A lot of people don’t realize fellowship is a spiritual discipline. It’s not just something helpful, but something commanded. And one of the surest barometers of the quality of your Christian life is the quality of your Christian relationships.
Acts 2:42-44 summarizes the life of the early church by saying, “They devoted (or they continued steadfastly) in the apostles’ teaching (and what?) the fellowship.” Now what is fellowship? Fellowship basically means “our common life together.”
I kind of grew up thinking fellowship was something that happened after the service down in the church basement, with cherry punch and cheesy conversations. That’s not what made the early church so powerful. They took fellowship to a new level—the level we want to be at!
The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia. Koinonia is translated in the New Testament partnership or sharing. Sometimes it’s translated communion or fellowship. Fellowship is a relationship between individuals which involves (this is key) active participation in a common interest. And, as a result of our participation in the common interest, we have a residual interest in one another.
Harvest meets regularly on seven campuses. We are one church in several locations bound together by a common purpose. As we engage in that common purpose, the relationships that are the result of that engagement produce fellowship. What holds all of this together is the Spirit of God working through the Word of God, and our service to God binds us together in love toward one another. That is what fellowship really is; our common life together. And it deepens as we persist in our common life together.
Prayer – Father, You included fellowship as a key component of the newborn church. Forgive us for dumbing, lightening, and trivializing fellowship. Help us not to be satisfied with counterfeit fellowship, but to seek You together. Lord, we want the world to see our love for one another, and the genuine common life You intend for Your people. That kind of fellowship brings You glory and draw others to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, (Acts 2:42-44 NKJV)
Day 2 The Center of Fellowship
1 Corinthians 1:9 says, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Our primary fellowship is with Jesus Christ. The residual fellowship is the relationship we have with other people who share that relationship. You say, “Well, James, I feel it’s going a lot better with me and the Lord than it is with me and other Christians.” Sometimes that’s because we bring secular ways of relating into our Christian relationships. We can see this in the level and pace of our conversations.
Surface level — That’s where you talk about stuff like weather, sports, and other interests that aren’t (shocker here) central to life.
• Personal level — There doesn’t have to be another Christian to have this conversation about your health, your career, your family. “We’ve been thinking about you. How’s it going with your son?”
• Spiritual level — This is where fellowship really begins, where you’re having conversations you can’t have with anybody else. This level often includes prayer. It should definitely include Christ.
• Don’t rush — It’s alright to start at the surface or personal levels—but don’t get stuck there.
• Go first — Demonstrate you can be trusted by trusting. Show them fellowship is two-way by disclosing something from your life in relation to God.
• Be specific — Don’t use spiritual phrases or terms simply for effect. Be cautious with “Praise the Lord!” or “God is Good!” if you’re not ready to talk about what you mean.
God help all of us to deepen the level of our interaction with one another.
Prayer – Father, thank You so much for all three levels of conversation. But thank You most for designing us to yearn for depth in relationships. Thank You for meeting us as we meet each other in honesty, integrity, and transparency before You. Thank You for the privilege of intimate fellowship with Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 Corinthians 1:9 says, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Our primary fellowship is with Jesus Christ. The residual fellowship is the relationship we have with other people who share that relationship. You say, “Well, James, I feel it’s going a lot better with me and the Lord than it is with me and other Christians.” Sometimes that’s because we bring secular ways of relating into our Christian relationships. We can see this in the level and pace of our conversations.
Surface level — That’s where you talk about stuff like weather, sports, and other interests that aren’t (shocker here) central to life.
• Personal level — There doesn’t have to be another Christian to have this conversation about your health, your career, your family. “We’ve been thinking about you. How’s it going with your son?”
• Spiritual level — This is where fellowship really begins, where you’re having conversations you can’t have with anybody else. This level often includes prayer. It should definitely include Christ.
• Don’t rush — It’s alright to start at the surface or personal levels—but don’t get stuck there.
• Go first — Demonstrate you can be trusted by trusting. Show them fellowship is two-way by disclosing something from your life in relation to God.
• Be specific — Don’t use spiritual phrases or terms simply for effect. Be cautious with “Praise the Lord!” or “God is Good!” if you’re not ready to talk about what you mean.
God help all of us to deepen the level of our interaction with one another.
Prayer – Father, thank You so much for all three levels of conversation. But thank You most for designing us to yearn for depth in relationships. Thank You for meeting us as we meet each other in honesty, integrity, and transparency before You. Thank You for the privilege of intimate fellowship with Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, (I Corinthians 1:4 NKJV)
Day 3 Fellowship and Unity
A commitment to fellowship is a commitment to unity—one mindedness. Notice how Paul uses “mind” twice in this verse. This doesn’t mean we agree in lock-step on everything; it means we agree deeply on the most important things and we give one another a lot of latitude on what’s not so important.
In Philippians 2:1, the phrase “participation in the Spirit” uses the Greek word koinonia, which is often translated fellowship. This is the third of Paul’s five signs of genuine life in the body of Christ (encouragement in Christ, comfort from love, fellowship in the Spirit, affection, and sympathy). If all this is going on between us and God, things are going to be really happening between us!
Ephesians 4:3 says we should be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” God’s Spirit wants our church to be unified. God’s Spirit wants us to love and forgive and forbear with one another (see Ephesians 4:2).
But genuine unity among us isn’t going to be maintained if we are not first deeply connected and living in fellowship with the Spirit ourselves. There are all kinds of examples in Christian history of groups who have tried to impose unity because it was a good idea. Our role isn’t to create unity; that’s God’s job. Ephesians 4:3 tells us we need to be attentive, committed, and “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit.” When we sense things going sideways, our prayer should be, “Father, am I maintaining or am I disrupting the unity of Your Spirit?”
Prayer – Father, point out anything in me that disrupts or blocks the unity Your Spirit is going for in my church. Keep me from committing sins or omitting service that harms unity in Your body. Remind me each day You are the decider of what place and role I am to carry out in Your body. Lead me into faithfulness that preserves the unity of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A commitment to fellowship is a commitment to unity—one mindedness. Notice how Paul uses “mind” twice in this verse. This doesn’t mean we agree in lock-step on everything; it means we agree deeply on the most important things and we give one another a lot of latitude on what’s not so important.
In Philippians 2:1, the phrase “participation in the Spirit” uses the Greek word koinonia, which is often translated fellowship. This is the third of Paul’s five signs of genuine life in the body of Christ (encouragement in Christ, comfort from love, fellowship in the Spirit, affection, and sympathy). If all this is going on between us and God, things are going to be really happening between us!
Ephesians 4:3 says we should be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” God’s Spirit wants our church to be unified. God’s Spirit wants us to love and forgive and forbear with one another (see Ephesians 4:2).
But genuine unity among us isn’t going to be maintained if we are not first deeply connected and living in fellowship with the Spirit ourselves. There are all kinds of examples in Christian history of groups who have tried to impose unity because it was a good idea. Our role isn’t to create unity; that’s God’s job. Ephesians 4:3 tells us we need to be attentive, committed, and “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit.” When we sense things going sideways, our prayer should be, “Father, am I maintaining or am I disrupting the unity of Your Spirit?”
Prayer – Father, point out anything in me that disrupts or blocks the unity Your Spirit is going for in my church. Keep me from committing sins or omitting service that harms unity in Your body. Remind me each day You are the decider of what place and role I am to carry out in Your body. Lead me into faithfulness that preserves the unity of Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (Philippians 2:1-3 NKJV)
Day 4 Fellowship and Honesty
Fellowship requires honesty. When there is pretense there can be no genuine fellowship. John begins his first letter with such a good picture of this truth about the nature of fellowship. People who can’t or won’t be honest with each other are people who will never experience the kind of nurturing fellowship God desires among His people.
And just calling it fellowship doesn’t make it so. We mock God’s character and power if we claim to be intimate with Him but our lives are a mess. When God’s around, the lights are on! Walking in the darkness means we may bump into each other, but we won’t have fellowship.
When we see ourselves and one another clearly under God’s clarifying and purifying light, we are in position to appreciate each other, observe the cleansing work Jesus performs in one another’s lives, and experience the common ground that creates fellowship.
John is clearly pointing to the heart of authenticity in these verses. Authenticity requires honesty—not putting on a mask; not coming to church and acting okay when I’m not. It is weeping with those who weep; rejoicing with those who rejoice; bearing one another’s burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ. God forbid our churches would ever become a place of pretense and mask-wearing and acting like I’m fine when I’m not.
Prayer – Father, put Your finger on the places in my life infected with pretense and false conclusions. Help me to be genuine in confessing my sins—the ones I can see as well as the ones I must be shown. Lead me to others who want to live transparently, and allow us to experience the remarkable fellowship of Your presence together. In Jesus name, Amen.
Fellowship requires honesty. When there is pretense there can be no genuine fellowship. John begins his first letter with such a good picture of this truth about the nature of fellowship. People who can’t or won’t be honest with each other are people who will never experience the kind of nurturing fellowship God desires among His people.
And just calling it fellowship doesn’t make it so. We mock God’s character and power if we claim to be intimate with Him but our lives are a mess. When God’s around, the lights are on! Walking in the darkness means we may bump into each other, but we won’t have fellowship.
When we see ourselves and one another clearly under God’s clarifying and purifying light, we are in position to appreciate each other, observe the cleansing work Jesus performs in one another’s lives, and experience the common ground that creates fellowship.
John is clearly pointing to the heart of authenticity in these verses. Authenticity requires honesty—not putting on a mask; not coming to church and acting okay when I’m not. It is weeping with those who weep; rejoicing with those who rejoice; bearing one another’s burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ. God forbid our churches would ever become a place of pretense and mask-wearing and acting like I’m fine when I’m not.
Prayer – Father, put Your finger on the places in my life infected with pretense and false conclusions. Help me to be genuine in confessing my sins—the ones I can see as well as the ones I must be shown. Lead me to others who want to live transparently, and allow us to experience the remarkable fellowship of Your presence together. In Jesus name, Amen.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:6-9 NKJV)
Day 5 Fellowship and Pain
Fellowship hurts sometimes. That’s why Paul said this, speaking of Jesus: “That I may know him (Jesus)—and the power of his resurrection, and may share (the word share tries to convey the Greek koinonia translated, in many Bibles as fellowship of) his sufferings.” The fellowship of His sufferings is the relational connection born out of your mutual experience. People suffer financial loss, health problems, and family break up. Those difficulties are not the fellowship of His suffering unless they are the direct result of our following Christ.
Jesus Christ paid the debt for your sin. He took upon Himself the punishment for your sin. Question: Did He deserve that humiliating and painful death? (No!) Could He have avoided it? (Yes!) But did He take it? (Yes!) I experience the fellowship of His suffering when I accept a pain I do not deserve.
Now, I’ve done plenty of things where I deserved what I got. But in addition to my own failings, there is the pain of misunderstanding and betrayal and rejection; the things Christ experienced. Listen Christian, when you absorb injury for the sake of others, you know Jesus in a new and deeper way. You know Him in the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. He took what He did not deserve. In order to become more like Him we will have to learn the fellowship of His sufferings.
Prayer – Father, remind me that the command to forgive one another assumes there will be things which must be forgiven—like hurts. If I’m growing into Your likeness, Lord, I will be developing a capacity for accepting the pains that come with that growth. I desperately need Your help in growing that way, Father. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Fellowship hurts sometimes. That’s why Paul said this, speaking of Jesus: “That I may know him (Jesus)—and the power of his resurrection, and may share (the word share tries to convey the Greek koinonia translated, in many Bibles as fellowship of) his sufferings.” The fellowship of His sufferings is the relational connection born out of your mutual experience. People suffer financial loss, health problems, and family break up. Those difficulties are not the fellowship of His suffering unless they are the direct result of our following Christ.
Jesus Christ paid the debt for your sin. He took upon Himself the punishment for your sin. Question: Did He deserve that humiliating and painful death? (No!) Could He have avoided it? (Yes!) But did He take it? (Yes!) I experience the fellowship of His suffering when I accept a pain I do not deserve.
Now, I’ve done plenty of things where I deserved what I got. But in addition to my own failings, there is the pain of misunderstanding and betrayal and rejection; the things Christ experienced. Listen Christian, when you absorb injury for the sake of others, you know Jesus in a new and deeper way. You know Him in the fellowship of Christ’s suffering. He took what He did not deserve. In order to become more like Him we will have to learn the fellowship of His sufferings.
Prayer – Father, remind me that the command to forgive one another assumes there will be things which must be forgiven—like hurts. If I’m growing into Your likeness, Lord, I will be developing a capacity for accepting the pains that come with that growth. I desperately need Your help in growing that way, Father. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, (Philippians 3:7-10 NKJV)
Day 6 Ministry and Fellowship
Fellowship is about partnership in ministry. It’s not just about all the benefits that flow to us as a result of fellowship between us. Ultimately, it’s about what God wants to do for others as a result of our fellowship.
Galatians 2:9 records some of Paul’s earliest memories of what occurred after he began to follow Jesus. “And when James and Cephas (another name for Peter) and John. . .” Peter, James, and John. These were the main leaders in the early church. They “perceived the grace that was given to me,” Paul said. In other words, when they figured out I was saved, “they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me.”
So, what’s this right hand of fellowship all about? The leadership welcomed Paul and Barnabas, and sent them out! What better indication of their seeing God’s Spirit in Paul and Barnabas than to entrust them with a mission!
The point of welcoming new members into a local church is not to be able to put a larger number on the billboard out front—it’s to enlarge the ministry! New members haven’t really joined until they have found a place to actively connect; a spot where they are needed; a role where they can serve. Imagine the next guy who joined the Jerusalem church and was placed in a small group with James, Cephas, John, Paul, and Barnabas. They held each other accountable for ministry. Notice how they gave each other direction and caution. “You two go after the Gentiles; we’ll focus on the Jews.” “Don’t overlook the poor.” The by-product of genuine fellowship is effective ministry.
Prayer – Father, keep me from acting like a parasite on Your body. I desperately need the fellowship and ministry from Your body in my life, but I know You intend to use me and work through me within Your body as well. Help me not only find but also give myself to my place in Your church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Fellowship is about partnership in ministry. It’s not just about all the benefits that flow to us as a result of fellowship between us. Ultimately, it’s about what God wants to do for others as a result of our fellowship.
Galatians 2:9 records some of Paul’s earliest memories of what occurred after he began to follow Jesus. “And when James and Cephas (another name for Peter) and John. . .” Peter, James, and John. These were the main leaders in the early church. They “perceived the grace that was given to me,” Paul said. In other words, when they figured out I was saved, “they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me.”
So, what’s this right hand of fellowship all about? The leadership welcomed Paul and Barnabas, and sent them out! What better indication of their seeing God’s Spirit in Paul and Barnabas than to entrust them with a mission!
The point of welcoming new members into a local church is not to be able to put a larger number on the billboard out front—it’s to enlarge the ministry! New members haven’t really joined until they have found a place to actively connect; a spot where they are needed; a role where they can serve. Imagine the next guy who joined the Jerusalem church and was placed in a small group with James, Cephas, John, Paul, and Barnabas. They held each other accountable for ministry. Notice how they gave each other direction and caution. “You two go after the Gentiles; we’ll focus on the Jews.” “Don’t overlook the poor.” The by-product of genuine fellowship is effective ministry.
Prayer – Father, keep me from acting like a parasite on Your body. I desperately need the fellowship and ministry from Your body in my life, but I know You intend to use me and work through me within Your body as well. Help me not only find but also give myself to my place in Your church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. (Galatians 2:9-10 NKJV)
Day 7 Fellowship in Action
Fellowship involves sharing what I have.
2 Corinthians 8:3 describes fellowship in action as people who “gave according to their means.” What they had, they gave.
What do you have? I have time. I have experience and wisdom. I have compassion. Yes, I have certain resources. That’s were fellowship in action begins. In the passage above, Paul told the Corinthians what a good example the Macedonians were in giving. Here’s what was going on. Because of persecution and famine, some of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were starving. So some of the churches in Asia Minor took up offerings for them. But amazingly, people who gave really didn’t have—humanly speaking—very much to give. Paul says, “You’ve got to hear about this grace that’s been given.” Look at verses two and three. It wasn’t the biggest gift, but it may have been the biggest sacrifice. Everyone’s “means” are different. God multiplies the products of an attitude of giving, no matter the size or nature of the gift. Remember what Jesus did with a boy’s sack lunch (John 6:1-12)?
Don’t you want your church to be a compelling testimony of the power of the Gospel in the way people love and care for one another? Every time you write a note, each time you make a meal for someone who’s hurting, and every time you give what you have to meet someone’s need, you are practicing fellowship. It’s a powerful thing!
Prayer – Father, open my eyes to see needs You have provided for me to help meet. Who I am and what I have come from You, and I want to be directed by You in how I use all You have given. Help me never lose sight that I belong to You and can be an instrument in Your hands for Your work in the world. Open my eyes, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
What do you have? I have time. I have experience and wisdom. I have compassion. Yes, I have certain resources. That’s were fellowship in action begins. In the passage above, Paul told the Corinthians what a good example the Macedonians were in giving. Here’s what was going on. Because of persecution and famine, some of the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were starving. So some of the churches in Asia Minor took up offerings for them. But amazingly, people who gave really didn’t have—humanly speaking—very much to give. Paul says, “You’ve got to hear about this grace that’s been given.” Look at verses two and three. It wasn’t the biggest gift, but it may have been the biggest sacrifice. Everyone’s “means” are different. God multiplies the products of an attitude of giving, no matter the size or nature of the gift. Remember what Jesus did with a boy’s sack lunch (John 6:1-12)?
Don’t you want your church to be a compelling testimony of the power of the Gospel in the way people love and care for one another? Every time you write a note, each time you make a meal for someone who’s hurting, and every time you give what you have to meet someone’s need, you are practicing fellowship. It’s a powerful thing!
Prayer – Father, open my eyes to see needs You have provided for me to help meet. Who I am and what I have come from You, and I want to be directed by You in how I use all You have given. Help me never lose sight that I belong to You and can be an instrument in Your hands for Your work in the world. Open my eyes, Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. (II Corinthians 8:1-4 NKJV)
