Post-worship fellowship meals
Building community and strengthening christian values in indonesian churches
Keywords:
Fellowship meals, Christian community, Koinonia, Church Practices, Indonesian ChurchesAbstract
This study examined post-worship fellowship meals in building community cohesion and strengthening Christian values based on Acts 2:42,46 at the Christian Assembly Church in Manokwari, West Papua. The research addressed the need to understand how early church fellowship practices (koinonia) could be implemented in contemporary church contexts, particularly in West Papua's strong communal culture. A qualitative approach was employed using participant observation, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions. Data were collected from 26 informants including church leaders, active congregation members, and organizing committees, with direct observation of fellowship meal practices during April-May 2025. Thematic analysis with source and method triangulation ensured validity. Results revealed that early church fellowship meals in Acts 2:42,46 demonstrated deep communion (koinonia), informal home settings, joyful and sincere atmosphere, theologically-socially meaningful bread breaking, and high frequency (daily). These practices functioned to build social fellowship, strengthen faith, implement diakonia, witness to the world, and memorialize Christ's sacrifice. Contemporary implementation at Manokwari church showed adapted characteristics: organized yet flexible structure, high congregational participation (90.1% of worship attendees), meaningful liturgical integration, significant Papuan cultural influences, and rich social interaction dynamics. The practice served as concrete koinonia implementation, communal bond strengthening, spiritual growth facilitation, and resource-sharing mechanism. Comparative analysis identified fundamental similarities including fellowship emphasis, joy and sincerity expression, sharing practices, spiritual integration, and Christian value reinforcement. Significant differences emerged in frequency (weekly vs daily), location (church hall vs homes), formality level, socio-cultural context, and sacramental relationship. These differences reflected temporal factors, local Papuan culture, theological development, contemporary congregational needs, and institutional structures. The study concluded that despite significant contextual adaptations, fellowship meal practices at Manokwari church reflected the essence of early church communion. This practice possessed untapped potential for building congregational community and strengthening Christian values in contemporary Papuan church contexts.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Henry Fanuel Ap, Jonar Situmorang, Robert Rulland Marini
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