Category: Kingdom Community

Fellowship and koinonia

discipleship model

Are You Modeling Jesus?

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“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.” Phil. 3:17 (NIV). At first this statement by Paul might seem too audacious. Why would he tell the Philippians to imitate him instead of telling them to imitate Christ? He does talk about imitating Christ in other places so why would he direct the Philippians to focus on Paul? Is he being prideful? Is he too focused on himself? Is he misleading the Philippians? I don’t think he has any of these faults. He was modeling Jesus. I think Paul understood the power and importance of modeling Jesus for spiritual growth. It is easy for us to say that we aren’t the one that others should look to for an example. But really, if we are saying that Jesus changes lives and Continue Reading →

gong

“Without Love You Ain’t Nothing”

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“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” I Cor. 13:1-2 (NIV). The title of this post is from a Larry Norman (Christian music pioneer) song of the 1970s, and he was echoing the words from I Cor. 13:2. He sang them because these are some of the most important words in Christianity, without love, we are nothing. This passage shocks us with the surprising truth that even if someone has great spiritual gifts they are nothing without love! In fact, they are a nuisance, like a noisy gong. They are not a true disciple. What is surprising is that God Continue Reading →

speak the truth in love

The Words Of Jesus Produce Growth

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“Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:15-16 NIV). The words of Jesus produce growth. It is an amazing truth that we are actually part of the body of Jesus Christ, the Saviour. He is the head, the one who is in charge, and we are all parts of him, people who he is coordinating all around the world as one whole. But the main point today is that it is from Jesus and the words of Jesus that growth comes. Our connection to Christ is the channel of our spiritual growth. And, dare we say, if our connection is weak our spiritual growth will be Continue Reading →

teamwork harmony people

How To Get Along With Difficult People

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If we want to live in full harmony with our brothers and sisters in the Lord, then it is essential that we learn to die to self in every way. If we don’t learn to do this, then we will not be able to love and get along with difficult people. It is not easy to live in oneness with others and to steer away from complaining and grudges. We will be blessed if we learn to live in peace until we die, for Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matt. 5:8 (ESV) Even when we have to work through a disagreement we can learn to do it peacefully and “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). In order to get along with difficult people we should think of ourselves as pilgrims on this earth. We are just traveling through this place so Continue Reading →

orchestra

What Is Biblical Fellowship? Everyone Contributes!

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If we ask ourselves the question “what does scripture say should happen when believers gather together” (i.e. the weekly service) we might be surprised. One thing that dominates the various passages (Rom. 12:6-10; I Cor. 11:17-24;I Cor. 14:26-33; Gal. 6:2; Eph. 5:19-21; Col. 3:16; Heb. 10:24-25; James 5:14-16) is that there should be the mutual exercise of gifts to edify one another. This may not seem radical at first, but it is rare and it is biblical fellowship. How many Sunday services have you been to where many different people exercise gifts to edify others in a mutual way? Usually the preacher does nearly all the ministry. Preaching is important but is this biblical fellowship? It is true that the worship time is a time when people other than the pastor exercise their gifts. But where are the different people exercising the various gifts in Romans 12 (e.g., exhorting, teaching, Continue Reading →