Exalt the Saviour: Through Building the Fellowship

Exalt the Saviour: Exalt the Saviour: Through Building the Through Building the

FellowshipFellowship

ObjectiveObjective

Provide the necessary understanding Provide the necessary understanding for the believer to be effective in for the believer to be effective in ministry by covering the following:ministry by covering the following:

Fellowship, types of fellowship;Fellowship, types of fellowship; Identify threats to fellowship;Identify threats to fellowship; How to overcome threats to the How to overcome threats to the

fellowship by maintaining a balanced fellowship by maintaining a balanced church life.church life.

What would be your definition of What would be your definition of

fellowshipfellowship?? My definition of fellowship is “to have a My definition of fellowship is “to have a

personal communion with God and a personal communion with God and a unified gathering with other individuals unified gathering with other individuals of similar experiences and beliefs.” of similar experiences and beliefs.” Fellowship is then about relationships Fellowship is then about relationships and the different experiences, which and the different experiences, which allows individuals to react towards each allows individuals to react towards each other in an encouraging and concerned other in an encouraging and concerned way.way.

How are we united together in How are we united together in fellowship?fellowship?

Fellowship is both vertical and Fellowship is both vertical and horizontal. horizontal.

Fellowship is initially with God and Fellowship is initially with God and his son; this means that an individual his son; this means that an individual must first be a partaker of the must first be a partaker of the spiritual union that exists within the spiritual union that exists within the relationship of the father and son. relationship of the father and son.

What are the two aspects What are the two aspects of fellowship?of fellowship?

Vertical fellowship is the experience Vertical fellowship is the experience of partaking in the shared life of God of partaking in the shared life of God and the enjoining of that life with the and the enjoining of that life with the believer. It is impossible to be believer. It is impossible to be actively participating in a lifestyle of actively participating in a lifestyle of sin and have fellowship with a God sin and have fellowship with a God who has no traits of sin. who has no traits of sin.

What are the two aspects What are the two aspects of fellowship?of fellowship?

Fellowship is horizontal, which is Fellowship is horizontal, which is basically participating with other basically participating with other believers who have the same vertical believers who have the same vertical experience of God, expressed in experience of God, expressed in partnership and participation of the partnership and participation of the same ideals. This fellowship is a same ideals. This fellowship is a communion of believers who partake in communion of believers who partake in the same sufferings and joys together. the same sufferings and joys together.

What is the difference between What is the difference between exclusive and inclusive fellowship? exclusive and inclusive fellowship?

Exclusive definition:Exclusive definition: A fellowship that is exclusive is one that A fellowship that is exclusive is one that

enjoys the company of known individuals enjoys the company of known individuals within the fellowship but tends not to show a within the fellowship but tends not to show a real interest and concern for others outside of real interest and concern for others outside of their circle of interest. Such a fellowship may their circle of interest. Such a fellowship may be exclusive in its own ideals but at the be exclusive in its own ideals but at the expense of being insensitive and even selfish expense of being insensitive and even selfish towards the needs of others; such fellowships towards the needs of others; such fellowships isolate and give the experience of being hard isolate and give the experience of being hard to get into.to get into.

What is the difference between What is the difference between exclusive and inclusive fellowship? exclusive and inclusive fellowship?

Cont..Cont..

Inclusive definition:Inclusive definition: Inclusive fellowship is a fellowship that Inclusive fellowship is a fellowship that

seeks to include individuals from all seeks to include individuals from all backgrounds, regardless of their appearance backgrounds, regardless of their appearance or abilities. An inclusive church will be or abilities. An inclusive church will be active in fulfilling the commission of Christ active in fulfilling the commission of Christ by reaching people from cultural and ethical by reaching people from cultural and ethical backgrounds. Such a church will seek to backgrounds. Such a church will seek to make disciples for Christ outside of normal make disciples for Christ outside of normal church activities and will reflect the true life church activities and will reflect the true life of Christ, which is sacrificial and not biased of Christ, which is sacrificial and not biased upon ones own agendas. upon ones own agendas.

How can external opposition, How can external opposition, hypocrisy, and dissension threaten to hypocrisy, and dissension threaten to undermine the fellowship of a church?undermine the fellowship of a church?

External opposition:External opposition: External opposition undermines the External opposition undermines the

churches fellowship by criticising the churches fellowship by criticising the church and trying to change the way church and trying to change the way the church functions. the church functions.

Criticism can cause the church to Criticism can cause the church to undermine its ability to listen to God undermine its ability to listen to God given directives. given directives.

How can external opposition, How can external opposition, hypocrisy, and dissension threaten to hypocrisy, and dissension threaten to undermine the fellowship of a church? undermine the fellowship of a church?

Cont..Cont.. Hypocrisy:Hypocrisy: Hypocrisy in the church undermines the Hypocrisy in the church undermines the

fellowship, this occurs when individuals fellowship, this occurs when individuals appear to be sincere in their commitment to appear to be sincere in their commitment to the church, but are not. Such individual/s the church, but are not. Such individual/s really try to show an outward sacrificial really try to show an outward sacrificial appearance in-order to receive praise and to appearance in-order to receive praise and to be noted among the brethren. This type of be noted among the brethren. This type of situation is not true fellowship and greatly situation is not true fellowship and greatly diminishes the power within the church. diminishes the power within the church.

How can external opposition, How can external opposition, hypocrisy, and dissension threaten to hypocrisy, and dissension threaten to undermine the fellowship of a church? undermine the fellowship of a church?

Cont..Cont.. Dissension:Dissension: Dissension affects the church by Dissension affects the church by

undermining authority and causing undermining authority and causing the church to be disrupted by the church to be disrupted by internal problems, rather than internal problems, rather than continuing to build the church in continuing to build the church in evangelism and by becoming more evangelism and by becoming more mature mature

How to overcome threats that may How to overcome threats that may undermine the fellowshipundermine the fellowship

principles of a principles of a balanced Church lifebalanced Church life can be implemented in order to can be implemented in order to prepare for factors, which may arise, prepare for factors, which may arise, that could affect the evangelical that could affect the evangelical work of the church fellowship, the work of the church fellowship, the discipleship and mentoring process. discipleship and mentoring process.

How to overcome threats that may How to overcome threats that may undermine the fellowship Cont..undermine the fellowship Cont..

The church should be educated to The church should be educated to under stand every ministry to be under stand every ministry to be ‘Christ centred’ then this will bring ‘Christ centred’ then this will bring about balance in every area of about balance in every area of ministry instead of believing that ministry instead of believing that there are only some areas of ministry there are only some areas of ministry that are purposeful. that are purposeful.


A person centred approach to A person centred approach to evangelism could help to effectively evangelism could help to effectively disciple those who have been won to disciple those who have been won to Christ. The person centred approach Christ. The person centred approach teaches beyond looking at numerical teaches beyond looking at numerical growth and people has a means to what growth and people has a means to what the church would like to achieve; This the church would like to achieve; This approach would help to overcome approach would help to overcome internal dissent and inclusive internal dissent and inclusive church behaviour.church behaviour.


The fellowship must be ‘bible The fellowship must be ‘bible centred’ in order to mentor centred’ in order to mentor effectively. The bible centred effectively. The bible centred approach will help the fellowship to approach will help the fellowship to receive instruction for successful receive instruction for successful Christian living and witness. Christian living and witness.


The church must also be The church must also be obedience obedience centredcentred in order to fulfil any of the in order to fulfil any of the principles of a balanced life. Without principles of a balanced life. Without obedience to the commands of God obedience to the commands of God there could be no effective witness or there could be no effective witness or Christ centred approach to the work Christ centred approach to the work of winning souls for Christ. of winning souls for Christ.


The Church must develop in areas of The Church must develop in areas of worship, worship, evangelism and pastoral careevangelism and pastoral care. .

Worship must be meaningful and allow for true Worship must be meaningful and allow for true expression towards God. expression towards God.

Evangelism must be consistent and dynamic. Evangelism must be consistent and dynamic. Pastoral care in the form of nurture and Pastoral care in the form of nurture and

guidance is essential in order to incorporate guidance is essential in order to incorporate new converts into the life of the fellowship. new converts into the life of the fellowship.

The EndThe End

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Exalt the Saviour: Through Building the Fellowship