ACOP as a Fellowship

[Celestine]

Conferences play a vital role in denominations that consider themselves a Fellowship because they provide a platform for unity, collaboration, and mutual encouragement. Conferences facilitate networking, shared learning, and collective problem-solving among members from diverse backgrounds and contexts. They foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose, allowing participants to recharge and refocus on their mission. minister within ACOP, I’ve appreciated the organization’s emphasis on fellowship, collaboration, and mutual support. Compared to other denominational structures I’ve experienced, ACOP’s approach feels more relational and flexible, prioritizing grassroots empowerment and contextualization. This approach enables ACOP to adapt to diverse contexts while maintaining a unified vision and values.

ACOP’s fellowship model promotes a sense of community, accountability, and shared responsibility, which is essential for effective ministry and mission. By embracing this model, ACOP can better fulfill its purpose and make a meaningful impact in the lives of people.

[Anna]

Conferences are important to fellowships because they create a place of gathering for believers who share the love of Jesus. Conferences also allow different churches to come into agreement with each other, building doctrinal, philosophical, and relational unity within the body of believers.

I have been a part of the PAOC and the AGC churches but I cannot speak on their denominational structures as I wasn’t aware of their inner operating models.

[Zach]

Conferences play vital roles in a Fellowship because they are the places where relationships and connection are built and enhanced, but also when people with shared values come together those tend to be caught and enforced in a social way that is very powerful. I have in the past been a part of a movement that was very much centrally controlled but that also believed authority was relational and not based on a position or a title. It seemed to work well with good leaders, but the possibility did exist that at a functional level, choices were made for local churches and fellowships that were made by others far away, and that even in the best of times can cause relational strain, and almost functionally undercut or at least strain the shared value of relational authority.

[Jaylen]

Conferences are important because otherwise it is hard to really get a sense for what is going on everywhere else. To gather and share testimony with each other about God work, and also to take advantage of the moment and utilize it to cast vision for the next period of time.
I have not.