Launch Team Covenants P.1

About half of the planters I work with utilize a launch team covenant.  The typical reason not to have a covenant is that people might find it strange and it could be a barrier to people joining the team.  Let me start by debunking that myth.  People sign agreements almost daily and most of them without even thinking about it let along reading what they are signing.  Every time you purchase something with a debit or credit card you are signing a covenant, an agreement to pay.  Most software comes with license agreements that you have to click “I Agree.”  When was the last time you read through the 20 pages of that iTunes agreement?  Most any application is going to require your signature.  I could go on.  People are used to signing things.  Don’t let this keep you from doing a covenant.  If the word is strange in your context, call a team agreement, team expectations, a contract, but don’t let the word keep you from doing it.

So what are the reasons for having a launch team covenant?  Here are a few.

1. Define Expectations. A committed team is critical to the health and growth of the church. Having clear expectations of the team players will help ensure the health and success of the team. People who are held to higher standards typically have higher levels of commitment. By setting clear expectations from the beginning, the expectations will become part of your “cultural language”.
2. A Filter for Those You Don’t Want on the Team. Not all people who want to become part of your team should be allowed to. In the absence of written expectations, your tendency will be to allow anyone to join. People have many different motives for joining your team. However, people who do not share your vision, values and beliefs AND your passion for reaching lost people are potentially bombs waiting to explode. We’ve all met the kind of people who, if committed to your vision, are worth 50 other people. They are on fire. They are people magnets. They have influence. Likewise, these same people who do not share your vision can end up doing the damage of 50 negative people. It is much better to proactively deal with the vision and commitment issues before significant damage happens later. One influential and likable team player can cause a split / division.
3. You Know Who is in and Who is Not. Sometimes we deceive ourselves because building the launch team is so hard.  We meet someone at Starbucks who is interested and in our heads start thinking of them as on the team.  We get people who come to a launch team meeting and assume they are in.  But when push comes to shove and you start asking them to serve, they aren’t around.  I had one planter who thought he had 30 adults on his launch team only to find that when he asked them to show up for preview services, there were really only about 12 committed.  When they sign the covenant and either begin giving financially or serving on a ministry team, you know they are in.
4. A Discipleship Tool. The covenant should paint a picture for what a disciple in your church should look like. There will be some on the launch team who won’t be there yet.  In fact, if you are reaching non-Christians, most of them won’t be there yet.  The covenant gives them something to work towards.  It paints the picture of a mature Christian and allows the freedom for people to take their next step.  This will allow anyone regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey to join the team.  It will also give you a tool to follow up with people on their growth.  This type of approach is highly relational rather than trying to craft a statement that hits everyone with one broad stroke.  Here’s an example of one expectation from one of my planter’s covenants.

Generosity: As a member of the Reunion launch team, I commit myself to cultivating a life of generosity. My desire is to continue to grow in such a way that my life is marked by regular financial sacrifice – tithing – to Reunion for the ongoing health and well-being of the church.

You can clearly see through this expectation what the mark of a disciple is.  But you can also see that there is room to grow.  You don’t have to have arrived yet.  If all the covenant becomes is a set of rules, then you will have trouble getting many to sign it.  This approach leaves room for non-Christian to participate in the church as well as the mature believer.

Just as you are very picky in selecting staff, be very thorough in the process of allowing people to join your team. Some planters struggle with developing the team so they lower their standards for involvement to get more people.  Be careful with this.  Your team will set the DNA of the church.  Make sure everyone is on board with the vision.