The Joy of Fellowship

One of the great joys of being a Christian is the bond of fellowship we share between brothers and sisters in the faith. Koinonia is the Greek word commonly used in the New Testament for fellowship. It describes the unity of the Spirit that comes from Christians' shared beliefs, convictions, and behaviors. When those shared values are in place, genuine koinonia (biblical fellowship) occurs. I think we all know the camaraderie that comes with good friendship. Well when Jesus is at the center of that relationship, then the bond and unity are even deeper because of the shared mercy, grace, and hope we have in Christ.

I believe we see examples of biblical fellowship in our church all the time. It certainly occurs when we worship the Lord together, pray together, and study God's Word together. But between believers, it can also occur when we eat together, socialize with one another, and simply enjoy each other's company. In other words, genuine fellowship between believers does not have to be overtly spiritual. Acts 2:46 says, "Every day the believers continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people." Our fellowship is pleasing to the Lord when His children share life together.

Two weeks ago, our seniors group, the Harvesters, had a fellowship gathering. Mike Tanaka offered us a devotional but most of our time was spent playing games including working on jigsaw puzzles in teams, eating lunch, and just enjoying one another's company. It was a great time of being together and getting to know each other better. So whether it's on Sundays, mid-week bible study, or connecting with someone during the week, let us continue to meet together, break bread together, and take advantage of the koinonia we have with one another in Christ.

God bless,

Pastor Darren