January 12th, 2010

It looks like my expectations are being exceeded again. Last fall when we decided to have a Winter Bible School, I had a strong sense that it was something God was laying on our hearts to do. But it was a step of faith not knowing what the response would actually be. I think we had kind of assumed that we may not be able to run all the classes we were offering. Nine courses seemed like a lot. But again my faith turned out to be a little weak.
As of yesterday we have a total of 153 people signed up to attend Winter Bible School. Not only are all the classes running but most of them have more people in them than what we had anticipated. We could have probably offered more class options. Anyway, we are thankful for what God seems to be doing and grateful for the response of the congregation.
Last week I sent the information about our Winter Bible School to the Daily News Record to include in the church announcements. The church news editor called me to talk more about it. He was intrigued with the idea of having a Winter Bible School. He had heard of Summer Bible Schools but a Winter Bible School was a new concept for him and he wanted to write a feature article about it.
You may have read the article he wrote for the church page in Saturday’s paper. He did a good job with it. We appreciated the extra publicity it provided. Tonight, Tuesday, January 12th is opening night. Esther Showalter is busy today in the kitchen getting supper ready. Feeding over 100 people may be more than she bargained for but it doesn’t seem to faze her. I heard she was going to make bread. I just went back to check and sure enough it’s true. The bread is rising.
I believe the Winter Bible School will help move our congregation toward a deeper experience of the kind of fellowship the Bible says the first believers devoted themselves to. The Greek word translated fellowship is “koinonia” which comes from the root word “koinos” which is a prefix that when attached to other words, conveys the concept of holding something in common.
For instance when the prefix “koinos” is added to the Greek word translated, “living” we end up with the idea of living in community together. And that gets at the real meaning of the “koinonia” kind of fellowship. “Koinonia” is a word that was used to describe a close relationship between people in a partnership or marriage. It is not possible to experience “koinonia” by yourself. It takes being in relationship with others. What does it look like?
The best biblical picture we have is found in the “one another” passages we read in the New Testament where it says we are to be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10), honor one another (Romans 12:10), live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16), accept one another (Romans 15:7), serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13), be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), admonish one another (Colossians 3:16), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24)and love one another (1 Peter 1:22).
This is what the first believers devoted themselves to and is what I believe God continues to expect of believers today. We often fall short but that doesn’t change the goal. In line with our theme for the year this is only another area in which we need to “Ascend in 2010,” where we need to mount up with wings like the eagle. We dare not become satisfied with our cultural definition of fellowship. In Christ we can do better.
God created us to live in community with Him and with one another. Sin destroyed that original community that existed in the Garden of Eden but Jesus came and died on the cross in order to restore it. We too must go to the cross allowing God to break us of our selfish ambition and pride in order to experience “koinonia” and enter into biblical community with one another. Apart from brokenness there can be no “koinonia” kind of fellowship or real community.

Blessings to the community,
Pastor Gerald Martin