The Fellowship of the Fellowship
Since joining the Fellowship, I find chapter meetings uplifting, spiritually exciting, and a lot of fun. The Lord anoints our footsteps, and a visit to a chapter outside of our own is a journey he has inspired within us for a reason. Visit one in your area, or if you are in another country, enjoy what the Lord has put together.
At every chapter meeting, we share the “fellowship of the Fellowship” with brothers and sisters, just as Demos did at the first meetings of the Fellowship. We are blessed, of course, but more so, we see the devotion by others to the Vision of FGBMFI, and perhaps experience fresh ideas, or a new use of standard ideas that attract the unbeliever to the Lord.
Most chapter meetings are centered around a meal (for us Full Gospel folks) and a testimony, with the strongest point of every meeting being the fellowship of sitting together, hearing testimonies, singing songs, praying, laughing, mutually receiving from the Holy Spirit, and witnessing salvations administered.
A result of a great chapter meeting is the lifelong friendships developed through the Fellowship between men and women who attended and who become united in the FGBMFI Vision for the area.
The biggest blessing is the message of Jesus is spread like a beautiful rain, and when the meeting is over, that testimony is carried with the men and women who attended back to their homes and neighborhoods and opens doors for others to be blessed.
The San Diego Chapter is one I recently visited and would like to share the experience with you.
Chapters are led by men with a Vision for their area, and San Diego Chapter, founded in 1979, is now 46 years old with many men and women members and all have a huge Vision! The chapter president is Bob Hardrick, a delightful brother whose sense of humor and love for the Lord make the San Diego meeting fun and spiritually rewarding.
The chapter meets at a Marie Calendar Restaurant. On the exterior entrance to the private banquet room is a huge banner that covers the door, and from the moment you park your car you see the presence of the Lord and are welcomed by the banner.
Upon entering the banquet room, you will be hugged by Bob, or his wife Daralene, and every other member and attendee! The love given would lift even the dourest soul, and any unsaved will not remain that way as their love conquers all.
Bob welcomed everyone and greeted each person from the podium, and there is coffee and fellowship, and each attendee orders from a special menu. (Secret: delicious, fresh and still warm from the oven Marie Calendar cornbread is given to each person even before you order and if you don’t eat it, I will take yours with me if I am there!)
Every chapter has its own formats, and here, Bob began with a member leading prayer for the morning.
Then the entire assemblage faced the American flag and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. That was important, as it gave the group a common need to also pray for our leaders and country.
Bob went around the room and introduced everyone, as this chapter has foreign visitors at every meeting I have attended. That is so interesting to the crowd, today was no exception, and we were excited to hear from other countries what the Lord is doing in their lives there.
Bob will also spiritually teased us with a word of the testimony of each person he introduced, sometimes very comical, and if any were in need of prayer that moment, he asked the group to pray right then with one chapter member doing the praying.
As we waited for food to be delivered, songs were requested and all joined in rousing singing with harmony to the Lord, finished with hugs and laughs at our sometimes off-key voices.
Then came the meal. (I ordered the quiche with a side order of grits, it is delicious and I know it is served at Heaven’s banquet table.)
During the meal, coffee was refreshed and laughs and fellowship were plentiful.
The San Diego Chapter has many ex-servicemen and women in it, as well as prison ministry, and focus is put on speakers who address those experiences. And there is usually a testimony from one visitor from overseas or a member who has traveled abroad.
San Diego also brings many women speakers, powerful in ministry and with anointing of joy. This day, Pauline Olam, from Hong Kong, shared how though living in poverty, the Lord helped her to leave Hong Kong and make it to New York, where faith was her only companion till she was married and had children. Pauline has been blessed financially as well as spiritually, and she shared that as very young woman, Demos Shakarian had prayed for her and prophesied she would speak and pray for people around the world. And she has.
Testimony is the central factor of every FGBMFI meeting - and here, the testimonies were powerful and touching to the heart and Spirit-filled, and that ensured that prayer occurred for salvation, healing, deliverance, and our needs.
As the meeting ended, the prayer lingered, we all hugged, and I was full, wearing a smile across my face.
If you are in California, it is time blessed to visit the San Diego Chapter. It’s not a long drive from Los Angeles and the fellowship of the Fellowship will be memorable.
San Diego Chapter meets: 1st and 3rd Saturdays every month at 9:00 AM @ Marie Calendar’s Restaurant, 6950 Alvarado Road, San Diego. E-mail is bobhardrick6@gmail.com
Wherever you are, there may be a chapter nearby, you can look it up on the website at this link: https://www.fgbmfiusa.org/chapters And if you are traveling out of the country it is especially great to visit chapters in foreign lands and realize how big the Fellowship is, and what the Lord did when he blessed Demos Shakarian with the Vision that has touched millions and millions of lives throughout the world, and you are a part of the hand of God. Hallelujah!
