THE NEW LIFE MIRACLE CHURCH

Do you know that God does not want you to go through this life alone? God discovered at the very beginning that a solitary life for man will jeopardize his existence. God said in Genesis: 2:18 that “… it is not good that the man should be alone…” This statement is not just the foundation of marriage but that of fellowship too. God has been fellowshipping with man (Gen. 3:8) but discovered that man needs others like Himself to understand true fellowship and to cherish it.

Real fellowship is beyond showing up for church services. It involves growing with other believers in the knowledge of God, honest sharing, practical serving, sacrificial giving and much more. Note that you can worship in a crowd, but you cannot fellowship in a crowd.

 Fellowship is based on an intimate family relationship with Christ and His family. Can two walk together except they agree? No! (Amos 3:3).

What is Fellowship?

According to the World English Dictionary, fellowship is the act of people sharing activities, goals, interests, duties, trials, troubles, and the likes with one another in a group. Interestingly, the word “fellowship’’ can be subdivided into two other words  fellow and ship, so it is possible to define it as the coming together of fellow believers into a ship of Christ called the church, for sharing activities, goal, interest, duties, trials, and joy. 

  Why Do I Need Fellowship?

The need for fellowship is as fundamental as the need for parents and other members of the family. As a child, you need a father to teach you courage, a mother to nurture you and siblings to either teach you or learn from you. This is similar to the life of a believer. You need other believers to teach and learn from in becoming who God wants you to be.

For further reference, it is written “Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend”. (Prov. 27:17). In Acts 2:42, “…and they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers”.

We Fellowship to Learn How to:

• Walk in the light-1 John 1:7
• Suffer together-Phil. 3:10
• Serve together-Col: 4
• Comfort one another-1Thess. 4:18, Rom 12:15
• Pray for one another-1Thess. 5:2
• Bear one another’s burden-Gal. 6:2
• Rejoice with the joyful Rom-12:5, Eph. 4:32
• Grow and glow in the Lord-2Peter 3:18

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR BEING ADMITTED INTO GOD’S FELLOWSHIP?

               In Accounting, you are not recognised as a fellow until you are chartered and must have practised for at least ten years, during which you must have attended series of training/seminars then pay some amount of money as stipulated by the controlling bodies (ICAN/ ANAN). Likewise, in the body of Christ, you are not qualified as a fellow simply because you attend Sunday services. (John 10:14).

You must:

1. Be Born Again (John 3:3).
2. Attend meetings regularly (1 Pet. 2:2).
3. Be committed financially – pay tithes, offerings, etc. (Mal. 3:10).

4. Participation in the purpose of the fellowship. (Matt. 28:19).

WITH WHOM DO WE FELLOWSHIP?

Whenever we hear the word fellowship, our minds often gravitate towards social or public gatherings, but no. In Christianity, every meeting (fellowship) comprises two groups of people;

The Trinity and other believers.

1. The Trinity

The Trinity consists of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Jn. I4:23, 2 Cor. 13:14, Phil. 2:1-2). Our fellowship with the trinity entails;

• Our knowledge of His will (Job 22:21, John 17, 1 John 1:3).
• Agreement with His design (Amos 3:2, Job 34:31, Hebrew 12:8).
• Enjoyment of His image (Psalm 4:6, Psalm 16:11).
• Conformity to His image (1 John 2:6, 1 John 1:6).
• Participation in His felicity (1 John 1:3-4, Ephesians 3:14-21).

2. Fellowship with other Believers

 We have fellowship with each other in:

• Duties (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 12:12).
• Ordinances ( Heb. 10:25, Acts 2:46).
• Grace, love and joy (Mal. 3:16, 2 Cor. 8:4).
• Spiritual and temporal mutual interests (Rom. 12:4-13, Heb. 13:16).
• Suffering (Rom. 15:1-2, Gal 6. :1-2, Rom 12:15).
• Praying for each other (2 Cor. 1:11, Eph. 6:18).
• Public and social worship (Ps. 34:3; 55:14, Acts 1:14, Heb.10:25).
• Mutual sympathy and kindness (Rom 12:15; 5:11).

Glory (Rev 7:9).          

    Examples of Believers in Fellowship

• Abraham in Gen.18:17-33
• Moses in Ex. 33:9-11
• Jonathan in 1Sam. 23:16
• David in Ps. 119:63
• Daniel in 2:17-18
• The Apostles in Acts 2:42, 5:12
• Paul in Acts 20:36-38

WHO ARE WE NOT TO FELLOWSHIP WITH?

• Devils; include witchdoctors, necromancers, spirit mediums and all forms of demonism or spiritualism. 1 Cor. 10:20.
• The unfruitful works of darkness: which include club houses (day or night), liquor stands, criminal gangs, atheist clubs, communists. John 3:19, Eph. 5:11, 2Cor. 6:14-17.
• Unbelievers and unrighteousness. 2Cor. 6:14-16.

Please note that we may have dealings with unbelievers but not in fellowship. Ps.1:1.

  Brethren, we are called to belong, not just to believe. Even in the perfect, sinless environment of Eden, God said “It is not good for man to be alone”. It means we are created for communion, fashioned for fellowship, and formed for family, so much that none of us can fulfil God’s purpose by ourselves. The Bible speaks nothing of solitary saints or spiritual hermits isolated from other believers and deprived of fellowship. The Bible also says we are put together (Micah 2:12), joined together (1Cor. 1:10), built together (1Cor.3:9), members together (Eph. 5:30), heirs together (Rom. 8:17, 1 Pet.3:7), fitted together (Eph. 2:21), held together (Rom. 7:6), and will be caught up together (1Thess. 4:17). So, you are not on your own any longer, you have been called to fellowship.