What Is Christian Fellowship?

I was wondering if we could maybe define here what it means, Biblically speaking, to have Christian fellowship. For instance, the early church met daily from house to house and in the temple courts for the teaching of the word, for prayer, for the breaking of bread and for fellowship. They were committed (devoted) to fellowship with one another.

So, what do you believe is meant by fellowship in that context? I think that in our modern-day churches we have altered the meaning of fellowship quite a bit, and that we have lost the idea of what the early believers experienced in genuine fellowship with one another. What do you think they did in their meetings with one another that they would have regarded as "fellowship"?

I found this definition on GotQuestions.org that I think is quite good: http://www.gotquestions.org/koinonia.html
 
I was wondering if we could maybe define here what it means, Biblically speaking, to have Christian fellowship. For instance, the early church met daily from house to house and in the temple courts for the teaching of the word, for prayer, for the breaking of bread and for fellowship. They were committed (devoted) to fellowship with one another.

So, what do you believe is meant by fellowship in that context? I think that in our modern-day churches we have altered the meaning of fellowship quite a bit, and that we have lost the idea of what the early believers experienced in genuine fellowship with one another. What do you think they did in their meetings with one another that they would have regarded as "fellowship"?

I found this definition on GotQuestions.org that I think is quite good: http://www.gotquestions.org/koinonia.html

Fellowship (Greek - KOINONIA - association, community, communion, joint participation, contact). Hello Sue, that's a good question, it's amazing how much we use words without looking at their true meaning from time to time. I'm a Christian Pastor so my belief in fellowship would primarily be face to face as other forms are quite limited however, that's not to say we can't fellowship through these limited forms. When I look at CFS for example, I believe this is a great tool for those who feel a bit lonely, maybe isolated in a rural community or going through a difficult time and from what I've seen so far, the Lord seems to honour the fellowship we see here. I hope this adds to your thoughts....
 
When two or more are gathered in The King's name, you have fellowship and church.

Don't need any set ritual, tradition or dogma, just two or more and you're done.
 
When two or more are gathered in The King's name, you have fellowship and church.

Don't need any set ritual, tradition or dogma, just two or more and you're done.

He is in the midst of us when we gather in his name, according to his will and his divine character and purpose. Though I agree that our times of fellowship should not be ritualistic, traditional and dogmatic, and that they should be free in the Spirit, I do believe the scriptures set down some guidelines and Biblical principles for us to follow in our times together in order for our fellowship to truly be Christian fellowship. I believe a lot of what is passed off as "fellowship" these days does not fit with the Biblical teaching on what constitutes genuine Christian fellowship, such as was experienced by the early church. A church "fellowship," for example, may be nothing more than a meal and sitting around playing games and talking about sports and TV shows, or even bragging about how someone got away with speeding because they knew someone, and stuff like that. I have been to a lot of those.
 
This is a good definition. Thank you for sharing it, Sue.

You are welcome! I believe that in today's culture within the church that we often miss this true meaning of what God intended by "fellowship." I have experienced this many times before, and it is awesome when it happens! Yet, I have found little of it these past nearly 30 years now, and my heart hungers and longs for such fellowship with other believers, which I do experience still here and there, but not like before. I did a search on the internet and found this definition, and I believe it really speaks to what our Christian fellowship is truly to entail. I believe we have bits and pieces of it here and there, but I believe we are missing out on a lot of what we could be experiencing if only we had a greater understanding of what the early church experienced when they fellowshiped together. So many "fellowships" I have attended in churches have turned out to be gossip sessions, biting and devouring each other, talking about all our worldly and even sinful activities, and even bragging about them, but these times are often absent of the true presence of God in our midst to where we are responding to the Spirit's voice, and to where we are encouraging, strengthening, helping, nurturing, exhorting, urging, comforting, nourishing and building one another up in our most holy faith. So, I asked the question, because I think it is important that we understand what it means, and so we can apply it to our lives.
 
I long for more friendships with solid believers. I am single and find that it is difficult to find and develop friendships with other strong believers....believers at any level in fact. People are so wrapped up in their lives that they don't seem to need or want more friends. I crave meaningful conversations on a multitude of subjects - Christianity, politics, love, work, finances....I want friends I can laugh with, share dinner with, hang out with, play cards with, drink wine with, listen to music with......the whole gamut. I also find that because I am single I need help from others more often. Live was not meant to be done alone - or nearly alone. o_O
 
I think that today, technology has both added to fellowship and (I'll use the word) subtracted from it.

For me, personally, I enjoy coming to CFS for its form of fellowship, first, because I use it on Saturday afternoons after I get home from worship service, after or before my old-lady-nap. I use it while my husband is watching sports -- I hAte sports. I use it when I awake in the night and can't get back to sleep. I use it to relax after work. I even get on it during break at work.

The people here have been good to me, have helped me with a couple major problems, and have been friends. I call this fellowship. When the Scriptures were written, obviously, this way of communicating and discussing the Bible was not there, just as there were no churches. Churches, whole Bibles small enough to fit in a pocket, electronic Bibles, Scriptures on phones, etc., are wonderful inventions we can use now that didn't exist then. There is no good reason not to use such as a means, or part of a means, for fellowship.

I, personally, believe that the danger comes when we don't do that face-to-face fellowship @
christianbacktobasics mentioned. We need each other to fix our rough edges and to build not just congregations but communities as well.
 
Becoming born again of the Word of God by the Spirit of God causes one to be translated into the Kingdom of God, which is not on this earth. Baby or new born Christians do not have any clue to what has happened to them after this new birth, and need to be taught who they are and where they have been brought to. Walking in the flesh is still their normal way of fellowshipping with other believers, by brining their physical bodies to a certain location on earth so they can see with their eyes, and feel with their hands other parts of the body of Christ. The five fold ministries purpose is to teach how each and every member of the body of Christ to do the “work of the ministry” which is the “edifying” building the body of Christ. Every building has to have a place to where this building process is being built. There has to be a "job site" where this building is taking place. The job site is in mount Zion the city of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem where all the Saints have been called to come unto. This is where the throne of grace is located. Building the body of Christ is not getting others saved as that is the work of the Holy Spirit. God adds to the Church not man. This fellowship is to continue “until we all come in the unity of the faith unto the stature of the fullness of Christ unto a mature man” The word “come” means “ to arrive at a place, to meet” The word “unity means “oneness” All of the body of Christ is “one” because of the Glory Jesus gave us. Its is God's Glory that makes him one, and we are “one” in him together.

Wherever Jesus is, we are right there with him in him!!! Does the body of Christ understand this, and are they experiencing it in their fellowship when they are out and about in their daily lives? I don't think so. We are still having to come together in the flesh thinking this is how fellowship is and there is no other way. The Apostle John said this....

1Jn 1:3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Having fellowship with the Saints is not a physical thing, and does not require your physical body to be in close proximity to one another. John said he wanted to have fellowship with us!!! How can this happen?

1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
 
Becoming born again of the Word of God by the Spirit of God causes one to be translated into the Kingdom of God, which is not on this earth. Baby or new born Christians do not have any clue to what has happened to them after this new birth, and need to be taught who they are and where they have been brought to.
Once again, the majority of Christians, including Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists and many others, disagree with you. You simply understand baptism one way, the majority understand it another way.
 
Becoming born again of the Word of God by the Spirit of God causes one to be translated into the Kingdom of God, which is not on this earth. Baby or new born Christians do not have any clue to what has happened to them after this new birth, and need to be taught who they are and where they have been brought to. Walking in the flesh is still their normal way of fellowshipping with other believers, by brining their physical bodies to a certain location on earth so they can see with their eyes, and feel with their hands other parts of the body of Christ.
Ehhh.... I will assume no pride went into this statement, because it could easily be interpreted as arrogant depending on how it was said.
 
Ehhh.... I will assume no pride went into this statement, because it could easily be interpreted as arrogant depending on how it was said.

Does it sound prideful to you? You are correct it was not given in a prideful spirit, only as to give information. If you detected any errors in what I said, then let me know.
 
Does it sound prideful to you? You are correct it was not given in a prideful spirit, only as to give information. If you detected any errors in what I said, then let me know.
"Baby or new born Christians do not have any clue to what has happened to them after this new birth"

Well i agree with new Christians getting guidance, but I think that new Christians know that God the father just saved them through Jesus Christ the son or else they wouldn't be a Christian. The 'baby' Christian statement could be interpreted as demeaning imo, but I get what you were saying. I think it is just the internet again making some things be interpreted differently than they would be said irl.
 
"Baby or new born Christians do not have any clue to what has happened to them after this new birth"

Well i agree with new Christians getting guidance, but I think that new Christians know that God the father just saved them through Jesus Christ the son or else they wouldn't be a Christian. The 'baby' Christian statement could be interpreted as demeaning imo, but I get what you were saying. I think it is just the internet again making some things be interpreted differently than they would be said irl.

Please allow me to say this, and I am not trying to be boastful, or in any kind of prideful way. If someone was trying to convince you it is because you are weak minded that you believe in Jesus as your saviour. But you know without a shadow of doubt that Jesus really is Lord, because God the Father gave you a revelation by His Spirit that he is Lord. This is what causes one to be born again. When you speak this to your friends and those you don't know they will think you are just being boastful, or prideful in your comments. They can detect in you something that gives them this reaction. On your part it is never boasting, or pride it is called "authority", and many people misinterpret "authority" as pride. Authority is not received well with a lot of people. This is one of the things Jesus experienced from the religious leaders of his day. They hated him because of it and it made them mad. They just could not figure out where Jesus received all his teaching from. They said.....

Mat 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

When a person is not to sure of what they believe it shows up in how they say it. When God the Father speaks to you and teaches you his Word there also authority that comes with it, and it comes out when you speak it to others. Some will receive it and some will hate you because of it.
But it was never intended to be a boastful, prideful thing
 
Please allow me to say this, and I am not trying to be boastful, or in any kind of prideful way. If someone was trying to convince you it is because you are weak minded that you believe in Jesus as your saviour. But you know without a shadow of doubt that Jesus really is Lord, because God the Father gave you a revelation by His Spirit that he is Lord. This is what causes one to be born again. When you speak this to your friends and those you don't know they will think you are just being boastful, or prideful in your comments. They can detect in you something that gives them this reaction. On your part it is never boasting, or pride it is called "authority", and many people misinterpret "authority" as pride. Authority is not received well with a lot of people. This is one of the things Jesus experienced from the religious leaders of his day. They hated him because of it and it made them mad. They just could not figure out where Jesus received all his teaching from. They said.....

Mat 7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

When a person is not to sure of what they believe it shows up in how they say it. When God the Father speaks to you and teaches you his Word there also authority that comes with it, and it comes out when you speak it to others. Some will receive it and some will hate you because of it.
But it was never intended to be a boastful, prideful thing
Very true. I think it might be because I don't know you very well too.
 
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