The purpose of COVnet is to create and recognize a 'network of networks' of both churches and ministries. It is our desire to foster relationships and partnerships between leaders and ministries. We have come together to strengthen and encourage leaders, provide ordination to ministry, and to recognize the credentials of men and women who are affiliated with local congregations, networks, and trans-congregational ministries.

The primary focus of COVnet is specifically to create and recognize groups of ministers who will relate to one another on the basis of covenant. Through the recognition and creation of strong covenantal relationship we can therefore provide mutual support, encouragement and accountability. The founding leaders of COVnet have made public their covenant with one another.

COVnet is a family of ministers that is committed to the historic confessions of Christian faith. It is also committed to the Pentecostal/Charismatic dimension of Christianity and the contemporary movement of the Holy Spirit.


Networks That Provide Ordination To Ministry
Many of the networks that are affiliated with COVnet provide the full services of larger denominations. These networks provide ordination to ministry for those ministers under the spiritual covering of COVnet, and they also give recognition of ordination and credentials to those who have already been set aside to ministry by ordination.

Many of these networks have also obtained a 501c3 status that covers their affiliate churches and missions organizations. These networks may also be 'sending mission organizations', and provide many of our networks provide the same services usually provided by a denomination.


COVENANT FELLOWHIP NETWORK
A 'Covenant Fellowship Network' is a network that does not necessarily provide the usual denominational services, including ordination. These fellowship networks serve pastors and missionaries and churches that desire a deep, satisfying personal, and covenant relationship, and their members may still be affiliated with a denomination. Because these networks are small, they provide a deeply spiritual and interpersonal relationship between spiritual fathers and sons.

Because these networks do not provide ordination, one who is ordained and in fellowship with other networks, or a denomination can find strong spiritual relationship without leaving the spiritual roots in their own fellowship or denomination.


COVENANT MISSION NETWORK
A third type of network affiliated with COVnet is a grouping of ministers or churches that have united together in a special mission project or mission. They joint participation in a mission project, therefore, identifies their relationship with each other.

These networks do not provide ordination, and are simply brought together by a 'joint mission'. However, as these ministers or churches relate together mission, their identification as a network in COVnet provides a venue to develop strong personal covenant relationship with fellow members. COVnet strongly encourages these covenant relationships to develop in the body of Christ.

Networks of Ministries Affiliated with COVnet
Explanation of Terminology
Although each network of churches and ministries utilizes different terminology to define their senior leader, COVnet has chosen to use the term 'Bishop' to define the senior leader. We felt that rather than use terms such as 'Overseer', 'Superintendent' or 'Supervisor', that it was preferable to use the biblical term to define their senior position. The use of the term, 'Bishop', does not imply that this group of churches refers to their leader as Bishop.