It doesn’t matter if you’re here in fellowship or you happened to miss fellowship today. No problem. We’re still together, as a group, a unit, and a family. And being part of a family is a very powerful thing. Being united and joined as a whole, a household, having unity within a group of people, has a powerful effect on the world. In this article, let's learn the steps to keep ourselves united.
In this article, we’re going to learn what it means to be united as a group, as a family, what wonderful things can happen when we’re united, and what steps we can take to keep united - 2 steps. And also, I have a few tips for the young people in our bible fellowships - 5 tips.
Turn to Acts 2.
About a month ago, my family and I moved to Raleigh. We lived in Colorado for the past 15 years. And we just up and left - for a better life. We heard there were a bunch of great believers in Raleigh - six fellowships, lots of young people, new people, lots of growth. And we believed as a family to be delivered and to join a new group of people and form a much larger family and enjoy a new and godly household. And at every step of the way through the process of moving, we believed in each other as a family.
We, as believers spread across many households, can develop friendships and unity with one another. And developing unity with like-minded believers with the Word of God is very powerful. Because - when you’re united on the Word of God with other people, this helps build each other’s trust in and love for God, to see spiritual truths and promises come to pass in each other’s lives, bringing victory and deliverance. In contrast, when you’re alone, that’s very challenging. In John 5:30, Jesus said, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” When you hang out with like-minded people, keeping a spiritual unity is much easier than when you’re alone.
A couple thousand years ago, many people knew how important it was to be united in the Word (living according to the same standard) within the household of like-minded believers and how that unity helped them build their trust in God. They lived in that way. And set a pattern for living. And it was written down for us to learn from. Let’s read what was written about what happened one day in Acts 2.
Someone read Acts 2:38-41. “38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
There were added unto them. Three thousand people got together in unity. That’s a lot of people! They could have all just gone back to their homes to live their lives as they did before, divided and separated. But they did more than that. They instead continued together in the Word, in fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers. They kept each other together.
Read Acts 2:42-47, “42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
This is why I am here. This is why my wife and daughters are here today. Right here. This promise of continuing in the Word, experiencing many wonders and miracles, having all our needs met. This is why we moved our household here to Raleigh. So that the numbers of my family, my group, and my ecclesia, could be added to.
These people back then were a great example of believers who “continued steadfastly (with a firm and unwavering manner),” they were “together,” and “had all things in common.” They continued “daily with one accord,” and they had “singleness of heart.”
That unity on the Word brought about growth individually and as a household. The results were that their trust in God grew and “many wonders and signs were done by the apostles,” and “the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” What an exciting time! They helped each other live the Word, taking care of each other, helping each other remember the promises of God, and acting out on them, walking out on them, with their believing. And they grew stronger as a household, trusting that their needs would be met, and seeing even greater things come to pass. Pretty darn good.
Turn to Romans 15.
In Romans, we see how the Apostle Paul also knew the importance of being together with the household and being like-minded on the Word. He often expressed this and frequently sought out the believers as he traveled. And man, did he travel. Oh, boy, Paul traveled the world in order to make disciples and keep believers together. That’s what they did back then to stay united. Wrote letters, traveled all over the world, and went from house to house.
Let’s read Romans 15:24: “24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.” He said, “I’m going to Spain. But I’m coming to you first in Rome. I’ll visit you for a little bit, and then you’ll help me on my way.”
Paul knew the love and encouragement of his fellow believers would strengthen him and his trust and confidence in, and love for, God. He longed for the fellowship of the disciples and like-minded believers. He longed for fellowship. Because he wanted to add to the group, to make a bigger body of believers, more disciples, more households, more followers, more friends, and a bigger family.
Turn to Phillippians 1.
As born-again believers, we are all part of the one Body of Christ. God has placed us as members in particular in the Body. God considers our innermost desires, our long suits, and our abilities, by providing opportunities for us to best function together in that Body. And we have the freedom, freedom of choice, and freedom of will, to decide to take advantage of these God-given opportunities and to be of one mind on God’s Word with others in the household, so that we can live a more than abundant life.
In Psalms 133:1, David said, “Behold (this is remarkable, this is impressive, behold!), how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
As a group, we don’t have to do what each other is doing or likes to do. We don’t even have to agree upon everything, right? You like soccer, I like football. You like pizza, I like cheeseburgers. You’re great at remembering verses, I’m great at explaining what they mean. Whatever the situation, we see the best in each other. You may love Wednesday night fellowships, and I may prefer Sunday morning. What’s common among us is the Word, the spiritual truths that have been given to us by God, those promises of love, joy, peace, abundance, health, and prosperity. That’s our common ground.
Let’s read Philippians 1:27, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” That’s awesome.
There are things we can do in our day and time to develop a unified, powerful body of believers and build our love for God.
Keep an abundance of God’s Word in our hearts by having the mind-set described in Psalms 119:16: “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” We delight in God’s Word and diligently learn the Word, and try not to forget the words, which will equip us to handle whatever situation we’re in.
Focus our hearts on developing this unity. As in Acts 2, we can help each other live the Word by finding each other, reaching out to each other, spending time with each other, being willing to learn from each other, building camaraderie with each other, and believing the Word about each other and with each other.
Young People
Young people want to change the world for the better. I’m older now, but I still want to make things better for me, my wife, my family, my fellowship, and all believers around me. Young people can sometimes find themselves a bit disoriented and confused by the shifting tides of popular cultural opinion to the point where they may feel that any kind of involvement in something positive is pointless. The truth is, if you are a young person 16-26 years old, you probably have some tendencies (you tend to say and do things) that can be strong catalysts for changing the culture and the world around you, including your ministry. Put simply, you are the leaders of tomorrow.
My encouragement for you young people is:
Connect with each other. I encourage you to reconsider what you’re doing right now in relation to getting people like yourselves together. So, find each other, and connect with each other, online and in person, in the various ways that you do already. Ask each other if you’re going to fellowship today. Ask each other to go see a movie or concert, a high school sports game. Ask each other about college, dating, and marriage.
Don’t let me, and old people like me, get in your way. Ask your fellow believers and friends if they’d like to form and grow a young Christian fellowship or bible study group that meets online, worldwide. Being united and joined as a young household, having like-mindedness within a group of young people has a powerful effect on the world and your ministry.
Share fellowship teachings. Video record fellowship teachings and then share them with every believer in your local fellowship. If you can’t make it to fellowship, no worries; watch the video recording later. Want to invite someone new to fellowship? Ask if they’d like a link to a teaching that you think they’ll enjoy watching. Personally, I would really enjoy being invited to participate online in a fellowship taking place in another part of the state, country, or world, like Italy. How exciting would that be?!
Use technology to connect your network of believers worldwide. Use FaceTime with a bunch of friends, or Instagram to share your thoughts and creativity. Personally, I enjoy using the “YouVersion” app. I use it every day. It’s an app that creates biblically-centered experiences for believers worldwide. Use The Way International to stay united. Ask for the list of every attendee of the recent Young Rock Music Camp thing, and get everyone’s contact information. Don’t let that event’s momentum die. Use technology to keep the connections and conversations going.
Start with your fellowship leadership, and ask, “Where are all of the young Christian believers? Where are the born-again believers in my county, school, or state? Where are the members that God has placed in particular in the Body?” And most importantly, “How can I help to connect us all in unity?”
So, young people, ask. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth; and she that seeketh, findeth; and to her that knocketh, it shall be opened.”
In this article, we learned how important it is to be united on the Word within the household of like-minded believers. We learned how unity in the Word can bring about growth individually and as a household. We can delight in God’s Word and diligently learn from it. And in order to be together, we ought to know where everyone else is. I encourage you all (excuse me, y’all, I’m learning), I encourage y’all, young and old, present and absent, to enjoy the benefits of spiritual unity. Let’s keep an abundance of God’s Word in our hearts and exert diligent effort to stay united on the Word with each other, bringing victory and deliverance as we grow in our trust and love for God.
Comments