Fostering Fellowship

We should not think of our fellowship with other Christians as a spiritual luxury, an optional addition to the exercises of private devotions. Fellowship is one of the great words of the New Testament: it denotes something that is vital to a Christian’s spiritual health, and central to the Church’s true life…The church will flourish and Christians will be strong only when there is fellowship.—J.I. Packer, God’s Words

This definition summarizes an aspect of the church that is often emphasized but is sadly missed by so many. When God called Abraham to leave his home to follow Him, He promised Him the fellowship of a community greater than he could ever fathom (Genesis 12:1-3). When Jesus called His disciples to leave all behind for His cause, He promised them a family of faith with whom they would always enjoy friendship (Matthew 19:29). When Paul described the local church, it was a community of believers who would be fleshing out their faith in close proximity to each other (Ephesians 2:19-22). When Jesus calls us to follow Him, we enter into a personal relationship with God through faith. However, this faith can only flourish in the context of a community of fellow believers who are living in “fellowship” with each other. While our Sunday morning gathering for corporate worship is important, it is difficult to develop meaningful relationships in a group of two hundred!

This is precisely why we develop and maintain smaller groups for fellowship called “Sunday School.” It is so important to our church that we consider it a core value of our ministry:

Authentic Community—People were made to be in relationship with God and with others. We desire to connect people with God and with other believers for the purpose of sharing life together. We need to be encouraged by others. We need to be challenged by others. We need to be held accountable as well. All of this takes place within the context of relationships called community.

The following story illustrates well just why the fellowship found in Sunday School is so vital to our faith:

In the fall of the year, Linda, a young woman, was traveling alone up the rutted and rugged highway from Alberta to the Yukon. Linda didn't know you don't travel to Whitehorse alone in a rundown Honda Civic, so she set off where only four-wheel drives normally venture. The first evening she found a room in the mountains near a summit and asked for a 5 A.M. wakeup call so she could get an early start. She couldn't understand why the clerk looked surprised at that request, but as she awoke to early- morning fog shrouding the mountain tops, she understood. Not wanting to look foolish, she got up and went to breakfast. Two truckers invited Linda to join them, and since the place was so small, she felt obliged. "Where are you headed?" one of the truckers asked. 'Whitehorse'

"In that little Civic? No way! This pass is dangerous in weather like this." "Well, I'm determined to try," was Linda's gutsy, if not very informed, response. "Then I guess we're just going to have to hug you," the trucker suggested. Linda drew back. "There's no way I'm going to let you touch me!"

"Not like THAT!" the truckers chuckled. "We'll put one truck in front of you and one in the rear. In that way, we'll get you through the mountains." All that foggy morning Linda followed the two red dots in front of her and had the reassurance of a big escort behind as they made their way safely through the mountains. Caught in the fog in our dangerous passage through life, we need to be "hugged." With fellow Christians who know the way and can lead safely ahead of us, and with others behind, gently encouraging us along, we, too, can pass safely.

I pray that you will find your spot and experience the Christian fellowship that we all so desperately need.

Jason