Part Two: What You Should Know
The sections below draw directly from the Charter and summarize several of the foundational commitments and safeguards every fellowship using the Proximity name is meant to honor. If you reread only one part of this guide, make it this one.
Who We Are in Christ
- God is one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Jesus Christ is truly God and truly human. He died for our sins, was raised bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, reigns as Lord, and will come again.
- Salvation is God’s gracious work in Christ and is received through faith in Him.
- Scripture is the authoritative written norm for Christian faith and life, above every human document, including this one.
- The Church belongs to Christ.
This is a floor for fellowship, not a complete theology. Beyond it, Christians may hold convictions particular to their own tradition without those convictions needing to disappear.
The Framework’s Theological Location
Within this common Christian foundation, the Proximity Fellowship Framework is anchored in the historic Protestant Christian tradition. For the purposes of the Framework, the biblical canon is the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the twenty-seven books of the New Testament commonly received within historic Protestant Christianity. The books commonly called Deuterocanonical or Apocryphal are not received by the Framework as Scripture for establishing doctrine, Constitutional Requirements, or normative Christian teaching.
This identifies the theological and canonical location of the Framework. It does not require every Participant to become Protestant or to leave another Christian tradition. Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, and other Christians may participate in good faith where they can affirm the common Christian foundation and respect the constitutional character of the Framework.
Christ Is the Head. We Are Stewards
The Proximity Fellowship Framework may be stewarded by people, but it is not theirs to possess. Christ is the Head of His Church. Those who help a fellowship begin or grow, including Hosts, teachers, stewards, or others who serve, do not thereby become its owners or spiritual superiors. Responsibility may be entrusted. Service may carry influence. Neither creates ownership over the fellowship or the Christians who gather through it.
Hosting Is Service, Not Authority
A Host is a Participant who helps a fellowship gather in an orderly, welcoming, and responsible way. A Host is not a pastor, elder, or spiritual superior by virtue of hosting. A Host should be capable of carrying the responsibilities involved with maturity, humility, sound judgment, and appropriate care. Hosting does not grant ownership of the fellowship, its people, its meeting place, or the Proximity name. A Host may step down, share responsibility, or hand it on without treating the change as a loss of status or possession.
The Protection of Every Participant
Every Participant is owed dignity, freedom from coercion and abuse, and protection from retaliation for raising a good-faith concern. Where children or vulnerable people are present, ordinary safeguarding care is not optional. Supervision, appropriate boundaries, and compliance with applicable law matter more than convenience. If something genuinely threatens someone’s safety, silence is not the same as peace. No appeal to harmony should be allowed to quiet a legitimate concern.
Freedom Within a Common Floor
Christians will differ in tradition, conviction, and practice. Not every difference needs resolving before fellowship can begin. Where the Charter leaves a matter open, that freedom is real. Where it establishes a Constitutional Requirement, a fellowship using the Proximity name should honor that boundary. Personal conviction should never be spoken as a command over someone else’s conscience. A person may say “I believe” or “I sense,” but no one should present a private impression as unquestionable authority over another.
Using the Proximity Name Honestly
If your fellowship publicly identifies itself as a Proximity Fellowship, that carries a limited but real responsibility. Represent the relationship truthfully. Do not use the name in ways that misrepresent what Proximity actually is or imply approval that has not been given. The Proximity name simply indicates that a local gathering has chosen to use this Framework for Christian fellowship. It does not make ProximityFellowship.org the governing authority over that fellowship. Stewardship of the public name concerns only that public relationship. It never reaches into anyone’s standing as a Christian or freedom to continue gathering under another name.
Money, Held in the Open
Proximity does not exist to create a financial institution. Fellowship resources are never to be treated as anyone’s personal property, and no one should be pressured into giving. Where money is collected for a shared purpose, the people involved should know why it is being collected, who is responsible for it, and how it is used. Where funds become recurring or significant, responsibility should ordinarily be shared and records should be sufficient for reasonable accountability. Small incidental expenses may remain simple. The arrangements should be proportionate to the amount, frequency, and risk involved.
When Something Goes Wrong
Disagreement doesn’t mean a fellowship has failed. Listen before judging. Speak honestly. Open Scripture where it is relevant. Seek wise counsel when needed. When a matter involves real harm, coercion, abuse, or serious misconduct, do not let a desire to preserve peace prevent you from addressing it honestly. Seek appropriate outside help or contact the relevant authorities where warranted.