Let’s face it. We’re in a commitment crisis. As I see it, there are two problems 1) people have a hard time committing and 2) people have a hard time keeping their commitments.

For example, our culture encourages multiple dating partners, sleeping together, moving in together and all before the promise of a marriage covenant. If people do make a covenant to each other, they move out when things don’t turn out the way they want.

The church is a lot like a marriage relationship. People will date many churches looking to take the best from each church. Once they find one they can live with, they move in. They start shackin' up with a church! They never make a commitment to a church, and if they do, they easily move out when things aren’t exactly the way they want it.

The lack of commitment is causing so many to miss out on something extremely beneficial in their lives. They are missing an opportunity to be LIBERATED.

A covenant liberates you in a couple areas of your life…
First, making and keeping a commitment liberates you to experience true love and community. It’s what nearly every woman knows.  It’s the promise of the marriage covenant that allows for deeper love and community between a husband and wife. That’s why the marriage ceremony is such a big deal. The covenant is made and the opportunity for real love begins. Those who simply date or shack-up with a church miss an opportunity for true love and community.

Second, making and keeping a covenant liberates your growth.  My wife is killing me and I am killing her. Of course not literally! Spiritually, God is using each of us to kill our selfishness and to grow us into people who resemble God.  Keeping the covenant when it would have been easy to walk out has liberated a new me. Those who walk away from a covenant they have made with a church because of selfish reasons, miss an opportunity to grow.


Randall