A DEVOTIONAL GUIDE FOR “THE TEN
TIMELESS VALUES FOR DISCIPLESHIP”
Galatians 3:26-28
One of the definitions of
“fellowship” is “a close association of equals”. One of the most amazing things about the
early church was the way discipleship broke down social and cultural walls that
divided people. For the first time Jews
and Gentiles, males and females, slaves and free, were accepted in the same
group. In Christ all were of equal worth
and had equal access. That is what happens
in fellowship, but not in socialization.
One of the reasons most of our churches are so homogenous is that we
substituted socialization for fellowship and in general you socialize with
people most like you. One of the
criticisms of the church growth movement was that growth was based on reaching
people most like you (i.e. in your “social” circles). It was an effective strategy if your main
goal is to make church members. However
if your goal is to make disciples of all nations it becomes problematic.
If fellowship is sharing a common journey and a common goal then where I
am going is more important than whom I am with.
I am willing to be with, help, and be helped by anyone who shares that
goal. In J.R. Tolkien’s series, “The
Lord of the Rings” one of the volumes is entitled the “Fellowship of the
Ring”. In the story the common goal and
journey is shared by people who never would have “socialized” together; elves,
hobbits, and humans, because their common goal was more important than their differences. Some of the most effective life changing
ministries in our culture are “Twelve Step Groups”. In those groups, the goal is sobriety or
freedom and it doesn’t matter if you are “ditch digger” or a “doctor”, all are
equal in our brokenness and our desire to be healed and free. What is often discovered in fellowship is
what we share in our common humanity is far greater than the cultural
differences that have been imposed upon us in the world.
One the key virtues of discipleship is humility and true Biblical
fellowship is a vehicle through which it can be learned. In Fellowship, as we share a common journey
and goal we learn to see all people as equals, sinners in need of grace, people
created in the image of God who are trying to grow into Christ likeness. In fellowship, pride is broken,
judgmentalness and prejudice overcome, all of which are critical to growing in
our ability to love like Jesus loves and hence be a disciple.
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