Mindful fel ·low·ship by Paul Boeker, Editor


Where do you gather to eat in your church? Probably in the fellowship hall. What do you do between ser- vices in your church? Probably fellowship with others over a cup of coffee. Te members of the newborn church “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship …” (Acts 2:42, italics added). I don’t think drinking coffee together was the second priority for gathering, do you? What is “the fellowship” that the church recognized as an essential purpose of gathering?


It turns out that the Greek noun koinonia (En-


glish “fellowship”), has two related meanings. One is a relationship characterized by sharing in common, a partnership as in Phil. 4:15 where people are drawn together for a common purpose. Tis word is occasion- ally used opposite kakia (malice, hatefulness) where people draw apart from others. Te other meaning of koinonia puts the emphasis on sharing what one has with other; in fact, koinonia is translated “contribu- tion” in 2 Cor. 9:13. Te adjective koinonikos describes a person who is liberal, generous, sociable.


So it appears that “the fellowship” of the newborn


church was a desire to be involved in the lives of others and to provide what they needed. Te context supports that. Tey “had all things in common;” they were selling their possessions to meet the needs of others. Tey were eating together with “glad and generous hearts.” So the fellowship may have been a public time to hear people’s joys and sorrows and to receive giſts to minister to those with needs.


Tese definitions have helped me understand


Paul’s benediction: “Te grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor. 13:14). Now I under- stand that, just as Jesus offers grace, and the Father offers love, the Spirit offers fellowship; he works in our hearts to give us compassion, generosity, forgiveness, patience and all the other things that draw us together.


Fellowship is our first name. We are the Fellow-


ship of Evangelical Bible Churches. As we gather for the 125th time as a fellowship of churches, let’s recom- mit to drawing together through the power of the Holy Spirit to help one another grow stronger as churches. Churches can share skills through encouraging mem- bers to serve on commissions or as directors. Churches can draw together to support global partners. Pastors can encourage each other through relationships built at annual retreats.


Let’s devote ourselves to the fellowship, both in our churches and in our Fellowship. 4 Fellowship Focus, July/August 2019 FellowshipForward.org


Just as Jesus offers grace, and the Father offers love, the Spirit offers fellowship: he works in our hearts to give us compassion, generosity, a willingness to forgive, patience and all the other things that draw us together.


Connect19 Project Help Fellowship Pastors Learn in Israel


Te offering project for Connect19 will give Fellowship pastors the


opportunity to understand the geography and culture of the Bible in a deeper way from on-site in the land of Israel. Te tour, scheduled for February 9–20, 2020, to be led by Pastor Trevor Kirsch from Compass Immanuel Church, will help bring the Old Testament and Gospels to life. Many pastors have nev- er visited Israel and simply cannot afford such a tour on their own. So we invite you as churches and as individuals to join together and help FEBC pastors learn in the land of the Bible!


More information is available at https://www.fellowshipforward.org/


israel-tour.html You can contribute to your church or directly to the FEBC:


FEBC Canada PO Box 115 Langham, SK S0K 2L0


FEBC USA 11605 W Dodge Rd. STE 3 Omaha, NE 68154-2566


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