We are a group of people who are interested in walking, thinking, loving and talking like Jesus. We have come alongside one another in order to…..
EMBRACE the life and principles of Jesus as a lifestyle!
MENTOR others into the Jesus lifestyle!
BELIEVE God will raise up leaders and resources!
EMPOWER the youth of the world!
RESTORE the broken, fallen, wounded, abused and addicted!
SERVE everyone in the spirit and love of Jesus!
Listen in on Jesus’ prayer about the fellowship…
I spelled out your character in detail to the men and women you gave me. They were yours in the first place; then you gave them to me, and they have now done what you said. They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that everything you gave me is firsthand from you, for the message you gave me, I gave them; and they took it, and were convinced that I came from you. They believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I’m not praying for the God-rejecting world but for those you gave me, For they are yours by right. Everything mine is yours, and yours mine, and my life is on display in them. For I’m no longer going to be visible in the world; they’ll continue in the world while I return to you.
Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life that you conferred as a gift through me, so they can be one heart and mind as we are one heart and mind. As long as I was with them, I guarded them in the pursuit of the life you gave through me; I even posted a night watch and not one of them got away, except for the rebel bent on destruction (the exception that proved the rule of Scripture).
Now I’m returning to you. I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing so my people can experience my joy completed in them. I gave them your word; the godless world hated them because of it, because they didn’t join the world’s ways, just as I didn’t join the world’s ways. I’m not asking that you take them out of the world, but that you guard them from the Evil One. They are no more defined by the world than I am defined by the world. Make them holy—set apart for a mission—with the truth; Your word is truth. In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. I’m consecrating myself for their sakes so they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission.
I’m praying not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me. The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me. The same glory you gave me, I gave them, so they’ll be as unified and together as we are—I in them and you in me. Then they’ll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that you’ve sent me and loved them in the same way you’ve loved me. Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, having loved me long before there ever was a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, but I have known you, and these disciples know that you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them—who you are and what you do—and continue to make it known, so that your love for me might be in them exactly as I am in them (John 17:6-26).
He wants you in…He wants you in far…He wants you to bring others in… Make fellowship a verb in your life!
COME ALONGSIDE US and let’s WALK TOGETHER!
WHAT WE DO
We work with the problems of alienation in the family, in the community and in the world. We want to bring the message of reconciliation and freedom to individuals everywhere! Our approach is not religious, political or commercial, but simply the model of Jesus’ lifestyle and teachings.
We believe there have been 4 primary stages of alienation that have contributed to the destruction of every society:
1. INTELLECTUALISM—Blurry picture of God!
2. IDOLATRY—Blurry picture of self!
3. IMMORALITY—Blurry picture of male/femaleness!
4. INSURRECTION—Blurry picture of human rights!
No society is exempt and only the powerful teachings of Jesus can provide the necessary intervention to reverse the negative effects of these devastating stages throughout history.
We practice fellowship is a verb as the solution to alienation…
In order to effectively bring the Good News of reconciliation to a world filled with alienation we have found that we must operate in a fellowship!
The fellowship is not an organization, an institution or a denomination. The fellowship is a verb that, when properly activated, has the power to change the world—one person at a time! In order to use the fellowship as a verb you must learn the fellowship principle…
The designated partners within the fellowship include Jesus Christ, Jesus’ followers and you. The fellowship is not a religious system of do’s and don’ts. The fellowship is not in an organization, not in Christianity, not in churchianity or not in any institution. The fellowship is with God Himself (Father, His Son Jesus and His Spirit) and with His people.
The fellowship principle is the full application of this dynamic partnership between God and His people. When the fellowship is functioning properly, there is no need for heavy promotions. It all has to do with attraction to Jesus, Jesus’ people and Jesus’ mission. The fellowship operates on the principle of attraction, not promotion.
THE DYNAMITE OF THE FELLOWSHIP PRINCIPLE
When I was a young believer, I adopted Romans 1:16 as my life verse: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” Paul prays that the “eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:18-29). And when the gospel message of Jesus went out to the city of Thessalonica, “the gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction…”(I Thessalonians 1:5). It’s difficult to read the life and works of Jesus and the early church and miss the powerful explosiveness of the Good News!
So, how can believers today embrace that same kind of power? Is there a spiritual formula that I must discover? A special, supernatural experience that I must know? A certain version of the Bible? A specially anointed denomination or group that I must join? Do I need more of the Holy Spirit?
None of the above is the answer. It’s more simple than that! In fact, Paul put it this way: “I’m afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, that your minds might be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (II Corinthians 11:3-5).
This simplicity of Jesus is all wrapped in the fellowship principle. Let’s examine the model of Jesus, the mode of the disciples and the mandate for the 21st Century.
First, the model of Jesus.
Think about it! If you were out to start a movement that would change the world through its message of faith, love and hope, how would you have orchestrated it? I would have launched into doing massive seminars and workshops to as many people as possible. My model for reaching the world would have been filled with the latest papyri flyers being handed out by the best trained management and sales team ever! Jesus did just the opposite. He came into this world with a quiet, yet supernatural birth. He performed quiet, yet powerful miracles, mostly on individuals.
Instead of a series of massive, promotional events, Jesus chose to work with a few. He chose a few just to come alongside Him—to be with Him (3 and 12). Note that He didn’t lay out a plan to reach the world right away. That came later. Then, after experiencing the power of being together with the few and learning how to love one another, He sent out several more followers into the villages with His message (72 and 120).
Jesus’ strategy proved to be the most dynamite movement ever launched! This movement of a few were unlikely people who were used to turn the world upside down! Now that’s powerful!
Second, the mode of the disciples.
The disciples of Jesus learned to follow the model that was set. They always traveled and ministered in teams of two or more. When you read the book of I Thessalonians, you will discover that the ministry that followed Jesus’ pattern echoed forth from the believers in Thessalonica throughout Greece and much of the rest of the world.
They were known for their faith that worked (work of faith), their love that worked (labor of love) and their hope that stayed (steadfastness of hope). These believers saw people in Thessalonica and all of Greece turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for Jesus to return.
The most shocking thing about this powerful explosion in northern Greece is how it all began! Since first seeing this through a brother and friend, I have asked a question over and over to pastors, professors, counselors, bible students and to hundreds of people within church congregations. The question is simple. After reading the first chapter of the book of I Thessalonians, I ask “Who wrote I Thessalonians?” I have never received the correct answer yet! Most everyone answers, “Paul!” I did the same thing when I was asked. However, in the very first verse it clearly tells you that it was Paul, Silvanus and Timothy. These three wrote the book! And it was the dynamite relationship of these three men that the Thessalonians imitated!
These three men practiced the fellowship principle and their work proved to be most effective—most powerful!
Maybe this is the missing link that we’ve all been praying and searching for…the fellowship principle.
Third, the mandate for the 21st Century.
Paul must have been a southerner, because he used what I call “the y’all principle” throughout most of his writing. Take a look: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you (among y’all), with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God”(Colossians 3:16). Or, “I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you (in y’all)” (Galatians 4:19). Or, “Christ in you (in y’all), the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
Paul is commanding believers everywhere to allow Jesus to make His dwelling place (make Himself at home) as you come together into the fellowship. The dynamite (power) of the gospel will be present in the midst of a few who are gathered together in Jesus’ name. The y’all principle is the fellowship principle! If you want to be powerful and effective in spreading the message of Jesus, you must do it His way. WDJD? (What Did Jesus Do?) is far more powerful than discussing WWJD? (What Would Jesus Do?). Your “I” will be powerfully turned into “we.”
