Fellowship House/Purpose & Scope

The purpose of the Fellowship House has many different purposes, but in general it is a program that is designed to serve the community, run by the church as they oversee the programs taught in the houses, and as an outreach for the church to serve the community for the following purposes:

To be able to seek God in a unique environment as the residents of the house are surrounded with 24-hour Godly support and encouragement, where the growth increases quickly.
It is a learning experience for all. It is the responsibility to find out where the person fits into the body, so they can grow in Christ for the purpose of finding out what their purpose is in the body, their vision, and working into that purpose with the support that is needed. In addition to the personal help that is offered, each house would also offer:

Study a complete Bible School curriculum.

Internship: hands on experience in the mission field with supervision before a resident goes on their own.

Services the community where needed: hospitals, Adult Foster Care, Nursing Homes, Hospice, prison ministry, counseling, crisis intervention, prayer, shelter, food, and temporary assistance.

Work with the local church as they are guided by the local church for growth and help do the things that are necessary to keep up the church and its physical appearance.

Work with schools, clubs, and community centers giving seminars on marriage, intervention, and other help that the community.

3. Reduces housing costs and keeps people focused on service.

Scope:

The program is designed to help the community and the residents as they reach out to the community and help where needed, offering prayer as the foundation. As residents become stronger in the Word, they move one to their own ministry or to open another house. These houses also serve as transitional housing for ex-offenders as they are released. This is done on a one-to-one basis, but is an important part to the Phase III outreach to the Prison Fellowship Program.

Phase I, can be on sight, in the prison, which utilizes the Cognitive Restructuring Program, which is a lesson in self-examination and why we need God.

Phase II, although still implemented in prison allows the inmate to write to the people at the house for encouragement and prayer, as well as direction, as the ex-offender goes in the direction of training for their new life. Phase II is when the church helps the ex-offender back into society. Phase II helps a person with transitional housing and counseling back in the community.

The reasons that the house may be formed are various as they can serve as;

Transitional housing for ex-offenders,
Adult Foster Care Facility,
Child Foster Care Facility,
Emergency Shelter, and
may be formed to reduce the costs of two or more individuals or families interested in learning and serving the community in which they reside.

History:

Many of the original churches were communal in nature as they helped to reduce costs, but primarily it was a place for teaching and safety. One of the reasons that 3-5,000 came to the Lord daily is that they had a strong structure for new believers. Many new believers today are lost because of their perceived need to get back into the world. Jesus wants us to look to Him for and in all things. The Fellowship House's can be a great learning tool as long as certain rules are applied and adhered to. But many need a structured environment for growth. As people would grow and become established in the gifts and the ministry that they are called to do, they would then prepare to go into ministry on their own in another area or open another house for others.

One of the other functions is that these houses can provide, is the ability to pool resources from house to house, and from community to community, as they can raise funds, food, and supply for the area that is in need. This was done in the New Testament church and it literally kept others from starving during a drought in the first century. One of the main functions of the house is to reach out to the community to fill the needs by prayer, as a prayer hot line, and crisis intervention center should be offered, offering prayer and support to those in need.

I am responsible…..

When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want our hand always to be there. For that I am responsible.

We are responsible both to God

and each other.