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May 23, 2007
The Foundation Stone of Fellowship
Are we, the present day church, not to take our cues from the first church? Four foundation stones or pillars of the early church are unmistakably clear in Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Fellowship was, has been and is one of the most important aspects of church life. It happens wherever the church meets and its importance cannot be overstated.
One of the most fulfilling and productive ways to achieve fellowship or true koinonia in the church is through the “small group” or “fellowship group” ministry. In fact, during the centuries since Christ, whenever spiritual awakenings have occurred, fellowship or koinonia has been a significant result, wherein the Christian church has displayed repentance, confession of sin, love for one another, and care in burden-bearing. During the Wesleyan awakening in England in the 1700s evangelist George Whitefield wrote this to his converts, “My brethren, let us plainly and freely tell one another what God has done for our souls. To this end, you would do well, as others have done, to form yourselves into little companies of four or five each, and meet once a week to tell each other what is in your hearts; that you may then also pray for and comfort each other as need shall require. None but those who have experienced it can tell the unspeakable advantages of such a union and communion of souls. None, I think, that truly loves his own soul and his brethren as himself, will be shy of opening his heart, in order to have their advice, reproof, admonition and prayers, as occasions require. A sincere person will esteem it one of the greatest blessings.”
Zion is already blessed by a number of “small” or fellowship groups where teaching, caring, sharing and prayer are already happening. Praise God for this good thing that is happening among us. But many more of us could be involved and, so, we encourage all to consider attending an existing small group or beginning a new one. We would be delighted to assist wherever we can.
Not only is fellowship with other Christians in the church body fulfilling and productive, it is vital in establishing accountability with fellow believers and in bolstering our spiritual resistance against the insidious temptations of the evil one. It is said that during World War II, the enemy conducted experiences to discover the most effective way to
elicit information from prisoners. They found that solitary confinement was the most effective. After a few days of solitary confinement, most men would tell all. This is why we need fellowship. Without it we unnecessarily become easy prey for harmful temptations and “the abandonment of our values” (Michael P. Green).
A foundation stone of the present church, as it was of the first church, continues to be fellowship. Join us this Sunday when we learn from Scripture how we can keep the koinonia.
Blessings,
Pastor Ralph Partelow
Posted by Jennifer Herrmann at May 23, 2007 11:37 AM