Fellowship in the Covid Era (Part 1) Why we need it

 

The Menace of Masks

The other day, when shopping at the supermarket Aldi, in a conversation with the cashier, I could not understand what she was saying. Both of us were wearing masks which greatly hindered our communication. Our conversation ground to one of those embarassing ends!

God has designed human beings to communicate not only with our words but with our bodies as well. We send numerous signals through facial expressions, head movements, posture and so on: all of them combining to convey our message.

How then do Christians enjoy fellowship in the Covid Era? 

In this blog I want to outline why fellowship is so important and in the next blog how we can enjoy fellowship today.

Why we need One Another

Here are seven reasons Christians need fellowship.

First, we were made in the image of a social God. God is a Trinity of glorious Persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, in continual fellowship and love. We are made in his image - which means we are social beings too.

Second, Jesus establishes the model for us: the only perfect man ever born  gathers 12 men around him, to be with him (Mark 3). Why? Because as God he is a Social Being and as Man he is a social being too.

Third, the first Christians enjoyed fellowship with each other, "every day in the temple courts" we read. 

Fourth, the great New Testament illustrations of the church all make us interdependent upon one another. We're only one brick in the temple, only one part of a body. We need one another, just as an eye needs an arm.

Fifth, surrounding ourselves with God's people inspires us with zeal. Take a hot coal out of the fire and it quickly grows cold.

Sixth, we will never grow straight without Christians around us. All of us are naturally imbalanced. Without believers who can admonish us and challenge us molehills can quickly become mountains. 

Seventh, a gathering of Christians is witness to the power of the Gospel to unite people from very diverse backgrounds. Fellowship shines out the Gospel.

We must have Fellowship!

For all these reasons, believers must have fellowship! We must meet up with one another, we must see one another. 

Nature concurs with Scripture! There is a molecule called Oxytocin, which is released in our bodies when we have meaningful interactions with people, and espcially when we touch one another. It's a "feel good" hormone.

Not only does it make us feel good, oxytocin keeps us healthy and surpresses some of the more dangerous fight-or-flight hormones that cause us stress and depression.

We are fearfully and wonderfuly made, body and soul, both working together.

There is no such thing as one-man-band Christianity in the Bible, just as there is no such thing as a footballer who plays football on his own, or a soldier who fights a war by himself.

But how can we enjoy meaningful fellowship with all the restrictions imposed upon us by Covid-19?

In our next blog we will explore how we can enjoy the fellowship we all so desperately need in these unusual times. It is possible! 

Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash