Championing Independent Churches

Our network provides relational support and tax covering to hundreds of local churches, empowering independent ministries to thrive in their unique callings.

Churches

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We are home to over 600 local churches worldwide

We are a home to independent churches of all shapes and sizes, from small gatherings in homes to well-established megachurches. Every church in the Fellowship Network is a unique congregation with its own unique part to play in the Body of Christ. Together, we value relationship, unity of spirit, and a hunger to see God move through the local expressions of His church.

We knew that starting a church would be a huge task, and we wouldn’t be able to do it without The Fellowship Network. We are excited to know that we have people that are going on this journey with us. There will be people that will reach out to you and give you the support system you need to make sure you have a successful and life-giving ministry.

Vaughaligan Walwyn
Houston, TX

How we resource local churches:

A supportive place to grow your church

It can be a challenge to find peers, mentors, and leaders who will help you grow as a ministry. You need help that doesn’t require becoming part of another organization’s hierarchical structure and authority. Just like with Elijah, John the Baptist, and many others, every minister needs confirmation that they are not alone. The Fellowship is structured to never have any ecclesiastical or hierarchical authority over its members (see bylaws 3.01). We are committed to helping each other become examples of how “…the whole body fits together perfectly, each part doing its own special work, helping the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love” (Ephesians 4:16). The Fellowship Network is a large interconnection of peers and mentors, with an up-to-date resource center, field-tested practical solutions to ministry situations, regular gatherings and a community where “iron sharpens iron” as the Holy Spirit leads. We will guide you through all the legalities, forms and tax codes required to establish a tax-exempt organizational structure that best fits your ministry. Our regional gatherings are a family affair, a time to start new friendships, renew old ones, become inspired and partake of one-on-one mentoring, as well as personal counseling in matters that uniquely impact independent ministers.

A legacy of hunger

From our very beginning, The Fellowship has been Full Gospel, Spirit-empowered, and hungry for the Presence of God. In 1948 Gordon Lindsay, Jack Moore and several other independent evangelistic healing ministries formed “The Voice of Healing.” The resulting alliances birthed a healing revival that quickly spread around the world. As the number of independent evangelists approached 100, they came together to form a fellowship that elected Gordon Lindsay as president. Those well-watered roots continue to produce much fruit. As more pastors, missionaries, evangelists, teachers, and churches joined the group, it became clear that a coordinated group of independent ministers should be formed to care for all the souls God was birthing, as well as a place for the laborers in the harvest to regroup, recharge and be refreshed. In 1962, Lindsay convened a conference at the Baker Hotel in Dallas for all interested ministers. Plans were laid and the Full Gospel Fellowship of Churches & Ministers International was born. We celebrated 50 years of dedicated service in 2012, and continue on as “The Fellowship Network” – a Spirit-empowered community, advancing the Kingdom of God.

The perfect place to launch your ministry

We know how hard it is today to start a ministry from scratch. Paperwork, forms, legal verbiage, tax-exemption, time delays and ongoing expenses can loom large, hobble your progress, and be downright discouraging. The good news is we have been there before and we can guide you through the maze. The men and women of The Fellowship Network really do understand the challenges you face and are committed to shouldering the load with you. We will help you avoid some of the pitfalls, dead-ends, and rabbit trails that everyone encounters when starting an independent ministry. We will be more than a cheering section: we will provide you with up-to-date, actionable information. We stay current, so you won’t have to. We have streamlined the complicated, time-consuming, and expensive process of establishing the 501(c)(3) organization your ministry needs to advance its mission. If the legal requirements change, we will notify you and help you stay current, freeing you to focus on your ministry.

I would say to those who are on an island by themself, those that are looking to start a church, those that are looking to do something in ministry: The Fellowship is good ground. The Fellowship is a good place to get to know people and to bounce ideas off of people that have been there before. A community of believers coming together for one mind, one reason, and one purpose can be found in The Fellowship.

Joe Bernier
Copperas Cove, TX

The Fellowship Network provides something I can lean on. I am not necessarily a lone ranger out there trying to do things just my way, I am backed up by an organization. What a blessing! We are very proud to say that The Fellowship Network is our covering. That sounds so awesome - we're not just a church running around independently, now we have a covering.

Beto Meza
Mesquite, TX

If you are the kind of ministry that likes to have the freedom of following and obeying the voice of the Lord as he is directing you to lead your flock, then The Fellowship is for you.

Ralph Trask
Salem, OR

Let’s get started!

You are going to need:

Your contact information

Your name, email, phone number, and mailing address are needed to start the application.

Basic information about your church

The name of your church, the name and contact information of your lead pastor, and approximate membership and attendance figures.

Legal information about your church

A copy of your board-approved constitution and IRS-supplied EIN information. Our team is available to help you gather these documents if you need assistance.

Endorsement from a current member

Every new applicant is required to have an endorsement from a current member. If you don’t have someone to list as an endorser, let us know and we will put you in touch with someone you can connect with from your region.

$250 Registration

Membership dues in The Fellowship Network are $250 per year for local churches.

Championing Independent Churches

Churches

We are home to over 600 local churches worldwide

Vaughaligan Walwyn
Houston, TX

How we resource local churches:

Practical Resources

Relational Support

Mentoring