A Note from Michael Gossett
The Joy of True Fellowship
Imagine you are camping on a cold, dark night. The only source of warmth and light is the campfire in the middle of your campsite. When you gather around the campfire, you feel its warmth, see its light, and are drawn into a shared experience with those sitting beside you. However, if you wander away into the darkness, you soon find yourself cold and isolated. The campfire is like the fellowship we have as believers. It is essential to stay close to the warmth of God’s presence and the community of other believers.
D. L. Moody was visiting a prominent Chicago citizen when the idea of church membership and involvement came up. “I believe I can be just as good a Christian outside the church as I can be inside it,” the man said. Moody said nothing. Instead, he moved to the fireplace, blazing against the winter outside, removed one burning coal and placed it on the hearth. The two men sat together and watched the ember die out. “I see,” the other man said. For you and I, we must understand that our spiritual health depends on us remaining spiritually warm as we connect with Christ and with His church. This is not optional but is proven essential throughout scripture.
Christianity is more than an individual progression through life—it’s about fellowship. John speaks of two dimensions of fellowship in 1 John 1:3 that define a true Christian’s joy that promotes spiritual health in your life and in my life.
Fellowship with the Family of God
The first dimension is horizontal—our fellowship with other believers. John reminds us that when we trust in Jesus, we are adopted into a family. That makes us brothers and sisters, connected by a deeper spiritual bond than biology or blood. We need each other, and unity within this family is a sign of our genuine relationship with Christ. Adrian Rogers once said, “Christian fellowship is more than a handshake and a pat on the back. It is our shared life in Christ.” This kind of fellowship transcends superficial connections—it is a profound sharing of life rooted in Christ. This makes gathering with other believers an essential part of your rhythm in life. It is not just something you “do” but rather something that you are always striving to become. Currently, there are fewer and fewer “believers” making worship attendance a priority in their lives.
This may seem satisfactory in your life for a short time, but eventually, you will grow spiritually cold if you neglect being with other believers. Hebrews 10:25 clearly warnsthat we should not neglect the “gathering together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” If you want to remain in Christ and grow in Him, you must gather with God’s people in an intimate way. These days, you don’t have to go to church to watch a worship service. You can pick and choose whatever service or preaching style you want, and all remain in the comfort of your home in your pajamas. However, even in the warmth of your own home, you can grow cold to the things of God without His people encouraging you and you encouraging others. Press in, press on, show up and grow, in the likeness of Christ.
Fellowship with God the Father and Jesus
The second dimension of fellowship is vertical—our fellowship with Christ Himself.Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have a relationship with God that brings us into intimate communion with Him. This privilege can only be experienced by those who trust in Jesus. When we recognize the depth of this fellowship, our hearts are filled with joy.
Martin Luther spoke powerfully of this vertical fellowship. Luther said, “Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.” This confidence allows us to approach God boldly, knowing we are welcomed into His presence because of Christ. This fellowship with God is not just a theological concept—it is the lived experience of being in a relationship with the Lord. John Owen wrote, “Communion with God is the soul’s true happiness.” This fellowship is the highest joy that a believer could attain. It isn’t merely about religious practices but about a real, intimate connection with Jesus that brings profound joy and peace. This fellowship results in a deep, unshakable joy. A joy that isn’t dependent on our circumstances but is rooted in the presence of God in our lives. It’s the same kind of joy Paul speaks about when he says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
Are you experiencing the fullness of joy that comes from fellowship with God and His Church? If not, take a moment to reflect on how you can lean into these two dimensions of fellowship.
Questions to Consider
- How does fellowship with other believers encourage and strengthen your walk with the Lord?
- Do you view fellowship with other believers as an essential part of your Christian walk or as an optional activity?
- What steps can you take to deepen your fellowship with Christ and with other believers?
- If this is not a priority allowed within your calendar, how can you make space for personal time with the Lord and intentional time with God’s people?
- Are there barriers in your life that are hindering your fellowship with God or His family?
Pray
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the gift of fellowship—with You and with other believers. Help me to see the value of being part of your family, and to invest in my relationships with my brothers and sisters in Christ. Draw me closer to you, that I might experience the fullness of joy that comes from communion with you. May I walk in unity with your people and grow deeper in my fellowship with you today and every day. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
I want to invite you to join my wife, Katie, and me on a journey of a lifetime. We are going back to visit the sites primarily focused on Paul’s second missionary journey,October 26-November 4th, 2025. I have mentioned these sites in my sermons from Philippians because it was on Paul’s second missionary journey that the Lord brought him to Philippi. However, there is much more on this trip! Here is the itinerary of all the places we have planned to visit. This is certainly a trip that will help the Bible and the Apostle Paul come to life!
Come and join us on this incredible trip! You can sign up here! Space is limited, so please sign up as early as possible. Register HERE!
Thank you for continuing to contribute to the General Budget. This will help us ease the budget deficit before it affects our ongoing ministries. You can give any Sunday at church, or anytime at www.gabc.org/give.
This Sunday, November 17, Missions is hosting a Fall Food Drive on our campus! You can participate by bringing canned tuna, canned chicken, dried pasta, and peanut butter to church and parking in Green Acres designated parking. Place your bag of canned food donations directly behind your vehicle, and we will come pick it up!
We are two weeks into our World Mission Offering! Learn more about how you can serve or give at www.gabc.org/missions
You are loved and prayed for!
Michael Gossett