Statement of Accountability

APOSTOLIC COVERING

Following are some areas that a church and its leaders should benefit from apostolic covering:

• Counsel - In vision, helping to define it, refine it and articulate it.   In doctrine, to help deal with doctrinal issues confronting a church or causing division in the church.   In church discipline, this is especially helpful in difficult cases to avoid personal attacks against leadership when a member needs discipline.
   
• Protection - This is to provide an atmosphere of safety and security for both the pastor and the people.   To protect the people- if a leader falls into error or sin or becomes dictatorial, the congregation knows they have someone to appeal to, helping to avoid a church split.   To protect the pastor – At times the Pastor needs someone to speak on his behalf. He needs protection against false accusations.
   
• Accountability - Having apostolic covering gives the pastor someone to be accountable to, someone to talk to, relate to and just sound off to.
   
• Confirmation - Apostolic covering can be used to confirm and ordain elders and other 5-fold gifts in the church. Having someone else to interview and confirm candidates for ministry can provide an objective view that is often missing in independent churches.
   
• Encouragement - Visits by apostolic covering can bring encouragement and blessing to a local church.
   

Commitment - Apostolic covering doesn’t work unless there is a level of commitment by a pastor and congregation. Every pastor knows the value and importance of commitment in the local church. A level of commitment is needed if you’re going to entrust someone with ministry responsibility in the local church.  As an fellowship we have come to realize that there are some basic commitments a pastor and local church need to make to fully benefit from apostolic oversight:

Spiritual Covering and Training, Network of Ministries and Churches

• Leadership Training and Resources, Ministerial Credentials
• Relational Fellowship, Regional Meetings and Support Networks
• Pastoral Development & Mentorship, Global Evangelism and Mission Outreach.

ETHICS AND CONDUCT

CODE OF ETHICS

It is a requirement that every member of The Dominion Covenant Fellowship of Churches International accept and adhere to the following ministerial ethics: Each member has a right to their own style and personality as they follow Christ.

• To conduct one’s affairs in morals, finances, and business relations with a high degree of Spiritual Character and integrity.
• To maintain a teachable spirit towards the other leaders of the Fellowship.
• To speak in a respectful and edifying manner where other members of the Fellowship are concerned.
• To abstain, directly or indirectly, in any issue that would cause a church split.
• To not sow seeds of discord among the body by gossip, rumors, and opinionated criticism.
• To abstain from the consumption or use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs.
• To pursue a Spiritual relationship with other members of the Fellowship.
• To respect the rights of others and allow them to be different if their actions comply with the written Word of God.
• To deal justly as the Scriptures command concerning all areas of fellowship, relationships, unity, and brotherly love.
• To follow the procedure as commanded in the Scriptures when faced with a brother or sister who is in violation of these ethics or any other Biblical moral standard.
• To agree to adhere to our statement of faith and ministerial Ethics.

CODE OF CONDUCT

Each member shall abide by the following:

1. Members must walk with integrity, excellence, and respect for oneself and others
2. Members should realize the significance of their connection to this Fellowship and conduct themselves as honorable ambassadors of the same.
3. Members should not openly degrade, humiliate, and/or demean person(s) to exalt themselves or assert their authority.
4. Members are expected to demonstrate both Saintly attitudes and behavior when working with issues that necessitate executive decision, insight, and expertise.
5. Members must not jeopardize the growth or image of the Fellowship at large, by public sin, personal degradation, aggrandizement, accusation, and/or an attempt to exercise their individual influence in the Fellowship.
6. Members, in accordance with biblical principles, should refrain from idle gossip and rumors.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The Dominion Covenant Fellowship of Churches International, provides spiritual covering, protection and support for ministers and business leaders through accountability.  Accountability is the practical dimension of covenant. Jesus always dealt with His disciples through covenant relationships. In the Church, we are called to participate in the same type of relationships. The more we know about each other’s strengths and weaknesses, the more we can depend on each other in times of need. We are better equipped to protect each other. Truth and honesty in all situations ensure the solidity of the covenant relationship. We can participate in covenant when our hearts are knit together by the Lord.

Why we need covenant relationships in our lives:

1. To experience unconditional love
2. To fulfill personal destiny
3. For encouragement
4. To activate giftings and anointings
5. To uncover blind spots that are otherwise ignored

What will accountability do for me?

1. Provide spiritual covering and protection
2. Strengthen ministry relationships
3. Supply provision in times of need
4. Receive healthy correction for life course adjustments
5. Release blessings to the next generation
6. Produce spiritual growth and development.

What kind of leaders do we expect to work with?

We expect to work with cutting edge people who desire to pioneer new strategies as we seek to do what we pray……….” Lord, let your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

• City, County, State and National Watchmen
• Strategic or apostolic minded fivefold ministers in the church, business, government, media, education, healthcare, and family ministries.
• Prophets who serve as watchmen in cities, counties, states, and nations
• Prayer leaders and ministry leaders who oversee intercessors in a certain geographic area and are passionate to see 24-hour prayer, praise and worship established in a city in the spirit of David’s Tabernacle.
• Prophetic people.

Benefits

1. Equipping through teaching, mentoring, impartation, and ministry team assignments.
2. Leadership opportunities
3. Increased vision and synergy
4. An environment that encourages genuine covenant relationships
5. Identification and impartation of personal ministry gifts, activation, commissioning, and ordination.
6. Building relationships with other likeminded leaders
7. Opportunity to be a part of the current apostolic move in the earth
8. Challenge to reach God’s destiny for your life
9. A support for you, your spiritual foundation, and a covering for protection through accountability.
10. Prayer and counseling for you and your ministry (in any of the 7 spheres) development

Our Values

We are dedicated to God, His Word, and the centrality of Jesus Christ.  Everything is based upon the Word of God, and it is the ultimate standard.

We are dedicated to a Biblical Worldview of the Kingdom of God.

• Jesus is King and He rules.
• We are called to bring forth the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven in all spheres of society.
• Power of God – We are called to demonstrate the power of God for character, healing, provision, relationships, deliverance, signs, and wonders
• We are called to make disciples of all nations.

Interdependent - There is one church with many local congregations and there is one body, and each person is uniquely important.

We give precedence to the presence of God

Prayer is vital to maintaining ongoing communication that develops spiritual intimacy.

Praise and worship flow out of love and our Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of extravagant worship and praise expressed in all Biblical forms of worship including the redeemed arts.

Vision - Personal destiny cannot be fully realized apart from alignment with a corporate vision.

Faith - Nothing is impossible with God

Faith is courage in action

We value risk takers and those who push the envelope in their relationship with God and the application of His Word in our spheres of influence.

• Faith without works is dead
• A righteous man falls 7 times, but he gets back up.
• Spiritual Catalysts – We are not theorist but practitioners who lead by example and guide communities into a genuine encounter with God.

Creativity - God is dynamic and creative therefore we endeavor to be like Him as we explore new creative ways to serve mankind and manifest God’s love and power.

Covenant Relationships - We develop and commit to deep relationships that help contribute to our   life purpose and destiny. Covenant is essential for teamwork and war. Covenant involves an agreement, benefits for keeping covenant and consequences for breaking covenant.

Team Ministry - There is an exponential increase in giftings and anointings when we bring them together to form a team.

We are interdependent and network teams are built upon permanent, transparent relationships that function with accountability.

Servanthood - We seek to advance the gospel by serving each other in love.

Honor - The glory and honor of our Lord and Savior is of ultimate importance, not my ministry, my church, or me.   We will endeavor esteem others better than ourselves and render honor and respect.

Obedience - A commitment to releasing agendas, thoughts, and desires to fully live for God’s purpose and will.

Integrity - We will endeavor to develop Christ-like character and display that in our ministries businesses and personal lives.

Stewardship - We are called to steward and be distributors of the resources God puts within our   hands to establish the gospel of the Kingdom.

Our stewardship will reflect, people first, programs second and buildings third.

We believe a spirit of excellence should be exhibited in all we do and produce.

We should honor the Lord in all we do in business, ministry and in our personal lives.  We seek to be good stewards of all the gifts, talents and words God has given.

As we work together to transform communities you will have an excellent opportunity to have your unique ministry gifts identified and utilized for an increased impact in the earth.