WHAT is fellowship
and WHY should we do it?

A. Fellowship is an essential element in spiritual growth.  Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition defines fellowship as:  

1. Companionship, Company

2. A community of interest, activity, feeling or experience; the state of being a fellow or associate 

3. A company of equal or friends

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible has six different definitions for fellowship. Although these definitions are useful and correct I believe a more accurate one is that fellowship is simply sharing something together.

There are three elements of fellowship in the Bible.

• Purpose - Psalms 133:1-3
• Belief - Acts 2:42
• Conviction - 1 Peter 3:8
• Work - Nehemiah 4:1-23
• Hope - Hebrews 11:39,40
• Faith - 1Samuel 20:30-42
• Suffering - Daniel 3:16-30
• Need - 2Corinthians 8:1-15

2.  Fellowship in sharing:

• Father, the Son and Christians - 1John 1:3
• Christ and  Christians - 1Corinthians 1:9
• Holy Spirit and Christians - Philippians 2:1
• Apostles - Acts 2:42
• Believers - 1John 1:7

3.  Fellowship in things shared together:

• Material things - 2Corinthians 8:4
• Suffering - Philippians 3:10
• The Gospel ministry - Galatians 2:9
• Gospel privileges - Philippians 1:5
• Gospel mystery - Ephesians 3:9

Fellowship, as a noun, or as action, demonstrates who we really are.  It allows us to interact with others  who share common beliefs and sentiments.  It allows us to recognize our own faults and gives us the opportunity to share in he spiritual growth of others.  And as we have seen and as the Bible confirms, fellowship is highly pleasing in God's sight. When we can and in any way we can, we should practice this outstanding spiritual trait.