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Fellowship

When the followers of Christ come together to worship God, to remember Jesus’ sacrifice, to grow deeper in their faith, and to share their life journeys together, they share a very special fellowship. Christianity was initially considered a sect within the Jewish religion but has long become a dominating and influential power in its own right. Christian churches have also taken on many forms. In the beginning, there was only one fellowship in a locality. Now many different denominations of church co-exist in a city. They vary in their political or organizational structure and emphasis on specific teachings or practices. They also attract different people based on the language spoken, worship (music) styles, and so on. 

In this study we focus on how we can practice our faith within our respective church communities. Regardless of the difference in creed, doctrine, or culture, certain fundamental instructions from the Bible apply to us all. As individual Christians, the quality of our relationships with our fellow disciples of Jesus is a powerful and visible expression of our personal relationship with God.

Part I Christ's Fellowship Defined

1. Body of Christ

Read Ephesians 1: 22-23, 5:29

Jesus is the head of the body, his church.  He has authority over the church, and he cares for his church, his body.  While today's church leaders may seem to have great authority and visibility, Jesus himself is the ultimate leader and he leads his followers with love and care, as he would for his only body.

2. Through the church, the world will know God

Read Ephesians 3: 10 and John 13: 35

Through our fellowship, the world will come to know God, his wisdom, and Jesus.

3. Each member has a part in it

Read Romans 12: 4-8, 1 Corinthians 12:7-27,  

We are each a part of the body of Christ, where we each have a role and where we belong to one another.  As disciples of Jesus, we are called to be active members and participants in our church community.   In doing so, we grow in our faith and our love for God and for one another.

4. It grows into maturity

Read Ephesians 4: 11-16

The main task given to the evangelists, pastors, and teachers is to equip the people of God for the work of services, so that the body of Christ may grow into maturity. It is all of our jobs to build up the church. 

Reflection

Do I trust Jesus to be the leader of my church community, or do I look to humans to lead? Do I see myself and my fellow believers as an indispensable part of my church?  Am I active in using my gift to build up the church, or am I an passive observer? How can I grow in my fellowship to honor God and to make his wisdom and love known to the world?

Part II How do we love one another?

1. In our mindset/attitude

  • With humility: Ephesians 5:21, Philippians 2: 3-4, Romans 12:3 

  • Being honest and truthful: Ephesians 4:25

  • Forgive:  Colossians 3:13, Romans 12:17-19

2. In our speech/ interaction

  • Speak to encourage, build up and meet needs: Ephesians 4:29

  • Being wholesome and clean in our speech with one another: Ephesians 5:4

  • Imitate one another who is like Christ:  1 Thessalonians 1: 6, Hebrews 6:12, Philippians 3:17

3. In our actions

  • Serve one another:  John 13:14-15

  • Help the weak: Galatian 6:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:14

4. In our faith

  • Pray for each other: Colossians 1:9-12

  • Keep and Restore faith: Hebrews 3: 12-13, James 5:19-20

Reflection

How do I express my love for Jesus in the way I am involved in serving and caring for my church? Do I focus only on activities (serving, doing) or do I also care for the relationships by pro-actively encouraging, building up, and addressing conflicts?

Part III Obstacles to maturity in the church

1. Division

Read 1 Corinthians 1: 10 to 2: 5 

What causes division?  What does God want us to focus on instead?

2. Favoritism /Prejudice

Read James 2:1-4, James 4: 11

When believers show favoritism, judge one another, or slander one another, we destroy the atmosphere of love, kindness, and acceptance. 

3. Quarrels

Read 2 Timothy 2:14, 2: 23

We quarrel because we have different opinions and we are not able to accept the other person's opinion or values, or we need to prove that ours is the right or better one. 

4. Observing rules 

Read Romans 14:5-8

Falling back to observing rules is taking grace away from our fellowship.  It also causes quarales as we now have humans defining what is right based on our own interpretation and opinion.  

5. Lack of Training

Hebrews 5:11-6:3

After being born again spiritually, we are like infants who need to learn to grow our spiritual mind and muscles.  Appropriate training is necessary for growth. 

6. False Teaching

Read 1 Timothy 6:3-5

Not everyone who professes to be a follower of Christ would truly follow and teach all of Jesus' teaching.  When false teaching enters the fellowship, it can corrupt the faith and create confusion.

7. Falling Away

Read Hebrews 6:4-6

When a member leaves God and the fellowship, it disrupts the bond formed within the fellowship and can also weaken the faith of believers. 

Reflection

A Christian fellowship is unique from worldly organizations because a church is more likely to have a diverse population of people from different cultural- financial- educational upbringings coming together. How can I deal with my own favoritism, prejudice,  and tendency to judge? How can I avoid getting into quarrels when I have a different opinion?

Next Study

Go

Back to the reFoundation series overview

Study #9 The Holy Spirit

  • The role of the Holy Spirit

  • The Spirit-led life

  • The Spirit.filled life

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