Dictionary.com defines a covenant as “an agreement, usually formal, between two or more persons to do or not do something specified.” Those involved in a discipleship covenant include the discipler, the disciple(s), and God. Check here to see an example of a Discipleship Covenant from Long Hollow Baptist Church, Hendersonville, TN.
From my personal experience, there are benefits of writing a discipleship covenant together. Consider these benefits:
- writing a covenant together causes good conversation about important issues impacting the group as well as living as His disciples in the world
- writing a covenant together leads to ownership of the agreed upon issues and work
- writing a covenant together allows customization of agreed upon issues and work based upon participants
- a written covenant serves as an ongoing reminder of the issues and work to which the participant(s) committed
- a written covenant reminds each person of how my investment impacts my discipleship progress
- a written covenant reminds each person of how the investment of others impacts my discipleship progress (even the leader)
- a written covenant communicates expectations about what is expected during and between discipleship gatherings
- a written covenant points ahead to the desired outcome(s) from the discipleship experience.
Do you use a covenant in your discipling? Do you write your covenants together? Would you share what you typically use? Would you share the areas which are normally covered in your covenant? Which one or two areas do you find the most important for communicating clearly prior to beginning your discipling investment? What benefit would you add to this list? Use a covenant. Be a disciple. Make disciples!