Once a month the church I attend has a Dinner On The Ground Indoors – what other churches I’ve been part of would call a Fellowship Dinner.
In most churches these dinners were a time to chat and share a good meal. That’s what fellowship is, right? Visiting?
A dictionary defines it as:
NOUN
- friendly association, especially with people who share one’s interests:
“they valued fun and good fellowship as the cement of the community”
synonyms: companionship · companionability · sociability - the status of a fellow of a college or society:
“she held the Faulkner fellowship”
Definitions provided by Oxford Dictionaries
Which of these, if either, is closest to the fellowship the Bible encourages us to engage in? Let’s see what the Bible has to say about this topic.
Strong’s #2842: The Greek word kŏinōnia(koy-nohn-ee) means the sharing of, or participation in, something all have in common. A partnership. Something all contribute to and have abiding interest in.
Just a few Bible passages are:
1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Those sharing the realization of the effects of the blood and body of Christ.
Acts 2:42“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” A participation in the knowledge of the Son of God.
2 Corinthians 8:4 “imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” Obeying God through ministry (ministry means “meeting the needs”) creates a fellowship of service.
Philippians 1:5 “for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,” This indicates a group of believers who gather to worship together and share their faith.
1 John 1:3 “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” Sharing the gospel allows others to enter into fellowship with the believers, and believers have fellowship with God through Jesus.
Although “something all contribute to” does sound like a pot-luck dinner, It’s pretty clear that the Biblical meaning is not just getting together to discuss the weather, politics, gardening, and your children over a meal. Biblical usage falls closer to the second dictionary definition: Christians are fellows in a relationship with one another, with God, and with Jesus. We are to work together on common goals and put the needs and authority of the whole (the body of Christ) above our own individual desires when they are at odds. We are not to allow our individual differences to divide the whole.
Humans have never been good at this. But as followers of Jesus, we are “a new species” (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15) and are expected to yield our will to that of Jesus.
This relationship is deeper, longer lasting, and more meaningful than simply a period of social interaction. This is something we would do well to remember any time we come together to worship, to share a meal, to take up church business, or to engage in service to others. We are fellows with one another and with Jesus and the purpose of the whole is greater than our individual desires. Enjoy the meal, but don’t forget why you are sharing a meal.
