FTPC Membership Covenant

Having committed my life to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, I now choose to live out my commitment to His universal kingdom through Foster Tukwila Presbyterian Church.   In uniting with this portion of God’s family, I agree to make the following scriptural principles foundational to my life – not in a legalistic manner - but as a positive focus to keep before me the Lord’s goals and purposes for the new life I share together with all followers of Jesus Christ.

I Will Exalt Jesus Christ in My Life [Worship, Discipleship]
  • by seeking to worship Him every day with praise and thanksgiving
"Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever." Psalm 145:2 NIV

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name."
Hebrews 13:15 NIV

  • by desiring to grow in applying my faith in Christ by trusting Him and obeying His word
"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and over-flowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7 NIV

"And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe." 
1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV

  • by accepting His grace to respond to life's hurts in a healthy way, without offense
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:31-32NIV

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16 NIV

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." Ephesians 3:16-17 NIV

I Will Protect & Participate in the Unity of Christ’s Church [Fellowship]
  • by loving other members through seeking their best
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  John 13:34-35 NIV

"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."  Ephesians 4:16 NIV

  • by building other members up with my speech and refraining from gossip
"A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:23-24 NIV

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29 NIV

  • by faithfully being present for our church worship services
"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
Acts 2:42  NIV

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25 NIV

  • by praying for and accepting the guidance of the pastor and session of FTPC as they serve and lead you (I Peter 5:2-3)
"Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other." 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 NIV

"Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." Hebrews 13:17 NIV

I Will Serve Christ's Church [Ministry]
  • by praying for its health and fruitfulness
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11 NIV

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:18 NIV

  • by allowing the Holy Spirit to bear His fruit in my life and empower me with His gifts for ministry
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 NIV

  • by sharing my God-given gifts and desires to serve the Lord
"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."  Romans 12:6-8 NIV

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV

  • by expressing trust in the Lord through the giving of tithes and offerings as He leads
"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'" Malachi 3:10-11 NIV

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NIV

I Will Serve Christ in the World [Evangelism]
  • by praying for those around me (e.g. neighborhood, work, school)
"Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved." Romans 10:1 NIV

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." 
Colossians 4:2-4 NIV

  • by sharing Christ's love in our community through service and deeds as He leads
"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16 NIV

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21 NIV

  • by inviting others to know Christ and the fellowship of His Church
"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV

"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. ... I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV

  • by supporting the missions and outreach of FTPC and other Christian ministries
"But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ." Romans 15:23-29 NIV

"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations." Psalm 67:1-2 NIV

  • by being an ambassador of hope, letting my life reflect Christ’s presence
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15 NIV

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 NIV