Behavioral Covenants in Congregations: A Handbook for Honoring Differences

by Gil Rendle

This down-to-earth workbook gets to the heart of modern congregational life: how to live creatively together despite differences of age, race, culture, opinion, gender, theological or political position. Alban Senior Consultant Gil Rendle explains how to grow by valuing our differences rather than trying to ignore or blend them. He describes a method of establishing behavioral covenants that includes leadership instruction, training tools, resources (visual models, examples of specific covenants), small-group exercises, plans for meetings and retreats.

148 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Nick Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For pastors working through staff and congregational conflict (which is all pastors with a bit of experience), this is so practical and valuable. Its practicality is why I give it four stars. I would argue against some of Rendle's basic argument that the church has learned bad manners from the world (because I think we church folks are at best on the same bad level, and then that we Christians have even created great ways to relate unhealthily and--yes--sinfully with other people, sometimes despite and sometimes in the name of God). This marks the second time I've been impressed by something by Rendle (the other being *When Moses Meets Aaron: Staffing and Supervision in Large Congregations,* co-authored with Susan Beaumont), and I will be reading more Rendle in the future. Perhaps first up will be his *Holy Conversations: Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations.*

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Browsed it earlier, but pulled it out again to preach on Right Relations. I hope my sermon leads to a congegational covenant

An especially striking illustration – I will use in sermon:
Haverford College - code of ethics great story page 54-55.

Possible reading - first paragraph of introduction.

Importance of differences - illustration from Kathleen Norris Dakota - p x

quote philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre - p xv "when a faith tradition is living ... it's members are engaged in a vibrant embodied argument, stretching across time and space about what the fullest paricipation in its particular goods would entail. -

values of our faith tradition turning into behavior

conflict = two or more ideas in the same place at the same time

Stephen Carter “Criticism is the beginning of dialogue and in a vibrant democracy dialogue is what citizens do.” P. 47

In the back of the book he has several outlines for facilitating writing a covenant, as well as several resourcs - "Holy Manners" a 12 page digest of the whole book, several exercises, Examples of unhealthy Congregational Norms - healthy vs unhealthy conflict index and examples of behavioral covenants.

[NiaDwyn— · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for folks working within religious communities struggling with group versus individual needs and questions of authority within community. Useful and clarifying!