Koinonia – Lessons from the church of Acts.

Jon Beck

KOINONIA – Lessons from the church of Acts

 

Acts 2:1-41

  • Filled with the holy spirit.
    • Touched and empowered by God
  • Proclaim the Gospel
    • People responded
    • People were added

 

Birth of the NT Church 2:42-46

  • Devoted (continuing with steadfast purpose)
    • Teaching
    • Koinonia (fellowship)
    • Worshiping as the body
    • Prayer

 

Things to think about:

  • If we have been saved, then we are empowered.
  • As we love Christ we will be drawn to the things that He loves. We do things because we love Jesus.  We do things as an expression of our love for Jesus
  • We are in the sheep business, not the goat business. We develop sheep ministries, the Sheep will come. (evangelism and discipleship)
  • Jesus Himself said, “I will build My church” Matt. 16:18 (Chic-fi-la Not bigger but better.  People will come to better).  BE FAITHFUL TRUST IN CHRIST.  FAITHFUL AND TRUST IN HIS WORD.

 

 

Socializing compared to Koinonia

 

Socializing

  • Common interests of the world and our culture. News, Sports, Weather, Politics, Work, and Family.  THIS IS NOT A BAD THING, BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY THING.

 

Koinonia

  • Common interests in things of the Lord.
  • Eternal matters of life. LIFE CHANGING MATTERS OF LIFE

 

Most churches are terrible at Koinonia

  • We are not going to be most churches.

 

Reasons for lack of true Koinonia

  1. Lack of spiritual maturity. (nothing to talk about…milk and meat) We would rather talk of earthy things rather than spiritual
  2. Doctrinal differences
    1. EVERYTHING WE BELIEVE WILL BE BIBLICAL
    2. B F & M 2000
  3. Personal preferences
    1. We like certain people
    2. Not wired that way
  4. Generational lines
  5. Unreconciled relationships

 

 

Strategy for encouraging Koinonia

  1. Be intentional
    1. When we gather (Worship and Meals)
  2. Think KINGDOM RELATIONSHIPS
    1. Others before me.
  3. Raise the Bar
    1. Do not accept or expect it. (leaving SS to go home, nursery workers, volunteering to do other things, love to serve in the DOING things, but not the SPIRITUAL)
  4. Biblical creativity with our time and meetings
    1. Sunday night is for discipleship (growing and changing)
    2. Do what we need to do, not what we always have done
    3. Make necessary changes
    4. Balcony and sitting together
  5. Work at it
  6. Work at it some more

 

 

Koinonia Groups

2 Major Goals and Expectations:

  1. Growing in our knowledge and understanding of the Lord and His Word
  2. Learning to live together as the body of Christ.
  • Seasonally discipleship groups throughout the year (fall and spring)
  • Expected for all leaders and teachers within the church
  • Starting at the church (key is church!)
  • Lead by facilitators
    • Expectations must be met
  • Topical/Book driven
    • I already have 4 years of material
    • Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
  • Guided Koinonia questions
    • NOT talking just to be heard
    • NOT Socializing
    • NOT Share groups (not repeating the prayer list)

 

Example of questions:

  1. 3 statements from the reading that really encouraged you.
  2. Keys verses from the reading
  3. Key truths learned
  4. Changes I need to make in my life to apply these truths
  5. Practical steps that we need to take to live out what we are learning.

 

  • Mixed groups
    • We ride together, eat together, sit together……
  • You do not have to speak/participate (Just developing relationships and reading the material will be so encouraging.)
  • No big group options
    • No reason for not wanting to participate

 

 

 

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