Christian
Fellowship
Church Membership Requirements
(Community Church, Ormond Beach, FL. Membership requirements.)
Membership may be accomplished by
meeting six criteria:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Evidence of salvation.
Baptism by immersion after salvation.
Completion of CLASS 101.
Signing the Membership Covenant.
Completion of a new member interview with a
staff pastor.
6. Participation in new member recognition
service.
Acts 2:38,41,47
(38) Then Peter said to them,
“Repent, and let every one of you
be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit.”
(41) Then those who gladly received his word
were baptized; and that day about three thousand
souls were added to them.
(47) ...And the Lord added to the church daily
those who were being saved.
Christian Fellowship
Concept of fellowship in our time greatly
misunderstood.
First, Christian fellowship is a spiritual
communion. It has no reference to
recreation or physical association.
koinonia (koinwnia) “partnership, joint
participation, communion, fellowship”
Acts 2:42
And they continued stedfastly
in the apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in
prayers.
2 Corinthians 8:3-4
For I bear witness that
according to their ability, yes,
and beyond their ability, they were freely
willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency
that we would receive the gift and the
fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
Galatians 2:9
And when James, Cephas,
and John, who seemed to be
pillars, perceived the grace that was given
unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the
right hands of fellowship; that we should go
unto the heathen, and they unto the
circumcision.
The Nature of Fellowship
God
Vertical
Man
1 John 1:3
Man
1 John 1:3
That which we have seen
and heard declare we unto you,
that ye also may have fellowship with us:
and truly our fellowship is with the Father,
and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Fellowship must first be vertical,
with the Father and His Son
The Nature of Fellowship
God
Vertical
Man
Horizontal
1 John 1:3
Man
1 John 1:7
1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light, as
he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another, and the blood
of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all
sin.
True Christian fellowship is
conditioned upon “walking in the
light” (i.e. – fellowship first with
God).
Local Church Fellowship
• Scriptural Concept
(Acts 9:26-28)
Acts 9:26-28
And when Saul had come to
Jerusalem, he tried to join the
disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and
did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But
Barnabas took him and brought him to the
apostles. And he declared to them how he had
seen the Lord on the road, and that He had
spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly
at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was
with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going
out.
Local Church Fellowship
• Scriptural Concept
(Acts 9:26-28)
• Not a “Country Club” membership
Local Church Fellowship
• Scriptural Concept
(Acts 9:26-28)
• Not a “Country Club” membership
• Also not an optional matter
– Accountability (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:4-7; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:17)
Matthew 18:15-17
Moreover if your brother sins
against you, go and tell him his
fault between you and him alone. If he hears
you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he
will not hear, take with you one or two more,
that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses
every word may be established.’ 17 And if he
refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if
he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to
you like a heathen and a tax collector.
1 Corinthians 5:4-7
In the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, when you are gathered
together, along with my spirit, with the power
of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to
Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his
spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord
Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not
know that a little leaven leavens the whole
lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven,
that you may be a new lump, since you truly are
unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover,
was sacrificed for us.
Acts 20:28
Therefore take heed to
yourselves and to all the flock,
among which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers, to shepherd the church of God
which He purchased with His own blood.
Hebrews 13:17
Obey those who rule over you,
and be submissive, for they
watch out for your souls, as those who must
give account. Let them do so with joy and
not with grief, for that would be unprofitable
for you.
Local Church Fellowship
• Scriptural Concept
(Acts 9:26-28)
• Not a “Country Club” membership
• Also not an optional matter
– Accountability (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:4-7; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 13:17)
• Men are limited in their acceptance
of, or rejection of others. Based on
question of vertical fellowship.
– Men are fallible, mistakes can be made.
Conclusion
1. Fellowship is
spiritual communion
2. True fellowship with
other Christians is
dependent upon fellowship with God first
3. Men must choose who they will
fellowship. However, they are bound to
recognize God’s limits. Accept the one
God accepts, and reject the one God
rejects.