A Day of "Fellowship"

Sunday began what I consider the "beginning of the Holiday Season". Our church, Greenville Christian, hosted their annual Thanksgiving Dinner. In the past 5 months our church has grown, and our staff had the foresight to contact the local elementary and see if we could use their facility.

In light of the dinner, Mickey, the kids and I attended the first service so that we could help set up at the school. Chad's sermon was on Fellowship, very appropriate since we were getting ready to do just that. I was in absolute agreement with him... fellowship is so much more than sitting down to a meal.

In the early church, fellowship was more than just a corporate gathering...it was an intimate relationship that involved Christ and fellow believers. You have to get to know both in order to carry out the work that God has placed before you. I think that as our church continues to grow, it will be harder to get to know everyone, but impossible? No... just a little more challenging. And if we are to become a "team" of believers we need to know our brothers and sisters.

So...as we all go about the business of the holidays over the next few weeks, let's not forget to be in fellowship with our church family. If you aren't in a small group, find one...Mickey and I have joined Joe's group, and we are thrilled to have made that step. And let me clarify...it isn't that we didn't want to be in a group, we always feel that we are crunched for time around here. Lately, we have felt challenged to "make time" for something that is very important...deepening our relationship with Christ and our fellow believers.

While we already "know" everyone in the group, I look forward to building a real relationship with each of them. I look forward to celebrating their joys, grieving with them over the losses they may have to endure, holding them up during times of struggles, and learning with them about the love that Christ has for each of us.

Fellowship??? It isn't really as easy as it sounds...to do it right takes some effort...but if you do it right...the benefits will be tremendous!