Fellowship: Vicious Cycle VS. Virtuous Cycle

Terms:
Horizontal: relationships with one another
Vertical: relationship with God

Vicious Cycle

Coming to church, fellowship, or bible study in order to be fed. From this "feeding" you expect and trust [have faith in] that your relationship with God will be closer.

Source: horizontal
Means: horizontal
Goal: Vertical

Results: You may get pumped up by the horizontal, but get little from the vertical, which leaves you more dependent on the horizontal, and as you place more and more faith in fellowship you have less and less faith in God.

Virtuous Cycle

Coming to church, fellowship, or bible study in order to share Christ's life and love. Secure in Christ you have no expectations of fellowshipping for your own needs because you trust God to meet them fully, therefore you love them as Christ loves them. Interestingly enough as you go into horizontal relationships you are cognizant of your continuing vertical relationship. The horizontal relationship opens your eyes to how God is working in other's lives which enhances your vertical relationship as well as enhancing your horizontal relationships because you are actively listening and relating. Christ is becoming your all in all, in all.

Source: vertical
Means: vertical & horizontal
Goal: vertical & horizontal