Local
expressions of covenant must take place on many levels in house-churches,
city-churches, regional-churches etc. The church consists of people standing in
voluntary covenant with God, and is making commitments to God. The church also
consists of people making and expressing covenant together on a lateral or
mutual basis, and are committing themselves to one another.

Covenant is
by its nature local, it is an agreement among a particular, visible group of
believers. Where there is no covenanting community there is no church of God,
for the church is a covenant community.

Community
lies at the heart of the church which is people united in the new covenant. The
church is manifested in a visible, local group of believers who covenant to be
the local expression of the community of God, – a kingdom community living by
kingdom principles. Covenant transforms a loosely related group of individuals
into a community of committed people. The Holy Spirit is the facilitator of
covenant life, he is joining us together and teaching us to live and work
together to the glory of God.