More than a potluck

Christian fellowship is often associated with "fellowship suppers" or "pie fellowships," or something involving donuts. Now don't get me wrong, I love food. I'm actually salivating a little bit when I think of how many great pies I've had at our church. I also think food can play an important part in bringing people together: it gives us a great reason to sit around a table and chat. Lots of great ministry opportunities can arise as we learn about each other, discern each other's gifts and needs, and so forth.

However, Christian fellowship must go farther than this kind of thing. John says in 1 John 1.7 says,

"...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."

When we have a right relationship with Jesus, we can relate to others in a way that non-Christians cannot. One of the results of the Fall of humanity in Genesis 3 was that shame was introduced into human relationships, and with it all kinds of barriers. Only when we're made whole in Jesus can we start to relate to others in a more healthy way, with some of the barriers removed.

The kind of fellowship John invites us to includes confession and accountability (1 Jn. 1.9; James 5.16). It includes encouraging each other and reminding each other of our ultimate destination, heaven (1 Thes. 4.15-18). It includes all sorts of growth as we prefer each other above ourselves, learning about the unique way God made each of us (Phil. 2.1-4). Fellowship means bearing one another's burdens, praying for and serving one another (1 Cor. 12.26). And I could go on...

My point is that true fellowship is something deep, something infused with the Holy Spirit, something that brings edification and growth to us and others, and something that pleases the Lord. Since we've been covered by the blood of the lamb, we have the opportunity to participate in this kind of fellowship. Let's do the best we can to grow in this area. Because fellowship doesn't just happen, we need to seek out these opportunities, be these kinds of people, and in so doing become more like Jesus.