As one united body, CFC brothers and sisters live out one culture.  This makes the entire body a united family with the same set of activities, procedures and the manner of doing things. This culture is handed down from brethren to brethren, as more and more new members join the organization. As new members fellowship with and learn from elders and those that have been with CFC for a longer period of time, they eventually adopt and live out this culture.

The community publication Ugnayan also features some of these culture highlights in its issues. We will publish these features as best we could to inform and remind. Should there be any questions or clarifications needed, please feel free to approach CFC leaders. Or you may send your queries through email at webservant@cfcchicago.org; we will refer your query to appropriate channels.

FROM UGNAYAN, May-June 2000:

Obedience in CFC

"In CFC, there is a pastoral-organizational structure composed of leaders at various levels. The basic purpose of the structure is for peace, unity and order in the body. In order for the organization to work well, leaders are vested with authority. However, there is no such thing in CFC as blind obedience. Rather, what we promote is active submission. This means that subordinates do not blindly follow their leaders, but may raise questions for greater understanding of directions, may have contrary views and respectfully bring these forth, may enter into discussions, and may request for the inputs or intervention of higher-ups if need be."

Anointing of Leaders in CFC

"Leaders in CFC, if chosen with prayerful discernment according to our criteria for various stages of leadership, with qualifications discussed with other elders when needed, will be anointed by God for the task. He has called them to, because this is His work. Thus their anointing will be the foundation of their leadership, including their decisions and directions for those under them. However, such anointing should not be a cause for pride, nor claims to infallibility, nor for a demand for blind obedience from subordinates, nor for insisting on doing everything oneself. In fact, we will make mistakes sometimes in choosing leaders. Anointing is something which proves itself in the ordinary course of a leader's continuing service."

Household Meetings

"Households meet weekly, three times as a small cell group and once in a larger prayer assembly. Households are never canceled, except in extreme external emergencies (e.g., calamity, armed conflict), which threaten the well-being of members. Household leaders who may have a good reason for not being able to attend a household meeting should not cancel the meeting, but simply assign someone else to run the meeting.

Ordinarily, there are always three ingredients to a household meeting; a time of worship, a time of sharing/discussion, and a time of fellowship/socializing. The length of time for each ingredient should not go to extremes (either too short or too long). Thus worship, with singing, praising and individual prayers, should be about 30-40 minutes. Sharing and/or discussion should be about an hour (most of the time with husbands meeting separately from the wives). Fellowship should be from 30-60 minutes."

FROM UGNAYAN, October-December 2000:

Hosting

"It is part of our culture in CFC to open up our homes to guests, especially CFC brethren. It is not necessary to give up the master's bedroom for such guests. Many times these would be brethren on mission and as missionaries would be appreciative of even sparse accommodations."
 

Closing Prayer
 

"There are different ways of closing a prayer. whether individual, group or communal. It can be a simple 'Amen,' or 'In Jesus' Name, Amen.' or 'Through Christ our Lord, Amen' or with all or either of the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be.

It is not our culture to pray three Glory Be's."