Grace Blog
The Means of Biblical Fellowship
Continuing in the series based on the book Why Small Groups?, I want to pick up where I left off on second chapter focusing on rediscovering biblical fellowship. The last post in this series address the nature of biblical fellowship, and today I want to address the means of biblical fellowship.
John Loftness, author of the second chapter, argues that the “failure to practice [these] means of fellowship denies us the opportunity to draw on fellowship as a means of grace.” That’s a significant statement to consider. What does Loftness mean by this?
When God saved us, He called us into community with one another. No Christian has the liberty to live a life of individuality. The child of God has been adopted into the family of God where God is our Father. We do not pray, “My Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name” but “Our Father . . .”. Being in Christ means being connected to the body of Christ. Therefore, to unite with Christ by faith effectively translates into being intimately connected with brothers and sisters in Christ who call upon His name.
God has so designed the Christian life that the means of grace for personal growth are bound up in the means of biblical fellowship as we live in community together. What that means is a Christian can never fully understand the life of a Christian in isolation. To deny the means of biblical fellowship is to deny the very good that the gospel brings in the exchange of lives through the bonds of a covenant commitment to one another.
The various means of fellowship Loftness mentions include corporate worship, prayer and intercession for one another, utilizing spiritual gifts, carrying one another’s burdens, sharing spiritual experiences, correcting one another, confessing sins to one another, and serving in practical ways. Although this list is not comprehensive, it gives us a good idea of what God has provided us in the means of biblical fellowship. Means are meant to be used, and to the degree we take advantage of these means reveal the nature of our commitment (or lack thereof) to experiencing biblical fellowship.
As you examine your spiritual life and take inventory, I encourage you to not consider only the spiritual disciplines of private devotion but also the disciplines that accompany devotion to one another. The disciplines of the Christian life are exercised in a life devoted to Jesus and His Church, that is, for His glory and their good. May our growth in grace manifest a undeniable connection to our growth in biblical fellowship!
Labels: Community Groups, Means of Biblical Fellowship, Why Small Groups? | posted by TimBrister at 7:23 am | Categories: Community, Small Groups |
Rediscovering Biblical Fellowship
Continuing in our discussion on small groups, I want to highlight the second chapter of the book Why Small Groups? which focuses on “rediscovering biblical fellowship.” The idea of Christian fellowship, especially in Southern Baptist churches is often associated with sharing a meal together (especially if it is fried chicken!). More times than not, it is a scheduled event or program that randomly occurs on the church calendar. Yet, can we actually argue that this is a truly biblical understanding of fellowship?
In his chapter, John Loftness explains both what fellowship is not and what it is. He argues that fellowship is not merely “warm human interchange” around common interests, experiences, or viewpoints. He goes further to argue that neither is it merely showing up at a Bible study or sharing doctrinal commitments with other people. Rather felowship is
“participating together in the life and truth made possible by the Holy Spirit through our union with Christ. Fellowship is sharing something in common on the deepest possible level of human relationship–our experience with God Himself.”
In order for there to be genuine fellowship, Loftness explains that “fellowship with others begins with an honest, open, obedient relationship with God rooted in the truth of His Word. How we share that relationship with others–how we wrestle with understanding and struggle to apply it to our lives–is the essence of fellowship.”
One of the risks involved in the interplay of give and take made possible by investing in others and being invested in is becoming intimately acquainted with one another–and our problems. Loftness writes, “To pursue relationships is to open ourselves to hurt, misunderstanding, and inconvenience, for our relationships are inevitably influenced by our sin.” In other words, biblical fellowship is messy. You will get your hands dirty loving, serving, and confronting one another. It means that we must understand that it is “by the grace of God I am what I am” and that we have no reason to “save face” but be willing to be exposed knowing that it is Christ’s righteousness, not our own, that covers our sinful nakedness. Applying the gospel through daily repenting and believing, together we can slowly free ourselves from the dangers of legalism (self-righteousness) and guard ourselves from the license to sin without being held to account. Loftness adds,
“We belong to one another. We are pilgrims on our way to the promised land, called to help one another on the journey. God has chosen fellowship to be a primary channel of life in the body.”
If, in the pilgrim’s progress, we find only one set of footprints in the sand, something has gone wrong. God has made us a people together by His mercy to communicate His love and display His glory together that others might know such mercy. May God help us rediscover biblical fellowship where superficial relationships are intolerable and life transformation is inevitable.
Labels: John Loftness, Small Groups, Why Small Groups? | posted by TimBrister at 3:40 pm | Categories: Community, Small Groups |
The Purpose of Small Groups
The first chapter of Why Small Groups? by C.J. Mahaney deals with the purpose of small groups. Mahaney argues that churches who follow the biblical model will not only have small groups but will be built with small groups. These small groups are (1) to be founded on sound doctrine and (2) sustained by a clear biblical purpose.
Mahaney lays out four specific areas where small groups fulfill their purpose. They are (1) progressive sanctification, (2) mutual care, (3) genuine fellowship, and (4) the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In all four areas, Mahaney makes a compelling case that small groups provide the best community medium for applying what we have heard, gleaned, and learned from God’s Word. Much like a person who looks into the mirror and does not leave without some sort of alteration, believers cannot encounter the mirror of God’s Word and not see the end in anything less than personal transformation. Mahaney writes:
Small groups are designed for application. They create a context where Christians can apply God’s truth in a personal, practical way. . . . As your small group looks into the mirror of God’s Word, you should be making adjustments. Each year you should be able to look back and identify distinct areas in which you have changed during the previous twelve months. This is the difference small-group participation is to make in our lives. This and no less.
Next, we will take a peak at chapter two focusing on the biblical nature of fellowship.
Labels: Small Groups, Why Small Groups? | posted by TimBrister at 7:20 pm | Categories: Small Groups |
Why Small Groups?
For the next couple of weeks, I will writing brief articles while interacting with a small book entitled Why Small Groups?, a collection of articles written by leaders of Sovereign Grace Ministries. You can pick up this book online or you can download it (PDF) at the Sovereign Grace Ministries store. By understanding the role of small groups in the church and how they benefit the growth both in depth and breadth is vitally important. Consider joining me and take a closer look at the “why” of small groups!
Here is the table of contents:
Foreword
1. Why Small Groups? (C.J. Mahaney)
2. Fellowship Rediscovered (John Loftness)
3. Take This Group and Own It! (Greg Somerville)
4. What Makes a Great Leader? (Mark Mullery)
5. The Art of Care and Correction (Mickey Connolly)
6. Never Say Comfortable (John Butler)
7. And Now for the Big Picture (Dave Harvey)
Appendix: What It Means to Me (Walt Russell)
Labels: Why Small Groups? | posted by TimBrister at 7:37 pm | Categories: Small Groups |
