Faithful on Fridays Blog

Means of Grace- Fellowship

Writing about the ways God blesses His Church these last few weeks shows the vital necessity of fellowship within the church. Now, if you’re one of those people who only attend church for one hour a week then you have no idea what I’m talking about. However, there’s still value to this message: read on.

The Greek word for fellowship in the New Testament is koinonia and means more than simply attending a pot-luck dinner; it means having a partnership with people to such an extent that you share life with them and have built trust over time working together in friendship and love. That doesn’t happen if you don’t attend a small group of some kind. Only in a smaller group of believers does the opportunity lend itself to true koinonia for reasons that are pretty obvious. In these small groups you learn to share your life and personal ministry is available to you: a listening ear, prayer, words of wisdom, good counsel. If you’re never vulnerable then this means of grace can’t operate and spiritual gifts won’t flow; that’s not God’s best. He wants our fellowship to be transparent and personal and when it is, His grace is released in surprising ways.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Philippians 2:1-2 NLT

Acts 2:42-47 tells us that when the believers were committed to meet together God showed up. The scripture tells us that a ‘deep sense of awe’ came on everyone; they were amazed at the result of their time together. When you share one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2), whether it be in a mentor/coach relationship, men or women’s ministry, a weekly Bible Study, or even a meeting at church (yes, church meetings qualify), you are taking a chance, stepping out in faith, and allowing the church to extend the means of grace to you or you have an opportunity to extend the means of grace to someone else. It’s God’s way.

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24, 25 NLT

I challenge you this week to consider your commitment to a smaller group of believers; one hour a week is not God’s way. Find a group that seems to have a common goal with you and give it a shot. If you don’t like it, don’t go back, but try another one. Isolation is a dangerous place to be in this world so allow fellowship to work the way God intended in your life; you won’t be sorry.