How do we go about starting a fellowship? Wouldn’t it be great if we had a simple little formula we could apply and instantly have a fellowship? I don’t have a formula, but I do believe that, just like in planting a crop, there are certain things we can do to increase the odds for […]
Another variable that affects our lives involves the way God relates to groups, nations, or corporate entities, and how everyone in such bodies of people can receive the consequences of corporate sin. There are times when what one person experiences is due to God’s grace, reward, mercy or wrath on an entire group of which […]
Through the years I’ve experienced the joy, and at times the pain, of both hosting and belonging to a small group. These groups have been related to my work, personal, and religious life. At times I’ve been confused by what seems like the continually changing nature of the small group, asking myself, “Why can’t things […]
1. Inclusive Be witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8). For God so loved the world…that whosoever (John 3:16). 2. Diversity God will have all men to be saved (1 Tim. 2:1). 3. Authenticity Speaking the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). Don’t lie to each other (Col 3:9). 4. Mutuality Be devoted […]
Know your purpose What type of fellowship are you forming? There are many different types of fellowships, and usually the type of fellowship is described by the group’s main activity, such as, prayer, teaching, study, outreach, etc. A fellowship can focus on numerous activities or it can specialize in one type of area. The success […]
The other day I was talking with a good friend when he said, “I have to confess, I guess I’m a homeboy.” I was a little confused, not really knowing what he meant. I knew that “Homeboy” is a slang term sometimes used by the younger generation when they refer to their good friends. The […]
I really look forward to getting together with people I love. I come from a large family with five sisters and two brothers, not to mention the countless aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and now the many, many in-laws. Gallagher family gatherings have become legendary as times of great joy and celebration. It is very easy […]
Many verses in the New Testament speak of the “church,” so it is important to understand what “church” means. The first definition of “church” in modern English dictionaries is something like, “a building for Christian worship,” and it is only the second or third definition that says something like, “a body of Christians,” or “the […]
Fellowship is an important concept in the New Testament. The Greek word translated “fellowship” is koinonia, and it occurs in some very pivotal verses. Like many other Greek words, it has several meanings that overlap to some extent. Koinonia can refer to intimate participation and full sharing with others, such as in the verses that […]
People are communal beings. Loneliness is a horrible feeling, and it is very disconcerting and uncomfortable to be isolated. This is so universally true that many people hide what they really believe or how they really feel about something just so they will be accepted in a group. There are studies that confirm that people […]