Eden Weekly #05: The Joy of Fellowship

Fellowship is a Christian-ese kind of word that is banded about and applied to all types of gatherings from quiz nights to youth meetings to formal worship services but all too often the true essence of fellowship is missed.

The fellowship of believers gives us a picture of God. We are all unique, yet made in the image of our Father, individually gifted to make visible the attributes, nature and power of an invisible God. No one is perfect nor complete but together we make a whole.

To rightly experience fellowship there first must be constant communion in prayer with God. The one-to-one prayer time is necessary but there is something extraordinary that takes place when believers pray together.  Add to this a delight in exploring the Word, and a commitment to building and supporting each other spiritually, ever provoking each other to good works and we are getting closer to experiencing fellowship.  Add to this a deep-rooted love and concern about every aspect of life that affects the lives of those in relationship so that indeed you do life together, then we are getting ever closer to the experiences of fellowship of the new converts in the book of Acts.

I have been saved for over 30 years and have experienced in various seasons and occasions true fellowship. In fact, I have a lifelong friend of about 40 years and together we have done life. We have done ministry and mission together, raised our children together, sharing the joys and the woes that is life, we have done everything together and yes through this relationship I have experienced true fellowship.

As well as that, in the last six months I have been bought to a place where a group of likeminded believers intentionally experience fellowship with the sole aim of building and experiencing Kingdom living here and now.

So, what does this look like?  My go-to word would be connections. This fellowship provides a safe space to be real with each other, truly connecting, with God and with each other. totally transparent, without shame.  We pray and seek direction from God together, caring for the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of each other.  I have never encountered a place with a group of believers where I have been so invested in, encouraged, prayed for, prayer with, and vice versa.  Prayer and the word together form our go-to position. It is a place of accountability, a place of fruitfulness, where we together explore Kingdom opportunities to operate in our God given assignments.  It’s a place of genuine love and hospitality.  Oh, the joy of serving one another in love. I am overwhelmed and blessed beyond belief by every spirit filled encounter. This is a place of nurture, of God-focused vision, of supernatural revelation and empowerment, oh how I love this place.

The benefits are being added to daily, we are stronger together, we are experiencing spiritual growth. Our homes are brighter, our marriages more blessed.   Our gifts have a place to flourish and be used without having to wait to be given any official platform.  The laughter is for real, and the support in any crisis is unreserved.  If this is what the believers in Acts experienced, then all I can say is yes please.

This for me is truly Kingdom-living – a spirit-filled environment for the giving and receiving of love.  Oh, that all believers could be in a place such as this, then the world would truly know that we are Christ’s disciples. Being in a place of organic discipleship produces an abundance of fruit which is evidence to all that 

(Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash)

Blessings,

Shirley R. Evans of Eden Cumi Ministries

(Shirley R. Evans is a gifted teacher, writer and speaker using these to great effect in local, regional and national church organisations. As one who has experienced the liberating power of God, she is keen for others to experience this same God in action via community action and getting saints to activate their Kingdom mandate.)