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E K K L E S I A

The Unifying Force of Fellowship

by Chip Brogden

There is a fellowship that is neither forced, nor contrived; and this is the spiritual fellowship that is born of the Spirit. It comes forth from the Spirit, and is carried along and held together by the Spirit.

Let us not think of this spiritual fellowship in terms of a meeting, or a gathering. It is quite possible to have a meeting without having fellowship, just as it is possible to attend "church" without really being the Ekklesia. True spiritual fellowship is not at all dependent upon the meeting or the gathering together. Sometimes the meeting hinders, and sometimes it helps. So let us set our sights on something higher than the meeting.

Spiritual fellowship is not a goal, but a result. In our experience, if fellowship is the goal, then the fellowship is tenuous at best, and usually short-lived. Fellowship for the sake of fellowship is no different than church attendance for the sake of church attendance. Little or nothing of any spiritual importance takes place when "fellowship" is the preeminent thing, when "meetings" are the basis of spiritual life, when "gatherings" are the goal.

Sharing "life" is not the same thing as sharing Life. The first is a social function, but the second is a spiritual relationship. The first only works when everyone is similar in thought, in personality, in attitude, in point of view. The second brings people together who, individually, are quite different. They may have different thoughts, different personalities, different attitudes, and different points of view. But there is an instant camaraderie and connection. Sharing "life" with people who are just like yourself is not difficult at all, but it is a battle to enter into, and maintain, spiritual fellowship where the Life of Christ is the preeminent thing. There is a work, a witness, and a warfare involved in that kind of fellowship. But when fellowship becomes social instead of spiritual then it has fallen away from Christ-centeredness and settled into Self-centeredness; and it matters not where the group meets, or how they meet, or what they do when they meet; it is meeting man's need rather than God's.

Perhaps we go to a gathering of people. Is their fellowship social or spiritual? Maybe it is primarily a social fellowship trying to become spiritual, and if that is the case, we thank God for it and encourage it. All too often, however, the social fellowship only thinks it is spiritual, and there is no incentive to reach for something higher, to press on towards a more complete expression of God's Full Thought. We settle for social interaction because we "need" it, and God's Need, God's Purpose, is seldom, if ever, considered.

We have found that there is a unifying force that binds people together into a spiritual fellowship. On one level you can say that the unifying force is Christ Himself, and as we are gathered together in His Name, He unites us into a spiritual fellowship. That is technically correct but comes across as a spiritual platitude. Just as there are many who prophesy and cast out devils and do many mighty works "in the Name of Jesus", there are many who will gather together "in the Name of Jesus"; but merely invoking His Name, or claiming to gather in His Name, does not necessarily mean that He is in the midst, or that He approves of what is being carried out. It is possible to do many impressive works, and hold many powerful meetings, only to hear the Lord say, "I never knew you."

What then is the unifying force that binds people together into a spiritual fellowship? Yes, it is Christ, but how do people come to that conclusion? How do they leave their ground of social fellowship and come onto the spiritual ground of fellowship in, of, by, through, and unto Christ Himself?

There is an illustration of it, I believe, in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. If you are familiar with the story then you know that a meeting was held to discuss the problem of the growing evil that threatened their land. All the races sent representatives to this meeting. And you know the meeting was contentious and people were divided along the lines of their own particular race - not too unlike the religious, political, racial, cultural, and socio-economic differences that divide us today.

Eventually it was determined that the Ring of Power must be destroyed, and to accomplish this someone would have to take the ring to the very heart of the enemy's land and cast it into the fires of Mount Doom. Frodo would bear the ring, but he could not make the journey alone. He needed help. One by one members of each race volunteered to travel with Frodo to accomplish this mission for the sake of Middle Earth. Gandalf pronounced them the Fellowship of the Ring, and sent them off on their mission.

Now here is the striking thing: this multi-cultural group did not assemble together because they desired fellowship, or needed fellowship. Creating a fellowship was the furthest thing from their minds. That was not in their heart. They were probably quite content to keep to themselves. They did not even start out as friends. But a crisis brought them together - a crisis of evil. And one by one they were willing to sacrifice something of themselves in order to accomplish a higher good. It was this willingness to sacrifice their own self-serving interests for a common cause that made them a fellowship.

Eventually the fellowship would look like it was broken - its members scattered in different directions - but the essence of that fellowship remained intact. Though its members were only dimly aware of what the others were doing, there was the sense that everything was connected; that the battle in the plain would help Frodo in the mountain. In the end everyone put aside their differences and worked together towards this common goal of ridding Middle Earth of evil once and for all. They lived together, went to battle together, bled together, died together, obtained the victory together. They were a Fellowship.

The story may be fictional, but the spiritual application is very real. The Apostle John warns of a universal evil, a spirit of Antichrist, that has risen up to steal, kill, and destroy "every good and green thing" in God's Creation. John calls upon us to join him in the Fellowship of the Son, to be the people through whom God intends to meet this evil head-on and defeat it once and for all.

God has called into this Fellowship "everyone out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth" (Rev. 5:9,10). This is the spiritual fellowship that we are called to in Christ. It is so much more than a mere meeting or gathering. Let us join together beneath God's Eternal Purpose, His Plan, His Will, His Kingdom and allow Him to bring us into a deeper fellowship with Himself and with one another - regardless of distance.†

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Chip Brogden is the founder of The School of Christ and the publisher of Christology Journal. His writings and audio messages are available through his website at TheSchoolOfChrist.Org.