Expanding your community

Read today’s Bible verses BEFORE you read on, and answer this: what do they all share? BONUS: if you want a hint… read these verses for more spots it appears in the Bible -1 Corinthians 10:16, 2 Corinthians 6:14, 2 Corinthians 8:4, Galatians 2:9, Ephesians 3:9, Philippians 1:5, Philippians 2:1, Hebrews 13:16, 1 John 1:3-7).

It won’t be obvious at first (unless you’re reading in the original Greek). But hidden in these verses is a precious treasure. In the letter to the Romans, the author describes a group of people who gave to those experiencing poverty. Their contribution is a ‘koinonian.’ The same word appears in every one of today’s verses and appears 20 times in the New Testament, but is translated as ‘fellowship,’ ‘communion,’ ‘intimacy,’ ‘union,’ and occasionally as ‘a contribution.’ Still, at its root, it defines the many facets of SHARING. And why is this relevant? Read on…

Famous Greek scholar Thayer, in his book on the Greek words of the Bible (Thayer’s Lexicon), provides this definition:

Koinonia: fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation… the share which one has in anything, participation.

OR

Koinonia: a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship.

In this season of Expansion, we don’t want to lose sight of the fact that being a part of God’s community, having fellowship with His people and His Spirit, means contributing as an ‘embodiment and proof of fellowship’ with Him and one another. That’s the real-world application of Christian participation. Corporate faith and generosity are essential to our corporate health and vibrancy as the people of God because it’s literally part of what is defined as ‘community’ in the Bible. A faith without real contribution isn’t a holistic, healthy faith.

ASK YOURSELF THIS: Am I sharing in/contributing to see God’s Kingdom come?

Am I contributing to the life of the Church and the mission of Jesus Christ by making room for God’s Kingdom to come on earth? We create a context where people can meet Jesus, and we facilitate situations where the lost can come face to face with their Creator and where His people can be restored, encouraged, challenged, rebuked, and changed by Jesus!

ASK YOURSELF THIS: Am I making room to listen to the Holy Spirit?

In 2 Corinthians 13:14, Paul is writing to the Corinthian church again. He prays that they might share (Koinonia) with the Holy Spirit. Our prayer during this season is that God would teach us how to make room for the Holy Spirit to share what He’s doing, to pour His love into our hearts more and more so it overflows into the lives of others. Dig in and receive so you can expand with Him!