Dan Blythe: “Rows can’t ask questions; Rows can’t wrestle with doubt. Rows can’t build trust. Circles can.” Christian fellowship and community are a circle. From the perspective of the church: Community is a network of circles where people are seen, heard, known, and discipled. It is not an anonymous presence, but a precious presence in the fellowship.
Biblical Understanding: Circles indicate the atmosphere of family. “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.” (Psalm 128:3) Husband, wife, and children sit around the table for fun, food, education, worship, prayer, and fellowship.
Spiritual fellowship: The Church is a grand family of God. All believers gather for worship and fellowship as the local church. Here, the goal of gathering is to study the scripture, prayer, breaking of bread, and fellowship. (Acts 2:42)
Rows to semi-circle: The Tamil Nadu state government ordered the change of seating arrangement in school classrooms. Instead of being seated in rows, children will sit in a semi-circle or in a U–shape. (The Hindu, 13 July 2025) Instead of bright students sitting in the front row and compelling students who are not scoring well to sit in the last row.
Abandon rows? It does not mean to abandon rows, but the intentional cultivation of circles. In most institutions, public halls, theatres, and churches, the seating arrangement is in rows. This is for convenience, crowd management, and accommodating more people. The Lord commanded his disciples to arrange people to be seated in rows when he performed the miracle of multiplying the five loaves of barley bread and two fish. (Luke 9:14) Hence, rows are not abandoned, but the intention or purpose of circles should be established in all Christian gatherings.
Small groups: The Family of God, the Church should be intentionally circle. Each believer should be comfortable in fellowship in a small circle. Children should be in the circle of Sunday School, youth in the youth fellowship, women and men in their respective fellowships, and life groups of a few families.
Do I celebrate the circle of fellowship in the covenant community of the church?