Fellowship Archives Blog

In the late 1980s, then General Secretary of the Fellowship, Dr. Roy Lawson, presented a proposed New Administrative Structure at the Fellowship Global Strategy Conference in Mississauga, Ontario. The document, “What God Hath Joined,” was subtitled “The Fellowship Baptist Family Working Together and Making It Work,” and was a result of years of hard labour on the part of many Fellowship leaders across Canada.

Strategies come and go, adjusting to circumstances over time. But during his presentation, Dr. Lawson also gave a stirring address on “The Fellowship Family” that crosses the boundaries of both time and circumstance.

The message in its entirety is well worth reading and will soon be available digitally through Fellowship Archives for anyone who wants to read it in its entirety. But for the sake of this blog post let me just mention a few of the highlights. These serve as a reminder of the bond that has existed among our Fellowship churches in the past, and a bond we trust will continue to be part of our present and our future.

Dr. Lawson began his discourse to the pastors and leaders present by quoting six characteristics of a strong family as discovered in a survey taken in North America.

1. Strong families have a high degree of commitment to one another.
2. They spend time together.
3. They have good family communications, they listen and they talk easily with one another.
4. There is an expression of appreciation for one another.
5. Strong families have a great deal of common religious orientation.
6. Strong families are able to solve problems together when in crisis.

Then the message moved to some observations from Scripture about the enemies that threaten families: Inflexibility, immaturity, competition and hurry, and indifference. Toward the end of his message, “Dr. Roy” landed on four Commandments taken from the book of Philippians.

1. Commandment Number 1: Thou shalt remember that God is sovereign.
2. Commandment Number 2: Thou shalt commit thyself to servanthood.
3. Commandment Number 3: Thou shalt release the need to impress.
4. Commandment Number 4: Thou shalt enjoy the here and now.

Change is never easy, and this document developed by the members of the Task Force represented some significant change. And though the fundamentals of the movement have remained rock solid, many adjustments have been made through the course of the Fellowship’s history. Certainly, Dr. Lawson’s opening remarks back in this address in 1986 bear repeating as our Fellowship works through the adjustments of the early 21st century:

“Since our Fellowship is a family, those components which are factors in developing earthly families have application for us as we strengthen our Fellowship Family. Please carefully consider these observations, ingredients, enemies, and commandments which have direct application for our Fellowship Family.”