Category: Kingdom Community

Fellowship and koinonia

Is Our Highest Calling Worship or Evangelism?

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Subtitle: The Great Commission, the “Great Catechism”, and the Great Commandment Sometimes we hear people debate a Christian’s greatest calling. A couple of professors from Liberty University (one teaches at the seminary) posted an article that reflects this debate very well. They ask: “So is it worship or evangelism? Which one is our greatest calling that deserves our most fervent effort?” They go on to say that the two are so closely connected that both deserve our top attention. (The article is about two pages and can be found at http://www.lifeway.com/Article/great-commission-worship-witness-evangelism.) In my experience worship and evangelism have been the activities most mentioned in American Christianity as the most important things we do. But is this what we find in the New Testament? Are worship and/or evangelism taught as the most important things that all Christians are called to? Strangely, the authors of the article don’t actually cite any verses Continue Reading →

7 Tips To Developing the Discipline of Listening

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One of the most important elements of loving people is listening. For me this is a skill that always has room for improvement, but it is worth the effort and discipline because often it is the one thing that tells someone I care. In other words, it is essential to Christian love and Kingdom community. How we listen is a great indicator of how much we value relationships. Listening is a kind of death to self and a commitment to someone else’s well being. When I talk I love it when I can see someone is really listening and considering what I am saying, so that is the least I can do for others when they speak. True listening may be one of the highest of virtues, but many people are very weak on listening and unfortunately leaders are especially prone to being poor listeners (unless they are introverts). Here Continue Reading →

“Spiritual” Ways we Avoid Biblical Fellowship

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We naturally fear revealing ourselves to others and showing weakness, but scripture makes fellowship a top priority. And biblical fellowship means revealing our burdens so others can help carry them, and revealing where we are discouraged so others can encourage us. Leaders are not exempt. Yet it is very easy to let other spiritual activities drown out our efforts at biblical fellowship and relationship. We may be sincerely looking for fellowship with God and transformation but we find it very slow going on our own. Some of the ways we avoid biblical relationship are: worship, prayer, bible study groups, talking about spiritual things, more talking, busyness, ministering to others, and meetings. If we commit ourselves to finding true “friendship fellowship” we will find what we are looking for much faster. See John 13, Rom 12, Ephesians 4, Col. 3, I Cor 12-14, and more. Overcoming A Fault That’s Beyond Your Continue Reading →

The Church is Like an Exploration Expedition

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We are a team continuously learning, becoming more disciplined, supporting each other. We embrace the training that hardship brings because the satisfaction of the expedition is so much greater. We get injured and we heal each other’s wounds. We fight off the elements and wild animals. Our mission is to bring blessing, truth, freedom and friendship wherever we go. We are ambassadors after the example of Jesus . Thus we are a family, a school, a hospital, an embassy, and an army. Overcoming A Fault That’s Beyond Your CharacterJanuary 23, 2026Hope In God – Weekly Words Of EncouragementJanuary 20, 2026The Value Of Holy Viewing – Weekly Words Of EncouragementJanuary 12, 2026

Am I Responsible For Other’s Happiness?

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I know it’s popular for Christian and secular counselors to say that others aren’t responsible for our happiness. But the fact is, they are. Not completely, but partly. That’s why Jesus and His apostles taught us to live in community. We are all partly responsible for each other’s happiness. If I constantly verbally abuse my wife it affects her happiness and I am responsible for that. James 3:5 (ESV) states : ” So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!” The teaching that others are not responsible for my wife’s happiness puts all the burden on her to create her own happiness. For example, one popular Christian counselor who is otherwise very good recommends this teaching for a spouse : “I take sole responsibility for my beliefs with the understanding that they, Continue Reading →