A Few Thoughts on Fellowship
Acts 2:42 reads: “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
In our brotherhood, it is often the first of these devotions that we hear about and focus on the most. We are indeed dedicated to the apostles’ teaching, with nearly every gathering in part dedicated to the study of the word, and to prayer. Weekly we gather for communion, often associated with the “breaking of bread” portion of this verse. What we miss are the “continually” and the “fellowship” aspects of this great example that is provided for us in scripture.
As a culture, Americans today have so many groups that we identify with, that we gather with in-person or virtually, who we share values or perspectives with. These can be fellow fans of a sports team, a band, members of a club, or a civic organization or many other groups. In these groups, we find fellowship. These people are interested in what we are interested in, dedicated to the same things we are dedicated to, and they are seeking our company and support because of it. The church was intended to be the same way, but even more so. While we gain fellowship with our worldly activities now and then, with the body of Christ, we know that we can be continually devoted to fellowship. Reading the rest more broadly, that can include sharing of meals, prayer, and the study that so often accompanies our gatherings.
What does it look like to be continually dedicated to fellowship? Does it involve showing up for worship Sunday morning? Definitely! What about monthly pot-luck lunches like the one this Sunday? I think so! Small Groups? Yep. Just having each other over to our houses to show hospitality and to gather in love as the family of God? I think that continually dedicating ourselves to fellowship means we will come to know one another so well that there will no longer be space between us, and we will bear each others’ burdens, and share each others’ joys and sorrows in ways that we can’t even imagine.
We are all working to try to identify and form/support more small groups that our church needs at this time. We are in the process of strengthening the groups we have, and identifying the groups we need, and the people to participate in and lead them. We are deliberately gathering each month to share a meal after services to bring the whole fellowship at Arlington Church of Christ together at least monthly. We want to be continually in fellowship, sharing meals, praying, and studying the word of God.
I hope to see everyone from both language groups on Sunday after services for a wonderful lunch, and to hear the happy sounds of our family in Christ celebrating being together for a meal.
May God Bless and Keep you,
Lance