How Fellowship Baptist Church Got It's Name

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 During the late 1970's and early 1980's, a group of believers felt strong promptings from the Holy Spirit to establish a new, ministry-centered work in Kirksville, MO. These promptings became compelling during the fall of 1982. After much intensive prayer, the group sought the counsel of George Noble, Director of Missions, then scheduled an organizational meeting to select leaders. 

 

The eleven leaders chosen selected a "Steering Committee" as a descriptive title. This group was assigned responsibility for all matters related to worship, teaching, ministry, and management. Its members were to serve until the new work could be constituted as a church and church officers, deacons, and trustees could be called into service. The first Sunday School classes and worship services were conducted on January 2,1983, with an impressively large number of people participating throughout the day. 

 

During their first meetings, the members of the Steering Committee realized that the selection of a name for the new work was an urgent responsibility. They analyzed the process by which most churches are named: by the sequence of their establishment or by their location. Neither of these name sources appealed to the members of the Steering Committee. These eleven men and women felt a strong conviction that the name should reflect the essence of the vision and mission which the Lord had called the founders to pursue. 

 

The Cross provided guidance in the naming process. The vertical beam represented the relationship with the Lord which the founders longed to strengthen and refine. The horizontal beam represented relationships among believers and non-believers. Through these relationships a strengthened love for Christ could touch and nurture lives.

 

Then it happened. "Fellowship was suggested as a name that reflected both components of the founders' vision. No other name was even considered. This enthusiasm inspired the architect to build a large cross into the front window as a symbol of the new church's vision and mission.