The Shepherd's Covenant^®

 Ministry today is more difficult than it has ever been. It seems that each day we hear of another colleague in ministry who has fallen into immorality, another who has burned out, another who has in some way weakened the credibility of those called to God's ministry. Why is this happening in record numbers today?

Perhaps amidst the hectic expectations that we encounter in "real" ministry, we lose sight of the commitments we made when we first accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior. Perhaps the standards by which we promised to live when we followed His call to be His ministers have been overshadowed by exhaustion or carelessness. Whatever the cause, we in ministry more and more are facing a crisis of integrity, righteousness and credibility.

What would it take for each of us in ministry to regain our focus and to recommit ourselves to a lifestyle pleasing to the Lord, to our congregations, to our families and to ourselves? Focus on the Family’s answer to that question is The Shepherd's Covenant ^®, a simple concept that calls spiritual leaders to a new level of accountability and commitment to the call of God on their lives. What would it take? It would take G-R-A-C-E.

We are joined together by a common call of God to feed His sheep, but we are also tied by a common commitment to purity, holiness, righteousness and faithfulness. Our agreement to submit to the Shepherd's Covenant transcends theological differences, denominational connections and local congregational constraints. We are bound to one another by our calls and by the knowledge that one day the Great Shepherd will be the final Judge.

This is a commitment that will have eternal ramifications for the church of Jesus Christ ... and it all begins with you. Thank you for considering the Shepherd's Covenant.