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A Covenant Community - Part 2
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Biblical Tips On Relationships:
Church: A Covenant Community – Part 2
Are you part of a Covenant Community?
Are you faithful, meeting together regularly?
Do you pray for individual members and the group as a whole?
Do you share your life and faith openly and honestly, in both the light and dark sides of your experience?
Is your group nurturing and encouraging in Christian love?
Do you lovingly hold one another accountable?
Do you honor confidentiality?
Do you join together in outreach and/or ministry?
(Above questions based on Part 1, Week 5 p. 59 Covenant Community: Companions in Christ by Dawson, Gonzalez, Hinson, Job, Thompson, Wright)
I used to belong to Southside Baptist Church. For several years, I participated in the church’s monthly “Call to Prayer.” We were a small group of people who met to pray for our church and each other. Our Associate Pastor, Ron Henson, lovingly and faithfully facilitated the group.
In this group, people shared openly and faithfully prayed for each other. We shared our praises, victories, faith, doubts, struggles, and pain. We commited to pray for one another during the month. When we saw each other, we asked for updates. We encouraged one another to courageously step out on faith and follow God. We occasionally and lovingly scolded one another. We were burdened for the needs of our church and committed them to prayer.
While this prayer time was open to the entire church, a faithful core group of people came to depend on this night and each other. For many of us, the honesty and intimacy of this group had permeated our other small group church events. I believe the meeting of this small group of people contributed to our church’s loving spirit. I personally shared the most intimate details of my life in this small group. These details have included mountain top experiences and valleys. I was never hurt by gossip or criticism. I was loved, prayed for, encouraged, and challenged.
As I write this, I realize how many times I use the word faith and faithful. Our leader, Ron was faithful. He himself modeled honesty, love, kindness, and faith. This group was faithful in attendance, prayer, concern, and honesty. We were a Covenant Community. In fact, our entire church was a Covenant Community. What a blessing.
Phil 2:1-5 NIV
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
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