Marks of a Christ Follower: Fellowship

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. 

Acts 2:42 (HCSB) 

Another mark of a Christ Follower is that they were devoted to fellowship.  A true Christ follower will be devoted to biblical fellowship.  Biblical fellowship is more than just eating a meal together.  It is coming together spiritually and emotionally.  And yes for those who may be asking, you really do need to be part of a church for true fellowship.  Let me explain.  I believe it is Pastor Rick Warren who suggest that there are over 50 commands in the New Testament that we cannot obey without being connected in a local body (church).  The word church in the Greek is ekklesia.  It means literially, "the called out ones."  So yes you must be a part of a local body (church) for true biblical fellowship, but a church does not mean you have to go to a building with a steeple or committees or budgets etc. . . but where the body of Christ join together to further His Kingdom until He returns.

So that begs the question, what is fellowship that will occur as we gather together?  Well there are at least 3 aspects of fellowship.

1. Encouragement.  In fellowship we need to encourage one another.  It is in the body of Christ that we should encounter people who will encourage us through difficult times.  They should encourage us to remain steadfast in making hard decisions.
2. Care and Support.  Another word for this is love.  Fellowship means loving relationships and developing lasting friendships.  It is in the body of Christ that we should find others who love us, care for us and support us through challenging moments.
3. Accountability.  We need to hold one another accountable.  That means when we see a brother fall or who is teetering about to fall, we step in.  Not to be mean spirited, critical or legalistic but to hold a brother or sister up.  To help them avoid sin.  Sometimes it is asking another person to check up on us in some of those areas that we know we struggle with.  It means we are involved in one another's life.  If the only time you are communicating with others in the body is on Sunday morning you are experiencing little fellowship.  

I hope you find these in your fellowship with other Christ followers.