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The Covenant for the Face-To-Face Accountability and Recreation Fellowship
Original by
Gary J. Oliver, Ph.D.
Handed out at the 2000 Woodmen Valley Chapel
Men's Retreat
plus updates by WVC Black Forest TLC Mens
Accountability group
Last update: December 19, 2000
Prayer
His Purpose For Us
We are gathered in the name of Jesus and
He is in our midst. Before God and each other we have made a
commitment to faithfully gather together with these purposes in
mind:
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to deepen our character as disciples of Jesus Christ and
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to strengthen each other as men of integrity
Through mutual affirmation and
meaningful accountability, our aim is to challenge and inspire
one another to faithfulness, love and good works.
We commit to be
completely honest with one another, to speak the
truth in love, allowing iron to sharpen iron, and to
maintain the covenant of confidentiality.
May God's Holy Spirit bless us, and may
we find comfort, safety, fellowship and encouragement during our
time together.
The Nine Accountability Questions
(Take the time to read through each of these with each
man answering out loud yes or no. If your answer is no, what do you
need to confess and ask prayer for? Begin each question with, "Since
I was last with you in this group ...)
Have I been with a woman in any way that could be
viewed as compromising?
Have all my financial dealings been filled with
integrity?
Have I chosen to linger over sexually explicit
material that I have read or viewed, or have I allowed my mind to
dwell on provocative thoughts or images that have crossed the line
that my God has clearly revealed to me should not be
crossed?
Have I spent regular and adequate time in Bible
study and prayer? If no, then am I improving?
Have I been a servant to my wife, have I
nourished and cherished her, have I sought to love her as Christ
loves the church and gave Himself for her?
Does my calendar demonstrate that I have made
myself and my family a priority and spent quantity/quality time
with myself/them?
Have I been faithful in exercising my
responsibility in the workspace with integrity before God and man?
Have I just misled, deceived or lied to you
through minimization or omission?
Have I been faithful in praying daily for each
brother in this group by name?
The Footprints of God
What experiences of prayer, meditation, and/or
spiritual reading have you had this week?
What did God teach you about holiness of heart
and life? What temptations did you face and how did you
respond? What will you do different because of what you
learned?
Have you sensed any influence or work of the
Holy Spirit this past week? Is there a fruit of the Spirit
that God is enabling you to exercise?
Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control."
In which of the fruits of the Spirit have you
sensed an increase in the past week?
What opportunities to serve others have you had
this past week? What did God teach you as you sought to "love
your neighbor as yourself?" Were you able to work for
justice in some area?
In what ways did you encounter God in your
reading of the Bible this week? Was there a special verse that
you committed to memory? Did you have an opportunity to share
your faith with someone this week? If so, describe the
experience.
A Reminder: The Godly Man is a Man of Discipline
I am committed to consistently set aside time for
prayer, meditation, and spiritual reading, as well as seek to
practice the presence of God.
I am committed to study the Scriptures regularly
and share my faith with others as God leads.
I am committed to seek the gifts of the Holy
Spirit, nurturing the fruit and experiencing the joy and power of
the Spirit.
I am committed to seek opportunities to serve
others everywhere I can and will work for justice in all human
relationships and social structures.
By God's grace, I will strive mightily against
sin, and will do deeds of love and mercy that lead to
righteousness.
Looking Ahead/Personal Application
Have you shared with me all that God has clearly
prompted you to say to me regarding something about myself or our
relationship?
When will we meet again?
Where will we meet?
When will we play together?
What is one special area God wants you to work on
before our next meeting?
What specific exercises would you like to try?
Prayer Requests and Prayer
Please remember that what you have said here and what
you have heard hear was spoken in confidence and should remain here
when you leave.
May the peace of God the Father, the love of Jesus
Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit be with us all this week as
He is faithful to work within us both to will and to do His good
work.
Amen
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