Pastor Ralph Posted September 30, 2009 Report Share Posted September 30, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary67 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Our fellowship with other Christians is on the surface because we don't want to show our true colors. We need to read and live God's word before we can have a closer walk with other Christians. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veteran Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 I find that my relationship is much closer than surface because of the understanding we have with each other as we share, care and pray for each other..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 So many of our church people have a reputation of being judgmental and condemning instead of restoring their fellow Christians that we build walls. We try to find help in what is taught in Church but not in relationships because of fear. We fear being hurt more or destroyed instead of helped. Christians have a reputation of killing their wounded. I guess we all need to take a leaf out of AA only use first names and what is said in meetings stays there and nothing is to be shared outside of the group. LOL I don't know but we sure could use some lessons on how to build Godly relationships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moises Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smsalmon Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? Fellowship with other Christians is often surface level because of fear and trust. Most people live in a box in which they rarely come out and they don't let anyone in. Only through the Word of God can we have a deeper level in Christ. To deepen my level of fellowship and relationship with other believers, I believe, is dependent upon how much time I spend with the Lord and studying His Word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPS Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 So often when discussing salvation one will say it is all about relationship with Jesus but I have found I was speaking it but not living it. If I am to have a great relationship with my husband I must spend time with him know his heart share things in common. I cant build a relationship spending only once a week and one - two hours. So to have true Christian fellowship we need to know and build a relationship with Jesus... in His Word getting to know and falling in love with Him,who He was, His heart...spending time talking with Him in prayer and then it is easier to fellowship with other believers with the same heart.....also truly knowing Him will better help us know his true followers b/c His Holy Spirit shows us in our spirit what is truth.....this I am learning more everyday....If I find ie Christians talking about what is wrong in the church, critizing, gossiping and c/o about all that is so bad about the world...I try not to get involved in this mind set and look at Him and what He has done for Me and how beautiful the world is..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
l.a. Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron2 Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? I think it is because we are not confident that God loves us. Here is some verses that may help you see what I am saying He choose us John 15:16 He loved us first 1 John 4:10 Then He fixed the relationship 1 John 4:10 He sent His Son as a propitiation for our sin He put love in us (1 John 2:5) Our love of God, denotes our love toward God, which is generated by His love within us He gave us brotherly love 1 John 4:21 He who loves God love his brother also. How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? Be confident that God loves us What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? If you are confident that God Loves you and will care for you. Then you are freed up to Love and care for other people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sconky Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 I observe that we are a product of our culture. We now drive home from work, open the garage door, drive in, shut the garage door, go inside the house, and relax in our backyard that is fenced in. We never see or talk to our neighbors. We are told to stay out of anyone's business because it's not our business. As Christians, we need to get to know each other, have close fellowship with our brothers and sisters, in order to be able to encourage and be there for when they ask for help. without building a strong relationship with a person, they will never ask us for help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s8nfighter Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? I believe that there are a few reasons our fellowship is only superficial. The number one reason is because we live in such a fast paced society now, we have little time for one another. Every relationship requires of us time and energy and there seems to be so little left after a days work of attempting to secure the good life. Our quest for more things to give us more free time and more things to enjoy our free time has somewhat replaced what we once had. The second reason is our relationship with God lacks our attention. I think we have too many soccer moms and football dads and not enough praying families. Who knows the ways of the Lord? Joshua reminds us of this, " But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." When we seek first His kingdom and all His ways then we will have a deeper, more meaningful relationship with one another. Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMusicLady Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? Trust is usually the issue. Do I trust fellow Christians enough to be open with them? Do I trust that what I way will not become gossip or rumor? Am I willing to build my relationship with other Christians to the level of trust so we can feel comfortable enough to share inimately my deeds, my thoughts and my follies? It's more comfortable to keep relationships on the surface level, yet to truly grow they are not enough. I must be willing to expose my feelings to grow and form relationships of the depth I desire. Then true fellowship and authentic relationship can happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula J Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? For me I would say it is because I do not allow myself to reveal too much. I fear that if people truly knew me they would not like me. I need to trust my brothers and sisters in Christ, for if they are truly Christians they will love me as Jesus loves me. I also need to trust that fellow Christians want me to grow in my relationship to Christ so if they hold me accountable I should not be offended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lianc Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? Fellow Christian often fellowship on the surface because of fear and mistrust... fear of hurt and mistrust because one may not have come to a level of frienship of fellowship with one another well enough to trust. Usually, a church is too big for everyone to know each other well to be able to come to a level of deeper fellowship in Christ. This is where a smaller cell or house group meetings helps. Participating in bible studies and sharing also helps Christian to come to a deeper level of fellowship in Christ. Faith in Christ also helps in this area... trusting that Jesus will protect us from "false" fellowship, from being hurt by giving us a better sense of discernment. We can deepen our level of fellowship by showing trustworthiness to others and also taking the first step to trust others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gener Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? A1.. A Christian fellowship have sincere common purpose,and belief They have a common sacred goal and one mind to uplift,encourage,comfort, and help one another and pray one another and most of all glorify God. Gener Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diana47 Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 our fellowship with the lord are on the surface of us being true to our own words. we need to be closre to god and be supoorted of those who do not understand what jesus words are meant to tem. we are supposed to be true christians,we need to look the other way andhelpm those who want help.believe in his words,read the scriptures get invlved with others on bible study.love everyone as jesusnloves us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicheleBlovesJC Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 We are not in true fellowship with other Christians because we are too afraid to become transparent in our lives. It is sometimes too difficult to show our faults, and weaknesses to others. We want our outward appearance to show strength and tenacity at all times, even if we are suffering inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJB123 Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Christians need to spend time with other Christians and get to know them, fellowship and worship with them. We can have a deeper relationship with God if we spend more time in the Word and prayer and communicate with the Father on a daily basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunflowers at Home Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 In my own experience, fellowship with other Christians is often on the surface level because we are afraid to be "real" with them. We tend to hide our faults, our slip ups, our imperfections for fear that they will judge us rather than offer comfort, advice, and love. For this to be fixed we need to rethink how we view others. Jesus accepted tax collectors, healed women with bad reputations and even said that he came for those of us who were not perfect or living right. Until we accept and put that example into practice in our own Christian walks we will not have true fellowship. Rather than judging others, let us work together as a family and help each other, lift each other up, encourage each other, and allow others to be real with us and we need to be real with them. It all begins with me (or you). We can't change others, but we can change ourselves and let God's love shine through us so that others will want to emulate the Christ like attitude and actions we model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What ould it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? We often pretend on Sunday and go back to the world on Monday. We need to be Christian all the time not just when around believers. We have to live out christianity as Christ did, it is so hard to be faithful all the time but is an important part of our walk that is why we need strong Christian friends to help us in our weak times and we them. We need to be seeking the lost for Christ as He instructed not joining them in living as the world does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMary Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? In my experience, it was based on fear and a shame based life....not wanting to get too deep with people for fear of being judged if they learned too much about me. I'd grown up in an abusive, violent home and spent many years trying to pretend we were a normal family. When I became a Christian, I spent a number of years feeling out of step, having gotten a late start in the faith. I watched others more mature than I, and said the right things, did the right things.....until I got into 12 step recovery for co-dependency and dealt with the issues I was so ashamed of. I finally experienced true Christian fellowship in my Christian 12 step Bible study, where honesty was key, and rather than being judged or shunned, I was loved, accepted and my brokenness was embraced. That's when I started to grow in Christ, to heal from the past, and to be willing to not only share honestly who I am, but to feel compassion and love for others no matter what state of growth they are in. How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? I think it begins with a willingness to stop pretending "we have it all together", and to be real with others. If we're struggling, say so. (Not in a whining, compulsive way, and with sensitivity to whom we're sharing. Not all people are safe people, and with those I'm more careful about what I reveal about myself.) The church in which we began our walk with Christ, 'having the victory" was frequently talked about, which produced an atmosphere where only "losers and backsliders" needed prayer. Altar calls were unheeded, because pretense at being victorious was the mask worn. I think it starts with the Pastor being honest about his struggles, and it filters down to the congregation that we're all works in progress. The 12 step group was a place where authenticity was both encouraged and accepted...that's true Christianity. Acceptance of one another's faults without judging is critical...to stop expecting others to be alike. We all come from different backgrounds, cultures, education, and in any group there are many levels of maturity. Listening with compassion and acceptance of others, then keeping the sharing confidential is a must in my opinion. A church or group which permits or listens to gossip is a deadly recipe for intimacy. None of the above is possible without the love of God in our hearts, and the willingness to love others, especially the unlovely. What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? I'm blessed with authentic Christian relationships, for which I thank God! Our new church is a gossip free "zone", and confidentiality is preached from the pulpit and practiced by leaders and the congregation. It's the most loving group of people you'd ever want to fellowship with. This makes authenticity easy to practice, and is a healthy environment in which to grow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIMNSC Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 It is extremely hard (and really impractical) to be willing to "bear your soul" with any but your closest, most trusted, Christian friends. You may be the most sincere and trustworthy of folks when it comes to relationships but unless that "other" person has given you reason to believe they are just as sincere, you aren't likely to go below a surface relationship with them. One needs to believe that what we share with others is treated with respect and not twisted into some exciting phone calls later. John 17:22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delivered Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? And how can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? I believe John, the one Jesus the Messiah loved, is teaching us about true fellowship. In v 4 John tells us he is writing this so our joy may be complete. How can our joy be complete? Jesus tells us in (John 15:10, 12) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Our fellowship with other Christians should not be superficial, it must be based on the deeper level of our being in Christ, a new creation, and the big IF is, if we love one another. Sometimes - love has to be "tough love" What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? First, we must put to practice righteousness, practice is the key word, or else we could find ourselves being that superficial Christian, walking in darkness. Put to practice LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER, the bases for true fellowship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamChar Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 I think the problem is love - one of our most basic and yet most difficult and seemingly illusive needs is to be loved and accepted. The need for love is evident in the pressures placed on us in the marketplace as advertisers have long known that if they can convince us that we will be loved, admired and/or respected 'if we buy their product' they will have a successful campaign; people will throng to the stores to buy xyz in the hopes of finding acceptance and love from their peers, etc. It doesn't work, as we all know and the void remains along with the emptyness and the fear of truly being known - so, we continually reshape ourselves according to the expectations of the world assuming that if we do it 'right', we will finally be able to relax and enjoy the life we have always wanted?! It is an illusion and as we continue down this path our shell becomes thicker, our ability to sidestep or cover serious issues to protect self becomes easier and our false self more evident. How do you share your heart with a group of loving Christians or your best friend when you have spent your life building a false self to protect the 'unworthy you'. We continue to use self-talk, such as 'if people really knew me, they would not like me or reject me or worst scenario, they would tell their friends what a loser I truly am..... the problem here is that we are focussing on self and sadly, a false sense of self - a self that we have formed throughout our life from the finite, secular, often-times hurtful world around us. Even more fundamental is the need to feel safe. If you share something personal about yourself and/or your struggles you risk judgement or rejection and for someone who desires to be loved and feel safe 'in the world', that is unthinkable. What if we decided we were going to be transparent, totally real with our small group or with a friend - how do we take the steps towards that transparency? What are we willing to share or feel safe sharing and still maintain 'face'? Why do we need to maintain an illusion of what we think people want to see? It is because we don't feel safe - we don't believe in our heart that people will still love us if we take off our masks and reveal the struggles we have in life. I think the only way to truly be transparent and fellowship at a deep level is by laying down our life at the alter of our Lord and allowing Him to fill us with His perfect love. We have to be willing to let go of self - willing to take self off the throne and be vulnurable. Prayerfully asking the Lord to release us from our fears, focussing on Him and asking Him to replace our fears with His love, allowing Him to make us transparent through the confessing of sins one to another. He also has a way of reshaping 'self' which is often called the refining fire and it is a path which can take us to intimate places with Him. It can also be very painful and so we truly need to trust the Lord and hold tightly to His hand, knowing that He has plans for our good (Jer:29) Even if we know that transparency is necessary to share deeper fellowship (and we do know that to be true)it is still not an easy, quick process. I think it is a journey and one which some are more comfortable taking than others (depending on how wounded you are and how willing you are to trust Jesus) but what we can know is - it is the journey the Lord desires for us. If we choose to be obedient to Him, transparency and deeper fellowship are key. Thank you for the opportunity to share my thoughts and thank you, Dr. Wilson for this forum. I am new (this morning) to the forum so I hope I have not abused the forum etiquette by rambling on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxanne Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 Q1. (1 John 1:3-4, 6-7) Why is our fellowship with fellow Christians so often just on a surface level? How can we have fellowship at a deeper level in Christ? What would it take in your Christian group or your relationships with other believers to deepen your level of fellowship so it is authentically Christian? because we don't do the lovewalk.....abide in him by following his commandments....by reading the word and by obeying him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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