TRUE FELLOWSHIP@WORK

What does it mean to fellowship with one another?

When you hear me/us say come out to fellowship, does it conjure up images of subgroups within a group, cliques, and chatty women?

 Well, can I reassure you that none of the above is true at our N.O.T.E. ENCOUNTERS? We gather to equip, encourage, engage, and empower through the primary vehicle of the Word and each other's life stories of faith.

Fellowship, defined in this context, means coming together with one another for the chief and primary purpose of walking together through the different seasons of life. It is an intentional action on the part of each participant. It is also a risky and faith-inspired journey, for true fellowship ( walking together) requires transparency that goes beyond the surface. True fellowship requires accountability to God and each other. True fellowship bears each other's burdens and lightens the load of life by supporting one another to grow in the dry places of life or to guard against complacency and compromise.

True fellowship is the love of God inspired through the Holy Spirit to help us hear and obey his commands. In a circle of fellow believers, we must be reminded and /or convicted to do what is right and encouraged to flee evil! True fellowship demands the truth we know and holds the fellowship responsible, so tolerating behaviors, actions, and deeds that contradict the truth of God is absolutely prohibited.

True fellowship is not gang related or operate with a gang mentality, that is, it doesn't support wrongs or coerce wrongs. It bears the burden of justice guided by truth. It doesn't assemble based on likemindedness for the sake of being likemindedness; it assembles with the goal of encouraging each member to not grow weary in well doing; it equips us with sound doctrine, it empowers us to do what we couldn't do before, and it engages us in dialog about what we believe and how we are living out what we believe. 

The bottom line is that true fellowship holds us accountable to Christian living. It is direct and face-to-face. It doesn't hide away or shy back; it is a bold way to live out the gospel. 

See you soon in fellowship!