Whole-Hearted Life

1/4/2011

SPIRITUALITY—KOINONIA: LIFE IN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

“Koinonia” is a Greek word most often translated as “fellowship” in the New Testament. However, the meaning of koinonia runs so deep that few Christians today even comprehend it, let alone live it out. According to Strong’s (an authoritative resource that explains the original text of the Bible), koinonia means sharing, intercourse, fellowship, intimacy!

In our culture, looking at the backs of each other’s heads for an hour on Sunday and an occasional potluck dinner is considered fellowship! However, the relationships among God’s children are to be so profoundly intimate that the gift of unity offered to the Father demonstrates an embodiment of Jesus! One body!

Paul urges the church in Rome to offer their individual bodies as a unified “living sacrifice” to God. He describes how this is to be accomplished through living together in community (Romans 12:1-8).

In order to reflect the glorious radiance of Jesus, we must begin to live out that which God desires for us. The life amongst His people is to be so intimate that we:

• live together. And all those who had believed were together (Acts 2:44).

The word “together” is translated from epaulis. According to Strong’s epaulis means, “living quarters, cottage, cabin, farm”. In the New American Standard Hebrew-Aramaic and Greek Dictionaries it is defined as, habitation, homestead.

• daily share meals with generous hearts in one another’s homes (Acts 2:46).

• share duties and possessions, even selling property and possessions in order to provide for those in need (Acts 2:44, 45).

• teach and preach Jesus as the Christ in each other’s homes, regardless of persecution (Acts 2:46, 5:42).

• give generously and corporately providing for Christian siblings in other communities (Romans 12:13, 15:26; 2 Corinthians 9:13).

• suffer together; being strong for those who are weak, (Romans 15:1), bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians. 6:2) and weeping together (Romans 12:15).

• encourage one another day after day (Hebrews 3:13).

• recite Scripture and songs to each other and to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).

• rejoice together (Romans. 12:15).

• admonish the unruly (1 Thessalonians 5:14).

• confess our sins to and pray for one another (James 5:16) and in a spirit of gentleness, restore those caught in sin (Galatians 6:1).

• show affection to one another (1 Corinthians 16:20).

The culture that we live in has a very individualistic perspective of life, even within the Christian community. However, God’s design is that we live a life together that is so beautifully intimate that those looking in from the outside are in awe! Can you imagine such satisfying habitation, that the believers are held in high esteem by those around (Acts 5:13)?

The New Testament scholar, Richard Hays irrefutably explains why our Father has called us to such a level of intimacy,

The community, in its corporate life, is called to embody an alternative order that stands as a sign of God’s redemptive purposes in the world.

In fact, this intimacy amongst God’s people is what Jesus prayed for: that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:21

I long for a community life in which I’m daily working side by side with brothers and sisters, singing praises & reciting scripture. I dream of joyfully sharing daily meals with my family in Christ. It’s my heart’s desire to openly acknowledge my weaknesses, knowing that my siblings will lovingly bear with me in prayer and encouragement. And I pray that my heart would be so full of love that others could confess their sins to me, knowing that I will gently help them find healing. I’ve come to understand that the bounty with which I have been entrusted is meaningless unless I am blessed with seeing others enjoy it.

The Lord is bringing me to a place of realizing that nothing else but His Body really matters. As a famous author once said;

I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die.

SPIRITUALITY—PLAYING CHURCH

When our daughters were young they often liked to play “church”. It was interesting how they concluded which role each of them would hold. I don’t recall there ever being any prayers said to guide them in their determinations. Instead, the decisions were made according to perceived abilities.

Susan, the oldest was selected to be the organist because she was the most capable pianist. Julie, the middle one was selected to be the pastor because she had a good, LOUD singing voice. And … because you can’t play “church” without an audience, that role was thrust upon Laura, the youngest.

Julie’s personality made it natural for her to dictate to the others how things were going to run in their “church”. However, Laura was never easily persuaded. In fact, Laura often complained that she always had the “unimportant” job and that she didn’t like having to always do what Julie and Susan decided!

Julie would demand, “I’m the pastor and it’s my job to make decisions!” Susan would assert, “That’s the song that I know how to play. SO…that’s the one we’re gonna sing!” In her frustration with never having any say, Laura would retort, “Why do I always have to be the audience?”

As a result of sitting in a “church” pew every Sunday listening to their daddy preach, the girls had several liturgies memorized. However, because it was the one they heard most often, #158 was typically their service of choice!

When our girls get together now as adults, they reminisce and laugh about their childhood “church” services. Sometimes Gary & I fear that our sides are going to split from laughing so hard listening to their stories. Yet, when I think about the narrow view that they were given for all those years of God’s Kingdom and the family life of His citizens, my heart breaks!

All too often the fellowship of God’s people “play church” in similar stifling ways:

• Decisions are made without prayer!

• The “pastor” runs the show!

• The seminary graduate is the only one qualified to teach!

• The only folks capable of sharing God’s love through music are those “trained for the job”!

• Repetitious services having little to no presence of the Spirit’s power in them!

• And the concept that there should even be an “audience” in the Church at all!

Oh, the devastating affect this approach has on God’s Kingdom! Rather than “everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation” (1 Cor. 15:26), the “audience” is oppressed from lack of participation. Sadly, unlike Laura, offering little if anything of themselves, the majority feels unneeded or has expectations to be bottle-fed. While the “pastor” and musicians are puffed up over their “important roles,” the fellowship gradually becomes dehydrated from lack of Living Water and weak due to lack of exercise. And we wonder why “the church” is lifeless!

Whole-Heartedly, Bonnie Jaeckle