Community of Faith

I have been a church-goer my entire life.  There are so many things I love about my Christian heritage.  A few include: the truth of the Bible, the music, the events of childhood and youth group years, great pastors, etc.  Today, I want to show gratitude for the many solid "church people" who personally invested in my faith.  These men and women embodied authentic fellowship with God which produced rich fellowship with people like me.

What does biblical fellowship look like?
     1 John 1:1-10 communicates this kind of progression of intimacy with God that leads to intimacy with others.  Upon a closer look, we quickly see "fellowship" is cheapened when we view it through the lens of church potlucks, picnics, and other surface social events.  In a real sense, fellowship always includes personal sacrifice.  What else does the Bible mean when it talks about fellowship?  The greek word for fellowship is "koinonia".
     Koinonia is: Gospel-centered, Christ-honored community based on...
          1. Mutual Faith (through the atonement of Christ) EX: 1 John 1
          2. Shared Devotion (to the apostles' teachings, communion, prayer, etc) EX: Acts 2:42
          3. Modeling (following in the steps of Jesus) EX: Phil. 3:10
          4. Partnered Mission (responding to the Great Commission) EX: Phil. 1:4-5
          5. Generous Support (to the saints and poor) EX: Heb. 13:16
          6. Sacrifice (love, confession of sins, encouragement, care, material belongings, etc.)
          7. Results (ongoing transformation to the likeness of Jesus) EX: 2 Cor. 3:18

A true community of faith embodies all the above in a tangible manner.  The soul longs for relationships that change us for the better.  Every Christian should be a contributor within the Community of Faith.  Fellowship, like friendship, has more to do with what I am giving instead of what I am getting.  Advance Community Church will aspire to be a rich Community of Faith where people are loved within the context of biblical fellowship.