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I have to begin by saying that this site is a personal endeavor. Its purpose is to publicise a network of small churches known as Christian Fellowships. It is a personal view rather than a "corporate statement" because the churches are autonomous - there is no formal, centralized administration. The links are through friendship and the common identity and purpose of the Holy Spirit.
I have been involved with "the Fellowships" since 1986 and I can say that the experience is very much like that of a marriage - "I love you, darling, but...". Frustrations at the lack of formality and failure to promote the churches and their activities - yet utter admiration and wonderment at seeing the effects of the overwhelming love of God displayed in lives that echo the apostle Paul's statement "Be followers of me, even as I am of Christ".
It is wholly appropriate, therefore, that this site gives my own personal view - the churches are made up of people - those people are my brothers and sisters in Christ.
I have to say at the outset that the Fellowships are churches with a small 'c'. There is only one Church (capital 'C') and that is the one referred to in the bible as "The Church of Christ". It belongs to Jesus Christ but comprises many differing styles of local churches and assemblies. The Fellowships are mainstream Christian churches and enjoy communion with other churches.
The origin of the Fellowships can be found in a move of God in the 1960's when many "house churches" were set up. Many people were led to consider how far the Church had moved away from the nature and character of the Church revealed in the bible book of Acts. There was a deep desire planted by God to see a return to basic biblical principles.
In Acts, meetings of believers took place in houses and there was general understanding that a church was not a building but a group of believing Christians. The gifts of the Holy Spirit - speaking in tongues, prophecy, interpretation were exhibited. Prayer underpinned the life of the church. There was a clear understanding that God's way and standards were opposed to those seen in 'the world'. The world's ways were found in words and phrases such as 'Me', 'My', 'Self' - God was looking for people who would give themselves to the world in order to win disciples by showing forth the love of Christ.
An early vision given by God to the Fellowships was that of a tree in Autumn with leaves in a pile around its base. A wind came and scattered the leaves around the world. The wind was the Holy Spirit and the leaves were the people in the churches who were scattered abroad into the world. The biblical verse given was that "The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations". Churches and projects have been set up all over the world as a result of obedience to that vision. "Fellowship Folk" are active in every continent.
I hope that you find something of interest in the site and, if you're not yet a Christian, that you take opportunity to visit either one of the Fellowships or another local church to discover more about Jesus Christ.
Every blessing
Keith McAdam