LIFESPRING LEADERSHIP TEAM COVENANT

Date: 15 September, 2009

FORWARD
The word “Covenant” means “to agree, to be of one mind, to come together.” It is a binding and solemn agreement to do or keep from doing something. This agreement is instrumental for covenant living in the context of accountability to simply get together with a specific plan and purpose.
 
WE, the Leadership Team of LifeSpring Community Church have, by the signing of this document, agree to each statement contained herein. This covenant represents the binding agreements for all our meetings and serves as a visible reminder of the promises we have made to one another.
 
1. THE COVENANT OF AFFIRMATION (Unconditional love): There is nothing you have done, or will do, that will make me stop loving you. I will love you and affirm you no matter what you have said or done in your past. I may not agree with your actions, but I will love you unconditionally. I love you as you are and for what Christ wants to make of you.
1 John 4:7-12 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. NASU
 
2. THE COVENANT OF AVAILABILITY: Anything I have—time, energy, wisdom, myself, finances—are all at your disposal. As part of this availability I pledge regularity of time both in prayer and meeting at agreed-upon times. I consider that time to be of the highest priority on my schedule.
Heb 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. NASU
 
3. THE COVENANT OF PRAYER: I promise to pray for you, to uphold you, and to attempt to listen to the Holy Spirit concerning your needs so that I can share them with you. I believe that God desires for me to pray for you.
James 5:13-16 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. 14Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. NASU
 
4. THE COVENANT OF OPENNESS: I will strive to be open and transparent. I need you, and I trust you with my needs. I affirm your worth to me as a person I can trust.
2 Cor 6:11-13 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. 12You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. 13 Now in a like exchange--I speak as to children--open wide to us also. NASU
 
5. THE COVENANT OF SENSITIVITY: Even as I desire to be known and understood by you, I covenant to be sensitive to you and your needs to the best of my ability.
Gal 6:2, 10 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. NASU
 
6. THE COVENANT OF HONESTY: I will be honest in what I think I am hearing you say and feel. If this means risking pain for either of us, I will trust our relationship enough to take that risk, realizing that it is in “speaking the truth in love” that we grow up in every way.
Eph 4:15-16 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. NASU
 
7. THE COVENANT OF CONFIDENTIALITY: What goes on in this group stays here. I will say nothing that may be traced back or that could be injurious or embarrassing to my covenant partners. The assurance of confidentiality is vital to the success of the group. I will not share any information with my spouse or others unless express agreement from all members.
1 Cor 1:10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. NASU
 
8. THE COVENANT OF ACCOUNTABILITY: You have the right to expect growth from me so that I may apply the fullness of the gifts which God has given me and fulfill my God created-purposes. You have my permission to ask me about the goals I set with God, my family and my world. I expect you to lovingly not “let me off the hook.” On the basis of Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another,” I ask you to please share with me areas in my life that do not reflect Jesus because I want to grow in personal holiness.
Heb 10:24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, NASU
 
9. THE COVENANT OF FRIENDSHIP: A covenant relationship is a decision to develop friendships based on unconditional love.
Prov 18:24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. NASU
 
10. THE COVENANT OF NURTURE: It takes a conscious effort to nurture an authentic interest in others. This group forces us to do that.

Phil 2:3-8 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. NASU
 
11. THE COVENANT OF PATIENCE: We know that it will always take time—often a long time—to understand one another. There is no such thing as an “instant accountability group.” Yet our current society, accustomed to the “instant,” sometimes causes us to give up and quit before the group has time to develop.
1 Cor 13:4-5 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, NASU
 
12. THE COVENANT OF EQUALITY: We will treat others as equals. The spiritual maturity, gifts and life experiences that each member brings to the group are all valid. There are no “leaders” in a covenant group.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. NASU
 
13. THE COVENANT OF LISTENING: Because there are always those in a group who talk more—and those who tend to be quiet—a group requires a commitment to learn how to listen.
Prov 18:2 A fool does not delight in understanding,But only in revealing his own mind. NASU
Prov 19:27 Cease listening, my son, to discipline,And you will stray from the words of knowledge. NASU
 
14. THE COVENANT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS: A commitment to an accountability group does not necessarily mean that if you bring a dilemma to the group, they will always provide an answer before you leave. Sometimes they are simply there to care and say, “I don’t know the answer, I don’t know what you should do, but I care and I will pray”.
Phil 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NASU 
 
15. THE COVENANT OF ENCOURAGEMENT: I will uplift and encourage you by believing in you.
1 Thess 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. NASU 

16. THE COVENANT OF GOD'S WORD: As a ministry leader, I recognize the importance of the Bible being the "plumb line" in our decision-making process. All of our decisions should be measured by the Word of God. In order to make wise and godly decisions, I commit to growing in my understanding of God and His ways by reading a portion of the Bible daily.
Neh 8:18a He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. NASU

LifeSpring Community Church Leadership Team