* Allen serves as the Junior High Pastor at Grace Community Church.
I’m not a big TV watcher, unless football is involved, but a few weeks ago I saw the last few minutes of one of these home makeover shows. The last scene was amazing. It seems the entire little town had come out to welcome a family back to their “new” home.
People were clapping, crying, cheering and so happy for this family who had struggled financially. Then the chant began, “move that bus.” All attention and excitement was centered on this one family. It was about sharing the experience and good fortune of these people.
This is somewhat a picture of fellowship. The word literally means to share in common with.
For Christians, we frequently use this word. Yet our “fellowship” is often not distinctly Christian. When we repent and trust Christ, we become fellow partakers in the fellowship of Christ (1 John 1.3). Our changed relationship with Christ necessarily changes our relationships with other people. Our fellowship then isn’t rooted in the common interest of the world or even a benevolent cause, but rather our fellowship is rooted in our relationship with Christ.
I would encourage you even today to think about your Christian friendships. How do they differ from your relationships with those who are not saved? How is the conversation different? Is it different?
I have many interests. I could spend (and have spent!) hours talking about college football, basketball, hunting, fishing or any number of other hobbies. These things are all fine and good to talk about, but for Christians, we should have more content to our conversations than just these mundane and ordinary things of life. We should consider seriously the admonition of Hebrews 10.24 – “consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.”
Conversations that are uniquely Christian are part of the design of God to aid us in living lives that honor God. We need one another. We need to be encouraged, we need to be challenged, and sometimes confronted. How are you stimulating your Christian brothers today to love and good deeds? The command in Hebrews 10 is to think about how to do this. Consider it, think through it.
Here are just three practical ways to help accomplish this purpose.
(1) Don’t substitute doctrinal conversations for soul-shaping conversations. There is a huge difference between debating infralapsarianism and talking about how God’s truth has ignited your heart to worship Him more fervently. Doctrinal conversations are important but unfortunately they can often be separated from our own passion for God. This shouldn’t be the case, but sadly it sometimes is.
(2) Be intentional in conversations with believers. Make it a point to enjoy true fellowship together. This isn’t hard; it just requires some thought and effort.
(3) Feed your soul with Scripture. Meaningful conversations grow out of hearts that are well fed with truth.
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