Why Have A Covenant?

Why did the 'Serampore Trio' choose to write down their "Form of Agreement" in the manner of a legal covenant - and publish it? In today's western society, 'easy come, easy go' is so often the keynote. Political parties, churches or local clubs all lament that they can't get people to sign up. 'Quickie' divorces can end marriage vows in weeks. Life is impersonal and everything must be "now".

But there is a curious phenomenon here. Men who baulk at demands and commitments, even in their own marriage and family, can also be inspired by movies like Shawshank Redemption or Braveheart, with their 'band of brothers' flavour and 'loyalty to the death' message. (Maybe women do the same with Paradise Road?). The implication seems to be that intuitively we recognise the strength and desirability of loyalty, faithfulness and commitment, but life's experience has taught us that we're all too weak and it doesn't work - so leave it enshrined in films, don't try to live it.

But there is a reaction. Interest in covenants is growing. In churches in America, there is a mushrooming of interest in 'fireproofing' the marriage vows, born of the film Fireproof (which is popularising the term "covenant marriage" and offers specific rubrics for marriage rededications along this line).

A covenant is a statement of the basis for, and conditions of, a relationship, writes Julia Faire in her book on covenants. Covenants have the purpose of both defining and strengthening commitment and setting forth a particular course and vision for those that participate in them to follow. They have a strong biblical basis and a history of heroic observance, notably the Covenanter martyrs of Scotland.

There is a battle to be fought and won, Faire concludes, a lost generation to be won for Christ, a solid church to be built within a fragmented and unstable society. There is a need for a drawing of the lines, consolidation and fresh vision if the church is not going to largely disappear amidst the fog of confusion and disarray that characterises our present [western] society. Which makes the voice of Carey, Marshman and Ward all the more compelling today as a demonstration of the power of radical agreement and accountability, and their example so worthy of our attention - and emulation.

The Serampore Covenant 6: Spiritual Life

The "Form of Agreement" ends with three shorter sections. Numbers 9 and 10 deal with the spiritual side of the mission. Here we are on known ground. The 'Serampore Trio' pledge devotion to the Bible and to religious education. We consider the publication of the Divine Word throughout India as an object which we ought never to give up until it is accomplished. This meant translation (in time, Carey and his team would translate the gospels into forty Indian languages and dialects, in addition to Christian tracts) and publication, for which they had their own printing press, which William Ward ran. Over and above this, the missionaries covenant to explain and distribute, and to excite attention and reverence for, the Word of God.

Free schools for Indian children were seen as a priority. The progress of divine light is gradual, so religious education for children was a vital tool. The missionaries should establish, visit, encourage and recommend these at every opportunity.

Section 10 is a commitment to fervent, believing prayer, both individual and corporate.

The concluding section 11, however, is anything but traditional missionary fare! It is a passionate recommendation of common purse Christian community living (the Bible, Acts 2:42), and a withering blast against any lessening of covenant commitment or a turning back to selfish, independent ways. Let us give up ourselves unreservedly to this glorious cause. Let us never think that our time, our gifts, our strengths, our families, or even the clothes we wear, are our own. Having embraced a shared purse around 1804, the Serampore team are able to testify: No private family ever enjoyed a greater portion of happiness, even in the most prosperous gale of worldly prosperity, than we have done since we resolved to have all things in common. This book looks at the biblical and historical evidence for Christian community living; this one looks at its relevance for today.

Having renounced self-centred living for the sake of the gospel, and having reinforced this by a pledge of loyalty and accountability, Carey, Marshman and Ward warn severely against turn back from it. Woe to that man who shall ever make the smallest movement towards doing things on his own. The moment it is admitted that each brother may act independently, a worldly spirit, quarrels and every evil work will succeed.

It is this formal, solemn and very human pledge of covenant that makes the Serampore mission both different and compelling. High standards indeed, but they were crowned with success. If we are enabled to persevere [in these principles], we may hope that multitudes of converted souls will have reason to bless God to all eternity for sending His gospel into this country. And succeed they did, as these links eloquently show.

The Serampore Covenant 5: Strategy

Section 8 of the covenant made by Carey, Marshman and Ward is the longest of all. It covers long-term vision as well as short-term goals for its fulfilment. Much reads very relevantly for today.

In a clear swipe at Baptist traditions back home in the UK, where only one man was "the Minister", Carey states: If the practice of confining ministry of the word to a single individual in a church be once established among us, we despair of the Gospel ever making much progress in India by our means. It is only by means of native preachers that can we hope for the universal spread of the gospel throughout this immense continent.

Carey's vision is clear: a body of native missionaries, used to the climate, acquainted with the customs, language, modes of speech and reasoning of the inhabitants, able to become familiar with them, enter their houses, sleep on their floors or under a tree, and who may travel [far and wide] almost without any expense. This page shows how such a vision is being implemented today, with great effect.

Where does this leave Western missionaries? Basically, to be fathers, mentors and enablers. Carey writes of forming usefulness, fostering every kind of genius, and cherishing every gift of grace in them. As the first generation of native evangelists begins to form, the incumbent Western missionary's task is to superintend their affairs, give them advice in cases of order and discipline, and correct any errors into which they may fall - but also to enjoy the partnership with them, their steadfastness in faith, and keep pointing them to new openings for church-planting. Books like this show that this quality of spiritual fathers and mothers is a desperate need in churches today.

An interesting decision made by Carey's team was not to change the names of native converts when they got baptised. Other missionary organisations either gave completely new, 'Christian' names or added one. For Carey, the New Testament was evidence enough not to do this; the Apostle Paul saw no need to change names like Epaphroditus or Sylvanus, even though they were derived from pagan gods. For the 'Serampore Trio' it was essential to avoid alienating their target audience by suggestions of superiority or judgmentalism. Far more important was to foster, by all means at their disposal, a new heart, a moral and divine change in their conduct.

The Serampore Covenant 4: Conduct

The seventh article of the covenant is longer and deals with areas of behaviour appropriate to missionary work in another culture, and the priorities they should set themselves.

A real missionary becomes, in a sense, a father to his people, is the crucial sentence here. Carey echoes the Apostle Paul, who wrote of 'becoming a father' to his converts (the Bible, 1 Corinthians 4:15). God's workers should feel all the anxiety, tender solicitude, and delight in their welfare and company that a natural father would feel for his offspring.

The 'Serampore Trio' pledge first to build up and watch over the souls entrusted to them, to spend time with them daily, and with great patience to see them thoroughly grounded in the foundation of their hope. But the practical must go with the spiritual: they must help them into habits of industry and to find jobs with the least danger of temptation. Carey stresses that Indian converts have made considerable sacrifices, even been cast out from their families, so cannot expect help to come from that quarter. If we do not sympathise with them in their temporal losses for Christ, we shall be guilty of great cruelty.

The missionaries understand also that the native religion of their converts will have given them no adequate sense of the seriousness of sin or its consequences. So these things must be taught and consistently restated. Meanwhile, reproof must be gentle, and great grace and forbearance shown. We ought not, even after many falls, to give up and cast away a relapsed convert while he manifests the least inclination to be washed from his filthiness. Could the same principles apply in a postmodern, 'post-Christian' West, asks this blog, where the very concept of sin has been relativised almost to non-existence?

In reaching out to women, the missionaries pledge to be especially wise, given that Indian women were generally segregated from men. Female help is invaluable, and we must afford our sisters all possible assistance. A European sister may do much for the cause by promoting holiness and stirring up zeal in female native converts. By God's grace, they conclude, their women may become instrumental in promoting the salvation of the millions of native women who are in great measure excluded from all opportunities of hearing the words of life.

THE SERAMPORE COVENANT 3: SERVICE

The next three sections of the covenant made by the "Serampore Trio" are shorter and deal with the practical issues of missionary service. First comes a pledge of committed urgency. We do well always to fix in our minds that life is short and that all around us are perishing. Where has this urgency gone in the West today? How often have you heard a "hellfire" sermon? In fact, whatever happened to the very concept of hell? Jesus mentioned it often; we don't. This article shows how we need to!

Carey admits that, in a hot climate, it is easy to run out of energy, but calls their team to consistent action: to carry on conversations with the natives almost every hour in the day; to go from village to village, from market to market; to talk to labourers and servants. And he quotes the Apostle Paul on 'being urgent in season and out of season' [the Bible, 2 Timothy 4:2].

Next, the trio pledge to 'Christocentric' mission. It would be very easy to preach nothing but truths for many years, without being useful even to one soul! The expiatory death and all-sufficient merits [of Jesus Christ] must be central. Oh that these glorious truths may ever be the joy and strength of our own souls! Here again, contemporary Christianity has drawn back from the full force of this - witness the involved debate over "penal substitution" among church leaders, which, curiously enough, began with the aim of opening the gospel to more people.

Then comes a pledge to being available and approachable. We must on all occasions be willing to hear their complaints, give them the kindest advice, and make decisions regarding their affairs in the most open, upright and impartial manner. Any heated or haughty behaviour by the missionaries will sink their character in the eyes of their audience. We must at all times treat them as our equals. We can never make sacrifices too great, when the eternal salvation of souls is the object. This corresponds with today's emphasis on "incarnational" missiology - being like Jesus among those we hope to reach.

THE SERAMPORE COVENANT 2: COMMON SENSE

Articles 2 and 3 of the covenant are rooted in good sense and the wisdom born of experience in the field. The need is to converse with [Indian people] in an intelligible manner and to avoid coming across to them either as fanatics or as irrelevant. Sounds familiar? Read any piece about relevant witness in a post-modern (or 'post-Christian') society and the same issues apply. Here is an example.

So Carey, Marshman and Ward commit themselves to several things:
* conversing with sensible natives;
* reading some parts of their works;
* attentively observing their manners and customs.
They stress the need to know Indian modes of thinking, their moral values and their manners. So much is standard missionary training today, of course. But the Serampore missionaries see it as crucial to understand the way they reason about God, sin, holiness, the way of salvation, and [man's] future state. This surely parallels the move in today's 'Emerging Church' to understand where post-modern people are coming from, and then to reach out to them in Facebook evangelism or whatever.

Carey also advocates a commonsense approach to interacting with people of the Hindu majority religion. We must abstain from those things which would increase their prejudices against the gospel - in particular, English colonial haughtiness, and cruelty to animals. There should be no direct confrontations, no defacing of their statues, no disturbance of their worship gatherings. Carey praises the mild-mannered and gracious approach of the Moravian missions (see several of my previous posts) and of the Quakers among the Native American tribes. He was to enlarge on this elsewhere.

He who is too proud to stoop to others, in order to draw them to him..., is ill-qualified to be a missionary , states the Covenant. The Serampore trio pledge to follow the stated aim of the Apostle Paul, to "be all things to all men, that I may by all means win some" (the Bible, 1 Corinthians 9:22). And the section closes with a paraphrase from an unnamed missionary to North America, almost certainly either David Brainerd or John Eliot: "that he would not care if the people trampled him under their feet, if he might become useful to their souls".

THE SERAMPORE COVENANT 1: LOVE FOR SOULS

Carey, Marshman and Ward preface the 'Form of Agreement' with a carefully-worded justification of their being in India at all. There is a reason for this. The Baptist Church in England at the time held a hyper-Calvinist position regarding the salvation of sinners. Forever lodged in Carey's memory was the occasion where he made known his missionary yearning at a ministers' meeting in 1786; an older pastor allegedly stood up and said: "Young man, sit down! when God pleases to convert the heathen, he will do it without your aid and mine."

So Carey chooses his phrases carefully: 'We are sure that only those who are ordained to eternal life will believe, and that God alone can add to the church such as shall be saved.' Carey and several colleagues back home had challenged the prevailing determinism; he himself had preached a sermon on the necessity of missions, in which he included the memorable exhortation: Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God. Yet he was wise enough to realise that, were they to antagonise the Baptist hierarchy in England, they could easily cut off the supply of recruits and donations on which they relied.

Carey then brings the balance. 'Nevertheless, we cannot but observe with admiration that (the Apostle) Paul... was the most conspicuous for his personal zeal in the work of persuading men to be reconciled to God. In this respect he is a noble example for our imitation.' Touché? I think so!

And so to the first article of the covenant itself, which concerns urgency for lost souls. A paper that reached me only today claims that globally, 98% of Christians are neither envisioned nor equipped for mission in 95% of their waking lives. If that really is the case, then let us hear the heart expressed by Carey and his friends.

It is absolutely necessary that we set an infinite value upon immortal souls.[We should] endeavour to affect our minds with the dreadful loss sustained by an unconverted soul launched into eternity. May their case lie with continued weight on our minds.

India is a vast country, lying in the arms of the wicked one. This is no colonial pride, for Carey is just as scathing about his own roots: 'He who raised the sottish and brutalised Britons to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, can raise these slaves of superstition... and make them worshippers of the one true God in spirit and truth'. Indeed, in faith Carey anticipates a day when He will famish the gods of India and cause these very idolators to cast their idols to the moles and the bats.'

This blog post considers reasons why the "heart for the lost" has been largely lost in Christendom today and challenges us, very practically, to do something about it. No doubt, Carey and his covenant team would long for us to do so!

THE POWER OF ACCOUNTABILITY

In 1793, William Carey, a shoemaker and subsequently Baptist pastor from Northamptonshire, UK, took his family to India as missionaries. They finally settled at Serampore in West Bengal.

For seven years they had not a single convert, their funds ran out and they were destitute for a time, his wife Dorothy got severely depressed and three of their children died. But by the time of his own death 41 years later, Carey had planted churches, founded colleges, overseen the translation of the gospels into forty local languages, and had secured the banning of 'sati' - the ritual burning of a widow on her husband's funeral pyre. He was, and still is, a revered figure in the region. He has been hailed by many as "the father of modern missions" (which is a little unfair to the Moravians, see my earlier post).

What made the difference were some radical changes made when reinforcements arrived in 1799. Joshua Marshman, a gifted linguist, was a happily married man who saw immediately the strain in Carey's marriage and his neglect of his children (whom Marshman found rude, indisciplined and uneducated). The Marshmans took the children under their wing and brought them some much-needed love and discipline. William Ward brought a practical business brain and took the weight of administration off Carey's shoulders, as well as taking charge of the printing operation.

All this gave Carey a support structure that freed him to discover his leadership gifts. These three men thrashed through many issues and found a oneness of heart. This found an unusual expression: a brotherhood covenant pledge of loyalty and commitment. Entitled Form of Agreement, it was published in 1805 and has eleven points. Three times a year they read the pledge through at a special service and re-committed themselves to it. This covenant bond was faithfully kept by all of them until death. It was in many ways their backbone, the mainstay of the work in India.


This document well merits a closer inspection. Its context is specifically missionary - as opposed to the church covenants of membership that existed at the time. It is heartfelt, uncompromising and at times very strict. For example, the final point pronounces woes to the man who ever pulls away from the unity and does things on his own.

In my next posts I'll look at the points in turn and see what they say to us of the power of radical agreement and accountability.