Gather: The Power of the Ekklesia

A SOLID FOUNDATION

Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision – Where We Are Headed

We are moving toward revival — a people marked by God’s presence and transformed lives.

Fellowship of Believers is a house of revival.

Jesus is the One we worship, the Word we follow, and our reason for living. Rooted in God’s Word and led by the Holy Spirit, we are commissioned to see communities transformed by the Gospel —where people are saved from despair, freed from bondage, discipled in the way of Jesus, and sent to expand His Kingdom.

Wherever we gather—homes, parks, or church buildings—we carry His presence. We move together in unity, steward His gifts with faithfulness, encourage one another as we run our race, and fulfill the Kingdom purpose entrusted to us by Christ.

Jesus is our revival.

Short:

Fellowship of Believers is a revival house and Jesus is our revival.

Mission – How We Live It Out

Our mission at Fellowship of Believers is to gather people into God’s presence, grow disciples in the way of Jesus, and go in the power of the Holy Spirit to impact Sarasota and the nations.

Short

Gather. Grow. Go.

Values – How We Do It Matters

Our values protect the culture of the house.

Righteous Living **

Honor

Servant Leadership

Jesus Focus **

Hospitality Communion **

Rest

Kingdom Impact **

Today, we are laying the foundation for the first word of our mission: Gather.

GATHER IS GOD’S IDEA, NOT THE CHURCH’S

From Creation to Covenant to Christ

Creation → Covenant → Christ

Creation

God planted a garden, formed man and woman, and dwelled with them. Gathering begins with presence – His presence.

From the beginning, God desired to be in fellowship with His creation.

He’s not a strict dictator, waiting to punish every wrong move that we make.

He’s a loving Father, longing to embrace his sons and daughters, calling them up to live a higher standard, and available for restoration when we fall short.

Covenant

In fact, even in our falling short, God chose to go into a covenant – not contract – with humanity.

Even when we have continued to break that covenant – he hold to his promises.

The first institutional gathering we see God establish is the tabernacle. A way for man to come back into right standing with God.

This tabernacle in the wilderness eventually became a temple in Jerusalem. Regardless of the shape or size of the place, one things remained true…

From tabernacle to temple, God’s desire has always been to dwell among a gathered people.

Gathering is Like Soil

We attend many gatherings throughout our week.

I think it’s safe to say that who we gather with makes a difference.

The idea of a “gathering” is like soil. The people that we gather with is like a seed.

The soil is neutral, the seed creates a result.

Contrast of Gatherings

Who and what we gather around matters.

Tower of Babel (Gen 11): gathered without God

Israel: gathered by God

Key Insight: Gathering is neutral — who we gather around determines the fruit.

Gathering begins with leading!

Gathering Is Movement, Not Attendance, Not an Event

Gathering

gk. sunago

:: to entertain (hospitably), assemble, come together, lead into, take in.

The root work of sunago is ago.

Agō (gk. root concept)

:: To lead, bring, move, influence, or direct.

There are 54 words that are built off this root word.

synagoge - “synangog”

eisago - “to bring in”

agogeg - “a way of life”

Gathering in Scripture is not passive attendance — it is movement toward something.

Jesus’ Invitation

“Come and follow Me” — not an event, but a call into shared life and direction.

Key Insight: Gathering always involves leadership and movement.

FROM AGŌ TO EKKLESIA

A Called-Out People With Purpose

Ekklesia

:: a calling out, a popular meeting, a religious congregation

Called out. Called together. Called with purpose.

Jesus does not promise to build a crowd — He promises to build a people.

I will build my church

Matthew 16 Moment

Jesus takes his followers to a place known as the “gates of hell.” This was a place where many religions would gather and had temples to their pagan gods.

Jesus stands on a “stage” with the rest of the world’s gods around and asks the simple question, “who do you say that I am?”

Matthew 16:15–17 ESV

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ (anointed one), the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

Simon received revelation from God on who Jesus is.

This is a key step for each an every one of us.

If we are to know our purpose in life, wouldn’t it make sense to consult the one that created us?

Matthew 16:18 ESV

18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Jesus responds to Simon by changing his name to Peter and making the statement, “I will build my church” - Ekklesia – on this revelation from Peter.

Out of this interaction, we see three key foundational principles before we “gather.”

Revelation precedes formation

Identity before authority

Belonging before responsibility

Key Insight: Ekklesia is a gathered people formed by revelation and entrusted with authority.

EKKLESIA PRODUCES KOINONIA

Shared Life Is the Fruit of Healthy Gathering

Koinonia

:: Shared life, spiritual partnership, participation.

If Ekklesia answers who we are, Koinonia answers how we live together

You cannot program koinonia — you cultivate and protect the environment where it grows.

I cannot tell a plant where to grow.

I can create the environment for it to thrive, I can prune it and help lead it in a direction.

THE GATHERING IN ACTS

Power follows alignment

When God’s People Gather, the Spirit Moves

Pattern in Acts

Gathered → prayed → Spirit moved

Examples:

Acts 2 – people gathered for the festival of Pentecost and the Spirit of God fell.

*key note: they were gathered in unity. Unity is not uniformity, but a joining together for a common purpose.

Acts 4 – the people gathered, prayed for boldness and the Holy Spirit filled the place where they were and gave them boldness.

Acts 10 – gentiles (unexpected people) gathered, Peter began teaching them and the Spirit fell on them suddenly.

God loves when people gather around Him. He shows up! It doesn’t always look the same. There isn’t a certain pedigree, financial status, or gender that he likes more.

Key Insight: The Holy Spirit moves powerfully among rightly gathered people.

GATHERING AT FOB

Call for Josh & Rachel

From Rows to Relationships

Sunday gatherings matter — but shared life sustains faith.

Groups @ FOB

Fellowship-Based – Ongoing, co-ed, multi-generational “table” groups in homes. Focus on hospitality, care, and community.

Affinity-Based – Gender, age, or life-stage-based groups (men, women, youth, marriage, etc.). Monthly or bi-monthly.

Class/Teaching – Structured, time-bound (1–12 weeks). Designed for equipping (e.g. new believers, finance, gifts, etc.).

Service-Based – Mobilization for mission. Flexible and responsive, no set meeting rhythm. Often project- or cause-based.

An expression of healthy gathering that moves us:

From rows to relationships

From attendance to koinonia

From the beginning, God’s desire has been to gather a people to dwell with Him. Gathering is not a modern church idea but a divine one—rooted in creation, revealed through covenant, and fulfilled in Christ. When God leads His people together (agō), He forms an ekklesia—a called-out people with purpose—and from that gathering flows koinonia, a shared life marked by unity, love, and spiritual power. As we gather rightly, aligning around Jesus and His mission, we position ourselves for the Spirit to move among us, shaping us into a community that reflects God’s heart and carries His presence into the world.

At Fellowship of Believers, groups are where lifestyle discipleship happens.

Handoff to Josh & Rachel

Practicing Koinonia in Everyday Life

Transition to Josh and Rachel:

Fellowship Groups help us live out what Scripture shows us — when Ekklesia becomes Koinonia in everyday life.