"LEARNING ABOUT FELLOWSHIP
The New Testament Greek word for 'fellowship' is in need of understanding. For some people, the idea of fellowship has been reduced to church socials, bowling leagues, once-a-month potlucks, and getting-together-with-the-gang-cliquishness. I've asked the Lord to teach us with more clarity about the value and importance of true New Testament fellowship.
Whenever you see the suffix 'ship' in our language, it essentially means 'to note' or 'to ascribe.' A good example is that you ascribe or give attention to the worth of the Almighty God (worship); you attend to or take note of the responsibility of duty (stewardship); you acknowledge and participate in the part or share you have in association (partnership); In the case of fellowship, we are noting or acknowledging the relationship we share in the Body of Jesus Christ... ascribing value to one another.
The scripture is so crowded with guidelines as to what New Testament fellowship is, it's impossible to express it in a few short sentences , but let's try:
1. Talk about Him... discuss His goodness and glory, Malachi 3:16
2. Tell what the Lord is teaching you right now, Hebrews 10:25,24
3. Share together the way the Lord has made you whole, Luke 8:39
4. Let your conversation center on good things, Phillipians 4:8
5. Discuss the Word... think together about truth, Joshua 1:8
The Holy Spirit has ceaslessly poured out of His Spirit upon us and is spreading Gods love in our midst (Romans 5:5), unifying, purging love is allowing us to grow together in true New Testament fellowship.
Let's learn together,
Ron Mehl"