keep the political control of the day. With declining membership came declining influence and power. Make no mistake, when our motive is numbers and size we will fall into compromise to keep the power and influence that comes from numbers and size. The biggest proponent of the halfway covenant was Solomon Stoddard the father-in-law of Jonathon Edwards. The halfway covenant was a strong statement of belief in God and Jesus Christ, but that's all that it was-- a statement. One did not have to give evidence to this belief, just agree to it. It wasn't long until the Congregational church was lacking in holiness and commitment. Though their numbers had grown, their commitment and sincerity dropped. They now had unregenerate members that agreed to a creed and position, but did not live it in their lives. It was the results of the Halfway Covenant that caused Jonathon Edwards to preach his famous message, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."
It is now 2008. We have had many years of only requiring agreement to a statement of faith and no requirement of evidence of a regenerated life. Today's "Easy Believism or Quick Prayerism" is nothing more than a repeat of the halfway covenant. In order to increase church membership we no longer require evidence of salvation, just profession of salvation. There was a time that when someone wanted to join a church in membership they had to give evidence of salvation, proof of a separated lifestyle, and agreement to support the church in attendance, prayer, and giving. While many of us have church covenants, we never require members to live up to it. Some say that a profession is good enough and they do not want to judge, but this is not supported by 2000 years of church history nor the Word of God. Others would state that it would hinder momentum to interview the candidate and seek evidence of a regenerated life. I would challenge one to support protecting momentum with the Word of God. One could hardly use the testimony of the martyrs of church history to support momentum. We now are faced with the same condition that Jonathon Edwards faced. There is a lack of dedication, separated living, and sacrificial giving by the church of 2008. The need for regenerated church members is overwhelming. If we were to get serious we would need to examine the sinner's prayer technique and review the church membership policy of our churches. What is the motivation for this acceptance of a "Modern Day Halfway Covenant?" Well, it is obvious we are obsessed with church growth, not Biblical members. We seek the approval of men, not the blessing of the Holy Spirit. We receive our recognition from members, instead of the approval of God. It is time that judgment must begin at the house of God if we are ever going to truly reach our nation with the Gospel. We have not reached a nation; we have coerced a decision for self promotion. May we not only promote the benefits of justification, but belief in the truth of regeneration which is a new life, new creation, and new birth? Let's be done once and for all with our "modern day halfway covenant" and practice the New Testament example of regenerated church membership. Before you would criticize this as crazy, read the church membership guidelines for a Baptist church in 1828:
"The following are the rules for admission into church membership for the Baptist church of Charleston, South Carolina, in 1828. This was back in the day when Baptist churches in general took church membership and discipline seriously before Almighty God:
1st. When a person desires to join the church, the desire shall be made known to the Pastor a sufficient length of time before the communion season, to allow of conversation and acquaintance; and for further satisfaction, the Pastor may appoint the deacons, or any other of the brethren he may think proper, to visit the Candidate, for the purpose of obtaining all needful information concerning his or her experience and faith, character and life.
2d. The Pastor, and those he may have sent to visit and converse with the Candidate, shall meet together, at such a place as he may appoint, to consider the qualification of the Candidate, and after which conference, the Pastor shall give such advice to each as may appear suitable. In the meantime, any of the members may visit the Candidate or Candidates, for the purpose of forming acquaintance, and obtaining fellowship, before the period of their reception into the church.
3d. If the Candidate or Candidates be thought to possess those qualifications which may entitle them to a participation of the privileges of God's house, they shall appear before the church; which (as it is a garden enclosed) shall be privately convened for said purpose, and none but the members to be present, and each Candidate will then relate the reason for his or her hope, and give such answers to questions respecting their Christian knowledge, repentance and faith, as may afford consistent evidence of a gracious state; after which, satisfaction being obtained, they shall be baptized, and admitted to all the privileges of the church.
4th. After each Candidate has been examined before the church, he or she shall be requested to retire to the vestry, while the church considers the case; which done, the Candidate shall be called in and the candidate shall be kindly received; but if there should appear to be any deficiency in the knowledge and experience of the Candidate, and it may be thought advisable to wait sometime longer, or in order to get better information, the Pastor will, in a kind, affectionate and encouraging manner, present this advice.
5th. In case of Candidates coming from the country, or under any peculiar providential circumstances, where the above course cannot be pursued, the Pastor, and those he may consult, must act as may seem most for the glory of God, and the welfare of the church." (John Christian, A History of the Baptists)
*NOTE FROM BROTHER ALEXANDER: This is a very thought provoking article. It ought to challenge men of God to be constantly examining their motives. We should also be reminded to be very careful with the precious souls we deal with. The last thing I believe we should glean from this article is that Jesus Christ does desire purity of Church membership.
*Some of you may not agree wholeheartedly with this article. Others will be disturbed by my assesment. But our desire is that all who read Baptist Truth articles will do something Baptist preachers don't often do,
THINK!