Fellowship-- part 3

Wow! I just got home from an amazing time with my Wednesday small group. We enjoyed an amazing dinner together, then spent about an hour and a half in Bible study (with many tangents.) We experienced profuse laughter, a few tears, and deep sharing. We had a new person join us and I think she may have been overwhelmed because we were so obviously connecting with one another and enjoying the time immensely. That is what Biblical fellowship is meant to be!

That time on Wednesday evening has become an essential part of our week. It is not one more meeting to fill up our schedule. One friend mentioned that she shares with so many people that she gets free “therapy” every Wednesday evening. Another mentioned that the small group time makes a huge difference in her week. Part of the benefit is what we study, but we benefit even more from the koinonia (Biblical fellowship) we experience with one another.

There are two other aspects of koinonia I want to look at.

• Common interests or goals

Our group is rather diverse. We have a finance guy, a waitress, a nurse, a military IT guy, a security guard, a retired pastor and his wife, and myself with a teaching background. We do not share a lot in common if you look at our occupations. We also have a broad age range. (My Monday group ranges in age from mid thirties to early seventies!) However, we all have the common interest in growing in our relationship with Christ. Jesus can bring together people from any background, every occupation, age, race, etc.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised with Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:26-28)

Jesus is our common interest. Growing in our relationship with Him and sharing that relationship with others is our common goal.

• being together and doing together
  
You cannot achieve koinonia without spending time together. A few minutes on a Sunday morning will not bring you into a deep relationship with someone. In the small group we have the opportunity to really get to know one another. We spend time together, and we have contact throughout the week. We learn to help one another out, or look out for someone going through a hard time.
My Monday morning group has been together longer and we have been able to DO some things together. We have sponsored a family for a Christmas hamper and have maintained an ongoing relationship with them through prayer, phone calls and birthday presents. We have helped with holiday meals for the homeless, and now we have sponsored a missionary in Asia. This morning one member in that group started a time of worship and praise in her home. It was so powerful and uplifting!

This is about half of my Monday morning group --- Otis, the dog, is a very faithful participant.

I encourage you to find a body of Christ that puts Biblical fellowship into practice – or start where you are and step out of tradition and into the will of God. Watch out! God loves to bless us far beyond what we can ask or imagine!