In this week’s article I am continuing my invitation for you to resolve to come back to church this Sunday. In the past two articles I described how the early church gave us a prescription to live out our Christian lives today: “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.” (Acts 2:42)
The first article emphasized renewing our New Year’s resolution to attend church, aligning with the practices of the Acts 2:42, and the second article focused on the “apostles’ teaching.” Today, I’ll underscore the significance of “the fellowship” aspect of this instruction and description of going to church.
Being followers of Jesus involves embracing fellowship with a local congregation as an essential to our spiritual maturity. While the word “fellowship” may commonly bring to mind eating together, the early church valued and invested in fellowship at a deeper level. Beyond mere socializing, fellowship encompasses at least four transformative concepts embedded in our faith.
First, fellowship embodies the idea of a “fishing” business partnership. Christians are constantly encouraged to invest time, energy, and resources in other Christians and ministry work to draw people to Jesus Christ. Every Christian is called to collaborate with others in this endeavor. We are supposed to fish for people. If we’re not catching any, or our church is not catching any people, that may mean we need to reevaluate our fellowship.
Second, fellowship paints a picture of a healthy body, where each part functions harmoniously. Christ followers are encouraged to use their spiritual gifts within a local congregation to support, encourage, and serve fellow church members. If we are meeting together just to serve ourselves, or if we are only ever asking the question, “What did I get out of that?” then we need to reevaluate our God given priorities.
Third, fellowship carries the essence of a spiritual family, led by God the Father and Jesus as our “older brother,” guiding us in living by teaching us values and setting an example in priorities we practice and the responsibilities we are supposed to do. Would you call your church your spiritual family? Do you have spiritual parents to give you instruction and are you training spiritual children in the way they should go?
Finally, fellowship involves being part of a basecamp for spiritual warfare, where our marching orders, protection from the enemy, and resources are found within the Church. Paul says, “we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Understanding fellowship as a gathering to function as a healthy body, preparing for spiritual warfare, connecting as a family, and recognizing our role in producing new converts and spiritual maturity reshapes the meaning of attending church. God commands Christians to gather, comprehend their place in the body of Christ, and understand how to function within the local church. The design of the church is to be a community that contributes to the lifelong transformation of character.
The crucial point is this: Without active participation and engagement in a church community with fellow Christians, you may fall short of fully obeying scriptural commands and fail to reach your potential as a follower of Jesus. At its worst, neglecting church involvement may inadvertently lead to a path of destruction, death or even one that sends you to hell.
I’m here to support you in discovering a nearby church that will help you continue your spiritual character transformation. Feel free to connect with me at [email protected], and I’ll be more than happy to assist you in finding a church where you can both learn and actively contribute.
Dale McCamish is the pastor of Wilmington Church of Christ.
