Developing a Covenant View of Membership at Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland, Tennessee

Abstract

ABSTRACT

DEVELOPING A COVENANT VIEW OF MEMBERSHIP AT WESTWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH, CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE

Steven Harold Smartt, D.Min.

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016

Faculty Supervisor: Dr. William D. Henard III

The purpose of this project was to develop a covenant view of membership at Westwood Baptist Church, Cleveland, Tennessee. This project also sought to establish a method for ensuring a sustainable means of communicating membership expectations for new members. Chapter 1 provides an overview of this project and the circumstances that justify rationale for its implementation. Chapter 2 presents covenant agreement as an appropriate paradigm for human relationships based on God’s use of covenant in his dealings with humanity. Chapter 3 calls attention to the benefits of covenant relationship among members in the local church. Chapter 4 provides a detailed explanation of the fifteen-week duration of the project, focusing on each phase with a summary of the means used to accomplish its goals. Chapter 5 analyzes the project’s purpose and goals, and presents the strengths and weaknesses of the project. This chapter concludes with reflections for future implementation.