A Fellowship Comeback
Many years ago, a prominent minister observed that we needed a renewed emphasis on Christian fellowship in our churches. Using the familiar Greek word for fellowship, he indicated that we need a “koinonia comeback.” I wonder if he was remembering how the new Christians after Pentecost gained so much strength and joy from sharing and caring about one another.
Those pioneers of our faith taught us that fellowship has to do with the basic nature of life and the Christian walk. As social beings, we seek to belong and communicate with those around us; human beings need each other in order to thrive and survive. Likewise, Christians depend on fellowship with God and other believers as a means of growth and unity.
Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation, wrote, “If I am in Christ, and you are in Christ, then we are also in each other.” Our scripture lesson tells us that the kindred spirits and mutual love of Christians flow from walking in the light that God shines on our pathways.
Although I have always appreciated the opportunities for Christian fellowship that our local church provides, I also benefit from a new look at ways in which I can increase my fellowship opportunities. In this Lenten season, I give special thanks for the ways in which we come together as God’s children and share grace, joy, and strength with each other. As we look around, however, perhaps the Lord will show us ways in which we can all grow in this vital area. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.” (I John 1:7, NIV)
~Reverend Joe Lusk~
