Group Covenant

Group Covenant

All small groups should have a clear sense of purpose and covenant.The group members must all understand the purpose and commit to work toward achieving it.This common understanding is often called a “covenant.”Roberta Hestenes points out that,

All human covenants find their beginnings in the covenant God made with his people.We can see God making covenants with Abraham, with the people of Israel at Sinai, in the Upper Room where Jesus introduces the “new covenant” in his blood, and many others throughout the Bible.God’s covenants throughout history demonstrate the depth and intensity of his love for us.When we choose to come together in small groups, the promises we make to each other help to shape and direct our life together.They help us move from vague intention to directed commitment.

Coming together in Christian small groups is more than methodology and technique.It is the commitment of brothers and sisters in Christ to each other.The ongoing life of the group becomes the context for keeping this commitment, this covenant.However, as Hestenes states, “the purpose should be related to group members’ commitments to the larger church congregation.The healthy small group will see itself as one part of the larger Christian community joining together to focus on particular aspects of Christian life.”

Covenant Dynamics

While we suggest that you and your group write out and sign the covenant that you will share with one another, not all groups will create a written covenant.However, we hope that all groups will at least have unwritten values or expectations that are discussed and understood by the group.

In addition to answering the questions of where and when you will meet and how the group will use the time it spends together, you may want to consider the following as a good starting point for what you want to include in your commitment to each other.

The covenant of affirmation (unconditional love)

The covenant of availability

The covenant of prayer

The covenant of openness

The covenant of honesty

The covenant of sensitivity

The covenant of confidentiality

The covenant of accountability

You may not want to include all of these, but it would be a good idea to talk about them as you design your small group’s covenant.

Example Covenant

In Lesson 1 you wil be able to sign and formalize your covenant. This is an example found in the Getz book.

• Attending group meetings regularly whenever possible;
• Reading the chapter or passage before each group session;
• Sharing our thoughts, goals, and struggles within the group; and
• praying for one anotherr

Signed: __________________________________________ Date: ____________

Prayer Time!

An important part of building community in a small group is praying for one another. One way you may pray is in groups of two or three, sharing some specific needs. Continue to pray specifically for the same people throughout the week. Some other items for prayer may include:

PRAY TOGETHER AS A GROUP.