Fellowship through Love

Back when we were serving in a church in the States, I thought I had fellowship figured out.

Everyone who has experienced true Christian community knows how beautiful and life-giving it is. When believers love one another and the Holy Spirit is present, it is one of the most powerful witnesses to the gospel.

Sometimes churches try to produce this by organizing social activities and other programs, which can help, but ultimately it is the power of the Holy Spirit that produces true fellowship.

And the Holy Spirit works in connection to faith in the gospel (Acts 2:38). In other words, when a group of people engage with the gospel by gathering around Jesus, trusting in the mercy of the cross, and looking forward to his return, the Holy Spirit comes to confirm their faith and empower their fellowship. This is what creates community characterized by genuine love, joy, unity, sincere relationships, and mutual service.

Conversely, when a group falls short of these qualities, that means the Holy Spirit is not as active as he should be, which can ultimately be traced back to some lack of engagement with the gospel.

For example, if a group comes together to merely discuss tips and tricks for how to be a better spouse or a better employee, without meaningful reference to the gospel, that usually does not create deep fellowship. But when a group comes together to express their desperate need for grace and their confidence in Christ’s work on the cross, the bonds of Christian community can begin to form.

So that was my approach back then. Whether in worship, Bible study, or just hanging out, I did whatever I could to point to the gospel. Even if I felt like our community fell short of the depth and intimacy that I wanted, still I would press on, insisting that we needed to grasp the gospel afresh. The answer was not better Bible study questions or more socials. The answer was genuine corporate engagement with the gospel by repentance and faith. The answer was a fresh revelation of Christ crucified!

And if we truly sought Jesus together, then the Holy Spirit would fill us and our fellowship would be awesome.

I still believe this is true. But something was missing.

Deep fellowship comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit comes when we turn to Jesus in repentance and faith.

But how do repentance and faith come about?

Yes, “faith comes from hearing” (Rom 10:17), and so I would try to passionately communicate the gospel during worship and Bible studies. But that wouldn’t always work. So then I would try to confront the problem in other ways. Sometimes that would lead to frustrating conversations with people. And I didn’t know what to do. I even considered if we all became frustrated enough, maybe that could cause us to turn to God in brokenness and desperation!

We ended up leaving the ministry we were a part of, though not on a bad note. But some in church leadership heard about some of the conflicts we had, overestimated their severity, and mishandled the situation, leaving me feeling too hurt to keep going to that church. But that’s another story for another time!

Fast forward several years, we connected with All Nations and are now serving overseas.

After we settled into our new country, I felt the desire to start a gathering in our home. We already had several friends who were interested.

I spent a few months brainstorming, thinking about vision, thinking about execution. I still had the same basic philosophy as before. The main thing is the gospel. The Holy Spirit works in us when we engage with the gospel by faith. That produces community.

But how do we help each other engage in the gospel? That was the missing piece.

At our very first meeting, I shared with them the vision I had laid out. I began with a presentation of the gospel: God gave Israel promises of eternal life, the kingdom of God, and the age to come. Then he sent the Messiah to die on a cross and rise again so that by faith in him both Jews and Gentiles can be counted righteous and inherit those promises. Those who persevere in this faith will be saved (Matt 24:13). We must keep believing in Jesus and taking up the cross until we enter glory.

What is the purpose of fellowship, then? To help each other do that, that is, to help each other follow Jesus in the way of the cross until we enter the kingdom. And what is the best way to do that? By loving one another deeply.

In other words, to help you persevere in your faith and inherit eternal life, I should do whatever I can to keep you convinced that Jesus really loves you and died for your sins. And the best way I can do that, the way I witness to that truth, is by loving you deeply, even to the point of laying down my life for you (Jn 15:13).

See, that was what I didn’t really “get” before. Of course back then I’d still try to love people. But I didn’t understand how love is the primary means of substantiating the gospel and inspiring faith in it. Not merely explaining the gospel during Bible studies. Not through arguing. Not even by putting my passion for God on display for others to see. No, what authenticates the gospel and galvanizes faith is being loving, being patient and kind (1 Cor 13:4).

1 Timothy 4:16 has been a key verse for me: “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” I must watch my own character and what I teach. Sound doctrine and godliness—these are the primary ingredients for faithful ministry. My focus should not be on how to get people in my group to be this or do that. That is God’s job. My job is to teach the gospel faithfully and love people well. Thus, I now tell people, “I only offer two things: the gospel and love.”

And that is what I’ve been trying to do with our new small community of believers here. Though not perfect, it’s still been one of the best ministry experiences of my life. Instead of focusing on how passionate other people are, I focus on how well I am loving and serving them. Because of this, I never get frustrated about the group; I only get frustrated with myself if I fall short of godly conduct. Also, I am more aware of my limits. I can’t guarantee that anyone will bear fruit. But I know if I am diligent with my own life and teaching, there will be fruit.

And I’m glad that there has been. I am so, so thankful for the times we’ve worshiped and prayed together, but also the dinners we’ve shared, the outings we’ve been on, and the birthday celebrations we’ve had. I’m always touched when I see people care for each other’s kids, help with each other’s babies, and stay late after the official meeting because we enjoy each other’s company. My heart feels full when I see mutual affection, encouragement, and carrying one another’s burdens. I’ve learned to be thankful for and not take for granted wherever there is “any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy” (Phil 2:1).

Indeed, if we have in any way encouraged one another to continue following Jesus in the way of the cross, especially by loving one another the way Jesus loved us on the cross, then our little fellowship has accomplished its goal.

It has been such a blessing and privilege to see the gospel in action, to see “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). Rather than theology or passion (both of which I've always been good at), it is mainly love that stimulates faith, and it is love that is the fruit of faith lived out together. When the Holy Spirit works through faith that works through love, “all people will know that you are my disciples” (Jn 13:35).

About the Author: Thomas and his wife Julia and their three kids joined All Nations in 2022 and a year later moved from Pittsburgh, PA to Tainan, Taiwan, where they serve with local believers and the All Nations Taiwan hub.

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