The number of home fellowships, small fellowships, faith communities, or ekklesiae (whatever you choose to call them) are increasing across the globe. These groups are not house churches with regard to current church concepts. There’s no three songs, a prayer, offering, and a senior leader preaching. This is family and community in action. All participate in one form or another. All are responsible for their personal growth. These groups are not church small groups governed by a larger organization which tells them the agenda and what to teach. The fellowships that are organically popping up all over seek the Lord with regards to what He wants to reveal to them.
In a matter of a few years, the concept of the global faith community will encompass the earth. There will be no denominations or hierarchies which stipulate regulations for these fellowships. It will be comparable to families that unite and share with each other what God is saying and doing. Families that agree by the inclination and conviction of the Holy Spirit. Believers will have a common goal to see the Kingdom of God manifest.
These fellowships will be unique. They will have their interests and characteristics. All this is wonderful. But, what does it look like? John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”
Love! The core people in NW Ekklesia feel like they have found genuine relationships, family, and yes love. We adore each other. We trust each other with our deepest problems. These groups are defined by the Hebrew word qahal, community, and family. We’ve heard other fellowships tell us the same.
Personality! Each group has its own personality. Freedom, the group Mike Parsons belongs to operates what they call a therapeutic community. They help homeless and drug addicted individuals. We tease about NW Ekklesia. We say we are an artist’s commune, even though we don’t live together. But, somehow almost everyone is a writer, visual artist, or musician. Every fellowship finds it’s own identity, purpose, and personality. There is no formula as to how we function.
Kingdom Government! Most small groups will have benches of three. Three leaders seeking God’s direction. Groups that are a bit larger will have councils of ten. They will have a leadership or governmental bench of three plus seven others to make up the ten. The two function separately and together. Individuals in their groups will find that they have specific tasks within their community. Tasks such as benevolence, records keeping, mentoring, healing, etc. In order to mature to this level, they have studied and done activations with people like Mike Parsons, Ian Clayton, Justin Abraham or Nancy Coen just to name a few.
Communion! We have found that there is more to communion than a cracker and some wine. Communing is one to another and to God. We have learned that a spiritual family has parents and younger members that eventually grow into parents. So, pretty much, it’s based on peer relationships. Families sit in the round when they eat and talk. So do we. The communal meal, which is dinner for us is very important. (You may meet in the morning. So breakfast would be the communal meal.) Within that meal, just as they did in the last supper, we serve the bread and wine. We usually ascend and participate from the Kingdom realms when we take communion.
Ascension! Yes, this is another earmark of this kind of fellowship. We see in the spirit and travel in the spirit. We’ve been to heaven. we function in the courts of heaven. We carry out God’s directions.
It sounds so simple. But, it is difficult to transition to this kind of fellowship. Old mindsets get in the way. Years and years of programming make us stumble over the simplest things. Lately, we have been helping other groups that ask us about ekklesia. We are also meeting individuals that want to start an ekklesia. We are now seven years functioning and we want to help them steer clear of many of the mistakes we made.
I believe there is much more coming. These groups are popping up all over the globe. I heard about one in Germany made up of theater people. I think one day soon there will be something akin to family reunions. Members from various groups will get together to share what God is doing with each fellowship, and you know there’s always a communal meal. It could be a Barbeque, a banquet, or a potluck. Putting it in simple terms, there will be big parties in the Holy Spirit. As Ephesians 4 says, I am waiting for the day that we all reach unity in the faith and we all attain the whole measure of the wholeness of Christ.
How about you? Do you need community and spiritual family? Is there nothing happening in your neighborhood? It’s really simple to start. Invite your best friend over for lunch or a snack. Spend time sharing what God is doing in your lives. Watch videos together from Kingdom minded speakers. Participate in the activations the speakers have at the end of their videos. In a short time, you will be saying to others, “Guess what happened? God changed my life or I got healed.” You’ll find that others want to join you. If you have questions, ask us. We will be glad to help.
