Distinctives

There are many Baptist churches in Blount County. So why has Covenant gathered as another Baptist church in Blount County? What biblical convictions distinguish this church from others? What follows are specific answers to these questions. For more about what we generally believe, please see our doctrinal statement.

Reformed Baptist
We are a Reformed Baptist church. We believe the Scriptures are the ultimate standard of truth that reveals that God saves through Christ alone by grace alone through faith alone to God’s glory alone. We believe in expositional preaching. We believe in the doctrines of grace (we are five-point Calvinists). But that is not all we mean by Reformed Baptist.

Since we believe the Scriptures are God’s authoritative Word, we believe all that the Bible says and aim to apply all that the Bible says. We want all of Christ for all of life. We strive to be Always Reforming (Semper Reformanda), which means we are constantly embracing the work of the Holy Spirit to transform us into the image of Christ as we imitate Him in every area of life (2 Cor 3:18). This includes the spheres of the individual, marriage, family, church, and society.

Covenant Membership
Covenant strives to reflect the biblical standard that churches are localized manifestations of God’s universal family (Gal 3:25-29; Eph 2:19-22). Church membership is an essential means of being committed to the local church as our heavenly family. To facilitate this commitment, potential members are required to interview with the elders, have their testimony presented to the congregation, and sign our church covenant.

Not only should members be committed to the church, but the elders and church should be committed to caring for its members in ongoing discipleship (Titus 2:1-8; 1 Pet 5:1-5). We are to hospitably share our lives with one another, speak the truth in love, and build one another up (Eph 4:1-16; 1 Pet 4:7-11). This commitment to discipleship starts with our gathering on the Lord’s Day.

Age Integration (Family Integration)
Here at Covenant, we are committed to the Regulative Principle of worship. God’s Word is meant to be instructive for how we worship, even in the details (i.e. Leviticus). We are not free to go against the grain of Scripture simply because there is not a specific prohibition of our ideas. What is an example of how we uniquely apply the Regulative Principle at Covenant? Just as we see in the assembly of Israel in the OT (Deut 31:12-13; Josh 8:30-35), the NT shows that children were expected to be a part of the assembly of the local church (Eph 6:1; Col 3:20). Having multiple services and excluding children (even infants) does not reflect the portrait of assembly in the Old or New Testaments.

While including little ones can be distracting, the cost of having children leave the service and miss out on watching and joining their parents in worship is far too steep. The presence of children is meant to help both the children and the church grow (Mk 10:13-16). Therefore, we should delight in children being present as Jesus did. Rather than hindering a focus on missions, we believe beginning the week with gospel ministry to our families and church prepares us for ongoing gospel ministry to our community and the ends of the earth throughout the rest of the week. This is reflected in the qualification that an elder first demonstrates excellent management of his own household before he would manage in God’s household (1 Tim 3:5).

Biblical Patriarchy
The Bible is clear that men are called to lead in families, churches, and society. The failure of fallen men to do so does not excuse inverting and perverting God’s design. Women are expected to submit in all things, except sin, to their husbands even if their husbands are not believers (Eph 5:22-32; 1 Pet 3:1-7).

While men are the leaders of the home, their authority is not to be self-serving. Men are called to provide for and protect their wives and children in imitation of the last Adam, Jesus Christ (Gen 2:15; Rom 5:12-21). Men are called to sacrificially love their wives and children by ministering the Word in the home as the resident theologian of the family (Eph 5:22-6:4; 1 Cor 14:33-35). This ministry of leadership is meant to display the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ in marriage and the benevolent love of God the Father in parenting. In other words, a man’s authority is a call to self-sacrificially love God and love those under his headship. At Covenant we expect men to lead their families in regular Family Devotions, which entails prayer, Scripture reading, and singing. This formal worship in the home sets the course for living all of life to the glory of God (Deut 6:4-9).

Regardless of how counter-cultural, uncomfortable, or difficult this is, Covenant strives to be a church that faithfully obeys and worships the Triune God.