Why Fellowships Work

The Covenant of Christ opens with a vision.

Lehi saw people gathered in circles or rings. That detail, often overlooked, speaks volumes. Circles represent unity. Equality. Shared purpose. No corners to hide in. No one elevated above another. And if there’s anything meaningful in the LDS temple endowment—and I believe there is—then those circles also represent hearts free from unkind feelings toward one another and toward ourselves. Meaning, I accept them, and they accept me, and I accept that they accept me, in our shared circle. What a beautiful thought. 

That’s not just a poetic image. It’s a pattern.

Understanding that pattern is key to understanding how fellowships in the Restoration work. We are meant to be circles—spheres of unity and charity. Not pyramids. Not rows of spectators. But living, breathing bodies of believers bound together by love, not by power.

Why Fellowships Work

In a world full of top-down institutions - in government, cooperate America, and even churches - fellowships are something different. There are no carefully curated religious performances, and shallow social interactions masked as community. There’s something deeply refreshing about fellowships in the Restoration movement.

They work—not because we’ve figured out how to do church better—but because we’re learning to be humble enough to let God lead in quiet, simple ways. Fellowships thrive when there is no hierarchy, no applause, and no pressure to impress. They invite and require equality. We meet as brothers and sisters, shoulder to shoulder, without title or pretense, knowing that if the Lord is to be among us, it will be because we are meek enough to receive Him.

We Break Bread and Hearts Open Together

We don’t outsource our ordinances or rituals to clergy. We don’t farm out our spiritual lives to professionals. We bless our own bread and wine in remembrance of Him. We baptize each other. We lay hands on each other’s heads to give blessings, to ordain, to comfort, to anoint with oil, and to ask the Lord to speak. We give our tithes directly to the poor among us. There are no steeples. Just living rooms and backyards. Basements and bonfires. Kitchens and rivers. And through these settings, heaven speaks.

We do this among family and friends—not strangers or distant pew-fillers. There’s no stage, no spectator seating. Only participation.

We Teach, We Sing, We Strive

Everyone brings something. We sing, sometimes off-key and sometimes with tears. We teach, not with polish but with sincerity. We listen, not with arms folded but with hearts open. And we work on each other. Not to control, but to lift. Time is limited here on earth so we make the most of it.

Friction - though sometimes deep - doesn’t scare us. If our hearts are right, we invite it. We discuss growth points and personal blind spots. And we do it because we love one another and we’re not pretending to have it all figured out. There’s no “check your problems at the door” in fellowships. We bring them in. We talk about them. We repent together. We forgive each other. And we grow—not despite our mistakes, but through them.

Read this scripture from the Lord as if "all" is referring to your fellowship:

"I descended below it all, and know the sorrows of you all, and have borne the grief of it all, and I say to you, Forgive one another. Be tender with one another, pursue judgment, bless the oppressed, care for the orphan, and uplift the widow in her need, for I have redeemed you from being orphaned and taken you that you are no longer a widowed people. Rejoice in me, and rejoice with your brethren and sisters who are mine also. Be one." (T&C 157:50)

Gifts of the Spirit Are Everywhere

We talk about and experience the gifts of prophecy, dreams, healing, and teaching—but we also recognize gifts that too many overlook: patience, long-suffering, tact, wise persuasion, and above all charity. The real kind. The kind that sees a weakness in someone and still calls them “brother.” The kind that stays when someone’s hard to love. The kind that weeps with those who weep and rejoices when even one person turns their face back toward God.

There’s no spiritual celebrity here. No one chasing followers or platforms. Just people trying to follow Christ, one prompting, one sacrifice, and one conversation at a time.

Those Who Are New—or Still Unsure

For those who are new to fellowships or if you've been around for a while, I have some thoughts:

If you still struggle to be yourself, do it today. 

If you're holding back a gift, please bring it forward. 

If you want to say something but haven’t yet, ask if you can have a minute on the floor.

We need your perspective. You matter to this work. Stay engaged.

When we invite and listen, it works. When we pretend and are halfway in, we fail.

There’s space for you. Not when you're more polished. Not when you're more sure of yourself. Now.

We’re Preparing

And all of this—this organic, stumbling, joyful attempt at Zion—is in preparation for the Lord’s return. That’s why we gather and sacrifice oft. That’s why we bear with one another and study the scriptures and bless bread and wine. Because we believe He will come. And we want to be a people ready to receive Him.

Fellowships work not because they are flawless—but because they are alive.

Not perfect. Just real.
Not proud. Just trying.
Not professional. Just full of faith.

And in that soil, God plants His kingdom. 

“… if one would like to see God, then he must first purify his heart.” - Denver Snuffer