It is sad to say but most of what our Church leaders call fellowship today is really networking.
- Fellowship: “A sharing of common interests, goals, experiences, or views.”
- Networking: “The process or practice of building up or maintaining informal relationships, especially with people whose friendship could bring advantages such as job or business opportunities.”
The key word in the basic definition of Fellowship is “Sharing”; the key word in Networking is “Advantages”.
When we fellowship we come together as equals; no agenda, no ego and no pretends. When we come together to do our networking is all about self-promotion; we no longer see people as people, but we now look at what they have to offer to help us expand our business.
Fellowship is from the heart, networking is cold! Fellowship takes place in our homes over a homemade meal; networking takes place in a room or restaurant and keeps us away from getting too personal. Fellowship is transparent, networking is all about appearance. Fellowship is personal, networking is impersonal. Fellowship is about who I am in Christ; networking is about what do you do for a living and how much influence can I get by establishing a “relationship” with you.
Fellowship looks at what we can do to help others, networking looks at what you can do to help me. Fellowship celebrates others victories and weeps when others are in sorrow, networking envies what other’s have and does not make enough emotional attachment to even consider a prayer for those that have fallen. Networking is about members, fellowship is about disciples. Networking is a filthy secular approach that is rapidly infiltrating Christianity; fellowship is the real Biblical deal!
Fellowship is what I am hungry for, networking is what I am sick of!
Leave a Reply