Assembly of Bishops COVENANT

October 27, 2026

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.

When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

-Philippians 2:1-11, NLT

In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul presents a glorious vision of a life fully surrendered to Christ's call: a life of servant leadership marked by humility. In our work together, the Assembly of Bishops aspires to that same life, trusting that, by God’s grace and the Holy Spirit's guidance, we may honor the Lord through our service to His Church.

In that spirit, we offer this covenant, reflecting the shared commitments that will guide us in how we live and work together. This covenant clearly and commonly defines who we aspire to be and how we will behave as people called to serve together in the episcopal office of the Global Methodist Church.

Collectively, we commit to the following: 

1. We will keep Jesus Christ at the center of our conversations and prioritize the needs, vision and mission of the Global Methodist Church over personal preferences or comforts.
2. We will practice the means of grace and, depending on the Holy Spirit, will hold one another accountable to pursuing personal spiritual formation and living a holy life.
3. We will pray daily by name for one another and pray together weekly for the spiritual health of the Global Methodist Church. 
4. We will speak both grace and truth transparently in an atmosphere of love. Likewise, we will disagree with respect and kindness using a Matthew 18 approach to relational health.
5. We will value one another's spiritual gifts. Likewise, we will value the gifts and experience of our Bishops Emeriti and draw on their wisdom as needed.
6. We will keep confidence, trusting one another with our hearts and with all matters related to the GMC.
7. We will communicate in such a way that everyone who needs to be informed on any issue receives clear and frequent communication.
8. We will prioritize our weekly meetings, work our agenda, and promptly communicate decisions to all relevant parties.
9. We will be fully present at our meetings, sharing the air and making room for every voice. 
10. We will care for each other’s souls when formal complaints arise. We will also teach and model relational reconciliation over legislative solutions.
11. We will aspire to be a leadership team rather than a team of disconnected leaders. And as a team, we will speak with one voice when making public statements. 
12. We will acknowledge one another’s communications—including email and other normal channels —within 24 hours, unless travel or connectivity prohibits us from doing so.
13. We will champion one another’s callings, rejecting competition and encouraging one another toward healthy boundaries. This includes keeping a healthy and holy Sabbath and taking appropriate time off (including vacation) to care for our souls, relationships and bodies.
14. We will honor the roles of our fellow bishops, as well as the conference superintendents with whom we partner. 
15. We will be wise in our use of social media and consult one another before posting on controversial topics, keeping in mind that we represent a global church.
16. We will assume the best of one another, the Global Episcopacy Committee, and the GMC staff team. We will practice appreciative inquiry with one another, learning, as John Wesley did, the value of great questions over good opinions. 
17. We will share teaching materials and resources with one another.
18. Above all things, we aspire to live a thoroughly Methodist life by doing no harm, doing good and attending upon all the ordinances of God.

With one heart and voice, we pray that our witness might inspire unity in the Body, as Paul advised: 

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future…

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 

-Ephesians 4:1-4, 11-13, NLT

Lord Jesus Christ, through our shared life and witness, may it be so. Amen. 

Bishop Eduard Khegay

Bishop Jerry Kulah

Bishop Paul Lawler

Bishop Jonathan Lee

Bishop Lyndol Loyd

Bishop Carolyn Moore

Bishop Luther Oconer

Bishop Mark Webb