Page 92 - Pastoral Ministries -Student Textbook

Encouraging Fellowship

As Christian’s fellowship individually with one another, they should have in mind that they are to assist one
another to be God’s man and God’s woman, motivated, matured and equipped in the Spirit, doing God’s work in
His way at the place of His appointment, together with His people. The purpose of church fellowship is
ultimately to produce a person who is a “functioning member of an authentic community in Christ; participating
in a sharing, caring, praying fellowship, helping each other to know and do the will of God and to identify gifts
and ministries. Fellowship is God’s provision for building up believers in Christian maturity by meeting their
individual needs through personal interaction with other members of the Body of Christ. Biblical fellowship can
be holistic, i.e. it is good for physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs of any man.

The Essence of a Fellowship Relationship

What is the essence of the fellowship relationship between two believers? The Bible defines the relationship as
a system of “anothers.” A partial list follows.

Christians engaged in a fellowship relationship should:
1. Confess their sins to one another (James 5:16)
2. Forgive one another (2 Cor. 2:6-8)
3. Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2)
4. Restore one another when sin has been committed (Gal. 6:1)
5. Refrain from judging one another (Rom. 14:13)
6. Love one another (1 John 4:7)
7. Comfort one another (1 Thess. 4:18)
8. Encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11)
9. Edify one another (1 Thess. 5:11)
10. Discipline one another (Matt. 18:15-20)
11. Pursue peace with one another (Rom. 14:19)
12. Teach one another (Col. 3:16)
13. Admonish one another (Col. 3:16)
14. Pray for one another (James 5:16)
15. Stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24)
16. Be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit, and bless one another (I Pet.
3:8-9)
17. Eat with one another (Acts 2:46)
18. Share material possessions with one another (Acts 2:45)
19. Touch one another (Gal. 2:9)
20. Give money to one another (Phil. 4:14-15)
21. Suffer with one another (1 Cor. 12:26)
22. Rejoice with one another (1 Cor. 12:26)
23. Meet one another’s needs (Rom. 12:13)
24. Talk and sing with one another (Eph. 5:19)
25. Refresh one another (Rom. 15:32)
26. Serve and work with one another (Phil. 1:27)
27. Speak truth to one another (Eph. 4:15)
28. Provide examples for one another (Phil. 3:17)
29. Sympathize with one another (1 Pet. 3:8)
30. Greet one another (Phil. 4:21)
31. Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21)

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