How to Relate to Others

God desires that we relate to the people in our lives through covenant relationships. The goal of developing covenant relationships is to help us learn how to interact with one another in a way that values those around us the way God intended in order to bring Him honor. We make these covenants with God, as a commitment of how we will treat each other. 

Doing this teaches us how God does relationship. It is through this type of interaction that we allow God to enter into our daily lives and draw us closer to one another and to Him.

In all of our relationships through the Prayer Counseling Ministry, we choose to abide by the following covenants:

Covenants of Relationship   

A relational covenant is an agreement you make with God that governs how you do relationship with others. 

1. The Covenant of Grace 

I will love the members of my fellowship, build them up, and accept them in whatever form they come.

I John 4:11-12

2. The Covenant of Truth

I will seek in the timing of the Spirit, to deal directly and truthfully making a common commitment to discover God’s perspective on our issues.

Ephesians 4:15-16

3. The Covenant of Openness 

I will open myself to my group inwardly, my hurts, joys, loves, hates, hopes, disappointment, history.  I will affirm you by needing you and inviting you to be part of my inner life.

James 5:13-16

4. The Covenant of Sacrifice and Prayer 

In our gatherings and throughout the week, I want to make their needs more important than my own as we talk, worship, pray, and fellowship together.  I will pray for others and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit concerning their needs.

Philippians 2:1-4

5. The Covenant of Availability

I will serve God through members of my group with my time, energy, wisdom, finances, and material goods.

Acts 2:44-47

6. Covenant of Faithfulness

I will regard the time that my ministry group spends together weekly as time spent with Jesus in our midst.  I will not grieve the Holy Spirit or hinder his work in your life by my absence, except in emergency.

Hebrews 10:23-25

7. The Covenant of Accountability

I give the right to question, confront, and challenge me in love when I seem to be failing in any aspect of my life under God; family, devotions, general spiritual growth and the like.  I trust those to be in the Spirit and led of Him when they do so.  I need love and correction to better fulfill my God-given ministry.  I promise not to be defensive.

Proverbs 12:1, Proverbs 13:1, Proverbs 13:10

8. The Covenant of Confidentiality

What we share in-group is a trust and sharing without permission would be harmful to the relationships God is building.

Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 11:9, Proverbs 12:23, Proverbs 15:4

9. The Covenant of Outreach

I will find ways to sacrifice for those outside the fellowship and treat them in the same way as I have covenanted with God to treat those in my fellowship.

Mark 12: 30-31

10. The Covenant of Release 

If God calls me elsewhere, I will not leave without His release properly bringing closure to our relationship.  I will feel free to reconnect at any time.

Acts 13: 2-3