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Pillar 2. Promote Christian Fellowship

(fellowship/interpersonal/engaging/relational/communion)

a. FMC is committed to taking our next steps towards Christ together in fellowship, communion with Christ, and with each other

b. FMC sees this as the “TOGETHER” in our mission of taking our next steps toward Christ

c. FMC ensures Christ is at the center of all communal engagements; we promote a fellowship of believers in Christ

d. FMC regularly celebrates communion, reminding us of our need of a Savior & proclaiming Christ’s resurrecting power

e. FMC promotes micro and macro expressions that are intentionally engaging with a Christ-centered focus

f. FMC promotes relationships across all demographics and socioeconomic backgrounds

g. FMC values all members of our diverse team and everyone is treated as a child of God

h. FMC desires to know people at a deep level, so we must each allow ourselves to be known, warts and all

"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
Rom 12: 1-2 (The Message)
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."
Acts 2:42-47
"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
Rom 12:3-8
"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts."
1 Cor 12: 27-31
"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
Eph 4: 11-16
"God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
1 Cor 1:9
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ."
1 John 1:1-3
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
Heb 10:25
"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."
Matt 18:20
"that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me."
John 17, 21-23
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Reformed [ECO] Theological Tenets

Saints by their profession are bound to maintain a holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in outward things, according to their several abilities and necessities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who, in every place, call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.

Q. 55. What do you understand by “the communion of saints”?

A. First, that believers one and all, as partakers of the Lord Christ, and all his treasures and gifts, shall share in one fellowship. Second, that each one ought to know that he is obliged to use his gifts freely and with joy for the benefit and welfare of other members.

ECO Tenets: The congregation’s fellowship shall be open to all who seek to explore spiritual life by participating in the fellowship of the risen Lord. The congregation shall be gracious in providing pastoral care to all who consider themselves a part of the congregation, in the hope that these spiritual friends might become members of Christ’s body. All who put their trust in Jesus Christ are welcomed to receive the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.

ECO Tenets: Each covenant partner shall strive to be faithful to Christ by participating in the congregation’s worship, fellowship, and service on an ongoing basis. Faithfulness in Christ as a covenant partner, involves a commitment to growth into spiritual maturity as a disciple of Christ and dedication of time and talents to the congregation’s mission and ministry, in accordance to the gifts that God has bestowed upon him or her. Faithfulness also involves the stewardship of finances. As each covenant partner grows in the grace of giving, financial support of the congregation’s mission and ministry should grow, along with tangible support for other ministries that advance God’s Kingdom.

Those who are invited to take significant leadership roles in the congregation should be spiritually mature, carefully selected, trained and/or mentored ordinarily be covenant partners for at least a year, and shall agree and adhere to the Essential Tenets of ECO.

Recommended Books

Venues to Implement this Pillar

1. Volunteer as an auxiliary deacon
2. Volunteer at an upcoming church gathering
3. Invite people to join you for prayer and a discussion of a recent sermon
4. Check in on people via text a couple times a week
5. Host a spontaneous ice cream social in your neighborhood

Platforms & Exercises to Develop this Pillar

  • Identify good material online to text or email friends and family to encourage fellowship
  • Hold a meeting among the pillar to practice fellowshipping with others
  • Discuss how fellowship involves meeting to glorify Jesus, and how it is not about meeting to gossip and just hang out
  • Discuss how you build up and encourage people without complimenting or leading them into sins of self
  • Hold a whiteboard session to identify ways to bolster fellowship in the church
  • Identify ways other than a church pot luck or picnic to encourage people to join in fellowship
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