On behalf of the Presiding Apostolate we should like to welcome individuals and congregations interested in seeking closer fellowship, associate (probationary) status and eventually full membership with us. New Covenant Assemblies of Yahweh (NCAY) is an association of autonomous local or groups of congregations bound by a common doctrine, practice, moral and ethical standards and way of life. Accordingly NCAY Congregations are expected to faithfully abide by the latest NCAY Constitution

NCAY consists of a General Assembly which presides internationally over all local and central assemblies. It is the responsibility of the Apostolate to select or approve all local assembly pastors and central assembly (a group of local assemblies) bishops/presiding pastors. In all other matters the selection of local officers is the province of the local and central pastors themselves. The training of all ministers comes under NCAY auspices, and in particular, the priesthood order called the Chavurot Bekot or Holy Order.

To become a full member of NCAY, an application congregation must apply for probationary status. An applicant congregation's probation lasts a minimum of three years to give that congregation and its leaders both the time to make the required doctrinal and practical adjustments as well as to ensure that all the members can have a democratic input into the process to make sure that this is the will of all the people of an applicant congregation. Members must not be cajoaled into joining NCAY just because the pastor or leadership want it. Everyone must be involved in the decision to join or not.

In order to become an applicaant congregation and, eventually, a full member, all ministerial associations, denominational alliances and membership in other groups must be terminated. Your assembly cannot both be a member of NCAY and, for example, the Southern Baptist Union, Church of England, Worldwide Church of God, Pentecostal Union, Messianic Jewish Association, etc.. We have no problem with applicant or full member congregations applying for financial aid from other groups (e.g. collecting for orphans) provided the congregation is fully transparent and honest to the group it is seeking economic help from:

• 1. About its membership of NCAY, both in the probationary and full membership stage; and
• 2. About its belief system especially if it differs with that of the group (as is usually the case).

In the past we have had dishonest pastors from applicant congregations whose reputations were destroyed by their deviousness. On one occasion NCAY had a pastor from Benin join three different ministries/churches (NCAY was one of them) without the others knowing about the others in order to get maximum funding. When his dishonesty was found out, he was expelled by all three groups.

We will not admit to membership or deal with anyone claiming a position of leadership and responsibility who has deceived us. At the very minimum we will require a change of leadership if the congregational application is to continue, depending on the extent to which the the congregation itself was aware of the deception or not and the way it handled the deception.

To therefore become a full member of NCAY it is to be clearly understood that the fellowshipping congregation or group of congregations intends to seek, over a three year probationary period, to draw closer to NCAY with a view to becoming full members, accept all its doctrines, codes and practices, and place themselves under full apostolic authority. The Bishops and Pastors of each Central and Local Congregation will progressively come under the direct authority and leadership of the General Assembly of NCAY.

It follows that we expect full transparency and honesty from the applicant pastor, his elders and deacons. If there is any doubt as to the integrity of the applicant leadership, the probationary status will be cancelled.

In the pages that follow we will explain the working relationship between associate congregations and the New Covenant Assemblies of Yahweh (NCAY).