Today is our next list of questions regarding the purposes of the church to evaluate if your church is a healthy one. Use these questions to evaluate whether your church is really a fellowshipping church.
- Are new members directed automatically to small groups? Some churches simply encourage new members to join a small group, while others expect small group leaders to take the initiative to engage and invite new members to their group. The latter usually have stronger fellowship.
- Do small groups plan at least quarterly fellowship gatherings? It’s good for small groups just to hang out together. Deep friendships can begin to develop in informal gatherings like a ballgame or a picnic.
- Does the entire church gather regularly for fellowship? I realize this goal becomes more difficult as a church gets larger, but I encourage such gatherings as long as the church can do so.
- Does your church teach what biblical fellowship is? Early in my Christian journey, I assumed it was only about food—because that was the only way I had heard the word used. I know now it’s much more important than that.
- Are fellowship events designed to encourage good works? If your church seeks to be a Hebrews 10:25 church, fellowship events cannot be about food alone; they must be about encouraging members to return to the world as lights in a dark world.
- Does your church strategically use testimonies? Handing a microphone to just anyone is never a good idea, but properly utilized testimonies can be a powerful way to introduce church members to one another.
- Are new members helpfully introduced to the church? Some churches briefly introduce new members, but their approach is nothing more than sharing names. Technology allows us today to introduce folks via testimony, interview, home visit, etc.
- If your church has more than one service, are new members introduced in all services? Here, technology can help us again. Use it to make sure all services see what God is doing in other services. If you baptize in one service, record it and show it in other services.
- Does your church use nametags? I have posted about this idea in the past. While not everyone agrees with this approach, I have seen it work in churches of all sizes. Fellowship is simply easier when you know names.
- Does your church offer training for biblical conflict resolution? It’s no secret that the enemy wants to divide congregations, thus weakening fellowship. If you want to hinder the enemy’s strategy, train your folks how to resolve issues biblically.
What is your assessment? Is your church a fellowshipping church?
