English Compass - bringing christian fellowship to korean americans

Why Fellowship?

No man is an island.  Intellectually, we assent to this truth stated by John Donne. So we talk about social responsibility, environmental accountability, and economic interdependency.  But when it comes to spirituality, we often downplay the importance of church community.  We may attend church, but we shy away from personal accountability through prayer meetings or small groups.  We consider eating potluck adequate fellowship.  The idea of depending on others makes us uncomfortable.  But God has created us for such an interdependence; we are each other’s keepers.  The Bible says, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:24,25).  We need each other to understand God and ourselves better; after all, Jesus came to be Immanuel, “God with us.”  He calls us to follow His example: “The life of Christ was an ever-widening, shoreless influence, an influence that bound Him to God and to the whole human family. Through Christ, God has invested man with an influence that makes it impossible for him to live to himself. Individually we are connected with our fellow men, a part of God's great whole, and we stand under mutual obligations. No man can be independent of his fellow men; for the well-being of each affects others. It is God's purpose that each shall feel himself necessary to others' welfare, and seek to promote their happiness” (Christ’s Object Lesson, p 340).  Father God, help me today to understand community.  Help me to be one with You as well as with others, so that in unity, people may see that we are Your disciples.  Grant me greater love, humility, and patience to learn from others the beautfy of Your character.  Amen.