FELLOWSHIP

When I was a child I recall neighbors interacting with one another. Visiting my grandparents was highlighted by sitting on their front porch conversing with the neighbors as they sat on their porch swing. My childhood home was the homestead. Relatives it seemed would flock to our home on weekends and holidays. My point is that people fellowshipped with one another.

Today not so much. People hide behind their high def screens or their latest smart device. There is very little human interaction. This has creeped into the church as well. People really never need to leave home, more and more have no desire to do so. We can watch church online, worship online, do bible study online, give online everything but attend the church buffet.

The church is a body of believers, not brick and mortar. It has been proven that people require human interaction to remain mentally stable. God saw it was not good for man to be alone and he made him a helpmate. People need people.

Ray Williams, Wired for Success wrote: “8 Reasons Why We Need Human Touch More Than Ever” for Psychology Today. Despite the benefits of digital advancement, it is vital to preserve human touch in order for us truly to thrive. Human touch results in decreased violence, increased trust, economic gain, healthier bodies, increased learning are all listed among the benefits of human touch. If human touch is beneficial one would think coupling that with human communication, relating emotions, would be that much more beneficial.

It is no surprise that people congregate at bars, pubs, and restaurants. These are outlets that provide human interaction. Most people have never been to church because they have never been invited. We will tell a coworker about the movie we went to see but never tell them about the Savior that set us free.

There is a story of a man who week after week on Sunday morning walks to his car to go golf. Each Sunday he encounters his neighbor. He asks his neighbor each week to come along. His neighbor is always on his way to church and declines. One day he asks his neighbor, “I ask you to go golfing every week, why have you never invited me to church?”

The early church was a church of relationships and fellowships. Those crazy people would get together daily to eat, worship, and fellowship. Scripture says that their numbers grew daily as well. Human interaction all desire it, all need it, All benefit from it.

As a new couple spends time together their love for each other grows. As the church body spends time together their bonds grow. As we spend time with God in prayer we grow closer to him. Fellowship is vital in every aspect of our lives. Be healthier, happier, and richer reach out and build relationships.