Band of Brothers ? Frank Damazio

Did you ever make a commitment when you were growing up with a group of buddies? Maybe you all wore a handkerchief or a special shirt and called yourselves the band of brothers. Whatever you did, you made some sort of commitment to being a group who watched the other?s back. You had a type of covenant relationship.

A covenant relationship is built around commitment to those people with whom God has knit you. The commitment lasts for life in spite of trials, hurts, misunderstandings, or changes, because the relationship is based on principles of integrity that guarantee the relationship will be preserved. This relationship is deeper than a personal friendship or fellowship interaction.

Today, it is vital to develop a culture of covenant relationships in your church and leadership team. Here are five leadership covenants, although more certainly exist.

1. Covenant of Commitment. Choose to be knit together by a deliberate binding decision so as to be joined together with one heart and soul. David and Jonathan were knit so that Jonathan loved David ?as his own soul? (1 Sam 18.1).

2. Covenant of Faithfulness. This is where you decide that there is nothing the other party has done or will do that will make you stop loving them. You purpose that ?My leadership styles and gifting may be different than yours, but I am dedicated to loving and serving you as a person and as a leader. I will be a faithful friend in all seasons of your life and ministry.?

3. Covenant of Prayer Intercession. Make this covenant between you and your church and leadership team: ?I covenant to stand in the gap for you regularly, believing that our God will build a hedge around you, protecting you at all times, and will meet all the needs in your life and ministry.?

Knit by the TV or by a covenant relationship?

4. Covenant of Transparency. Strive to become a more open person, disclosing your feelings, struggles, joys, and hurts as you are able. The degree to which you do so implies that you cannot make it without the other person, and that you trust them with your problems and dreams, and that you need them.

5. Covenant of Sacrifice. Commit to put anything you have ? time, energy, insight, possessions ? to the other party. Consider that God has given you gifts for the common good, and those should be liberated for the benefit of others. Put aside personal goals and ambitions by giving whatever is necessary to make the other successful. Jesus modeled this covenant for us: ?He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren? (I John 3:16).

Building a culture of covenant relationships shows that you are intentional and serious about leading as a team and giving all your resources to the vision. You are modeling the commitment level you want to see in your team and you will also personally benefit from covenant relationships that will lift you up, challenge, and inspire you.

For more on building a leadership culture, check out the series ?Culture of Leadership Growth? available now by clicking here.

Source: http://blog.frankdamazio.com/2011/06/band-of-brothers/

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