Family Life Fellowship - Walking out the Vision
Almost nine years ago, God birthed in Suzanne and me a desire for a home fellowship group for young adults.
It started as a casual idea of meeting together, but has evolved into something deeper.
I personally came to northern California for the miracles, but in the process I began to hunger for something more.
I noticed a group of people who were lost and unknown in the larger churches.
I noticed a group of people who stayed hidden in the larger churches - with their pain, their brokenness, their sorrows or their sins.
I noticed a group of people who didn’t connect with superstars and superheroes, but who needed personal pastors and intimate friends.
I noticed a group of people who hungered so much to be ministers of the Gospel, but who felt relegated to sit, lost among a sea of faces, watching others do it from the stage.
I have a vision that has been stirring in me for sometime.
This vision is not a statement against something, someone or any group, but instead it is a hunger for more - more intimacy, more wholeness, more purpose and more simplicity.
This vision is not for everyone and some would choose not to follow.
That is good and that is God.
This vision is not to start a ‘church’ because technically, we are the church.
The church is the body of believers around the world.
We gather as the church.
The vision is to gather as a fellowship of believers.
The vision is:
To gather regularly in homes.
To have personal pastors who know our names, our dreams and our deepest darkness.
To raise up personal pastors, fathers and mothers, from among ourselves.
To be a covenant community of believers who do life together, who pastor each other and who endeavor to see each person step into their God given purposes and giftings.
To be a covenant community in which each believer has access to receiving wholeness. healing, deliverance and freedom through the ministry of the body.
To be a covenant community of accountability and growth.
To be a covenant community in which each member is an intentional disciple maker.
To be simple but Bible centered in our beliefs and practices. No superstars or fancy performances needed.
To be sent out by this family of believers into our purpose and callings.
What church life could look like:
Individually choosing to remain part of larger ‘churches’ in our community as we grow as a fellowship.
Gathering regularly/bi-weekly in homes for meals, fellowship, prayer, worship, testimonies and the study of the Word.
Gathering in groups of no more than 20 adults and 10 children.
Identifying leaders and raising up new home fellowship leaders from among us.
Multiplying into new home fellowships as we grow.
Fellowship groups within the city could meet collectively for a Celebration Service possibly every month or bi-monthly in a rented facility or park. No building programs required.
The primary focus is the fellowship groups and not the larger gatherings.
Creating community outreaches in parks/neighborhoods with the goal of starting Bibles studies there and eventually a fellowship group.
Inviting non-believers or seekers into homes to experience community around Christ.
There would be no boundaries to where fellowships could happen. Fellowships could be started in other cities, counties, states or even countries.
Training up and raising up those among us who could minister inner healing and counseling.
Freedom to be messy, noisy, imperfect together just like family.
Monthly men’s gatherings, women’s gatherings and bi-weekly youth gatherings where building friendships around Christ and the Word is a primary goal.
Life Classes, Freedom Classes, Bible Classes and prayer meetings could be in homes or online.
This is a vision for something, not against something.
This is a vision for growth and moving towards building a deeper more intimate covenant community that gathers around fathers and mothers as we seek the Kingdom of God
Almost nine years ago, God birthed in Suzanne and me a desire for a home fellowship group for young adults.
It started as a casual idea of meeting together, but has evolved into something deeper.
I personally came to northern California for the miracles, but in the process I began to hunger for something more.
I noticed a group of people who were lost and unknown in the larger churches.
I noticed a group of people who stayed hidden in the larger churches - with their pain, their brokenness, their sorrows or their sins.
I noticed a group of people who didn’t connect with superstars and superheroes, but who needed personal pastors and intimate friends.
I noticed a group of people who hungered so much to be ministers of the Gospel, but who felt relegated to sit, lost among a sea of faces, watching others do it from the stage.
I have a vision that has been stirring in me for sometime.
This vision is not a statement against something, someone or any group, but instead it is a hunger for more - more intimacy, more wholeness, more purpose and more simplicity.
This vision is not for everyone and some would choose not to follow.
That is good and that is God.
This vision is not to start a ‘church’ because technically, we are the church.
The church is the body of believers around the world.
We gather as the church.
The vision is to gather as a fellowship of believers.
The vision is:
To gather regularly in homes.
To have personal pastors who know our names, our dreams and our deepest darkness.
To raise up personal pastors, fathers and mothers, from among ourselves.
To be a covenant community of believers who do life together, who pastor each other and who endeavor to see each person step into their God given purposes and giftings.
To be a covenant community in which each believer has access to receiving wholeness. healing, deliverance and freedom through the ministry of the body.
To be a covenant community of accountability and growth.
To be a covenant community in which each member is an intentional disciple maker.
To be simple but Bible centered in our beliefs and practices. No superstars or fancy performances needed.
To be sent out by this family of believers into our purpose and callings.
What church life could look like:
Individually choosing to remain part of larger ‘churches’ in our community as we grow as a fellowship.
Gathering regularly/bi-weekly in homes for meals, fellowship, prayer, worship, testimonies and the study of the Word.
Gathering in groups of no more than 20 adults and 10 children.
Identifying leaders and raising up new home fellowship leaders from among us.
Multiplying into new home fellowships as we grow.
Fellowship groups within the city could meet collectively for a Celebration Service possibly every month or bi-monthly in a rented facility or park. No building programs required.
The primary focus is the fellowship groups and not the larger gatherings.
Creating community outreaches in parks/neighborhoods with the goal of starting Bibles studies there and eventually a fellowship group.
Inviting non-believers or seekers into homes to experience community around Christ.
There would be no boundaries to where fellowships could happen. Fellowships could be started in other cities, counties, states or even countries.
Training up and raising up those among us who could minister inner healing and counseling.
Freedom to be messy, noisy, imperfect together just like family.
Monthly men’s gatherings, women’s gatherings and bi-weekly youth gatherings where building friendships around Christ and the Word is a primary goal.
Life Classes, Freedom Classes, Bible Classes and prayer meetings could be in homes or online.
This is a vision for something, not against something.
This is a vision for growth and moving towards building a deeper more intimate covenant community that gathers around fathers and mothers as we seek the Kingdom of God
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