Comments on: Unhealthy vs. Healthy Fellowship

By: Hanging out with the Wrong Crowd « Stirring the Deep

Hanging out with the Wrong Crowd « Stirring the Deep — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 21:52:08 +0000

[...] Unhealthy Fellowship vs. Healthy Fellowship [...]

By: Don’t Quench the Spirit « Stirring the Deep

Don’t Quench the Spirit « Stirring the Deep — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:10:39 +0000

[...] losing friends and that little voice is suppressed. Without an accurate framework of truth about a healthy fellowship, we are more likely to dismiss the prompting to better pastures, because there is nothing to [...]

By: A Time to Leave …. « Stirring the Deep

A Time to Leave …. « Stirring the Deep — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:12:25 +0000

[...] The CS is being consumed with darkness as the enemy gains ground as a part of judgment. Lamentations 2:7 As the CS begins to fill with the darkness of deception, lies and the enemy’s ways, those heeding God’s voice are moving out of the darkness and into the light – for what fellowship has light with darkness? 2 Corin 6:14 Proverbs 14:7 There are many verses about not being involved with unhealthy fellowship. However, these verses are largely ignored by church goers as they listen to the church leaders who tell them they must be in a church. (Unhealthy vs. Healthy Fellowship) [...]

By: Our Capability to be Influenced « Stirring the Deep

Our Capability to be Influenced « Stirring the Deep — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:31:06 +0000

[...] In day to day life, it’s important to understand our capability to be influenced. Right now we are being impacted by society, spouses, friends, religious leaders, family, and co-workers, in good and bad ways. This is why the Bible tells us to be wise about who are friends are and who we fellowship with, for their influence is extensive. (Healthy vs. Unhealthy Fellowship) [...]

By: The True Church « Stirring the Deep

The True Church « Stirring the Deep — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:45:51 +0000

[...] Unhealthy verses Healthy Fellowship [...]

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:51:32 +0000

Nathan – Thanks for all your encouragement!

By: Nathan

Nathan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:24:13 +0000

@ timbob
ooh yeah, those churchy conversations are very shallow. And the crazy thing about it is that they resist going deeper. It is sad to think how close they are to the truth and they won’t touch it.

@Ruth
Hey Ruth what you and your mom are doing sounds like fun! I would love to go the one of those “Sacred Harp singing” things.
Hang in there, if you ask Him and listen, He will tell you what He’s doing in your area, well not absolutely everything, but He will certainly tell you what you need to know. He probably has a really good reason for shaking you loose from the institutional church, ask Him about it.

Blessings

By: Ruth

Ruth — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:48:59 +0000

Thanks, Rachel. I value your prayers!

By: Rachel

Rachel — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:49:16 +0000

Ruth, Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I added you to my prayer list. Fellowship comes in many sizes, shapes and colors – as times are changing and the end is upon us, many are seeking true fellowship. My prayer is that we recognize what/who is already in our lives waiting to minister to us and us to them. And I pray that we will all passionately foster our fellowship with God through His Word because that is the foundation to all fellowships.

Rachel

By: Ruth

Ruth — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:34:27 +0000

Hey Rachel, this is another post (and collection of comments) that really speaks to me! My “fellowship” has changed over the years and by His grace, so has my heart and relationship with God. Right now, I don’t attend any “organized church group.” Sometimes I miss it – something about the routine is comfortable, but I’ve prayed for months and don’t believe God has led me back to any place like that. So… I am still seeking and questioning what it means to “assemble ourselves together.”

I appreciate your list of fellowship characteristics and the ideas/stories offered by the commenters. I have been blessed to find some forms of fellowship like that with a handful of family/friends and with brenthren I’ve met online.

My mom and I spent time together talking, sharing, praising and singing, and exhorting each other; we’ve had our share of tests and trials as mother/daughter and as adult sisters in Christ, but we live together now and that makes for a way of assembling daily as we work and search together. We also spend time taking care of my little nephew, and it’s exciting and scary to think about sharing Jesus with him. He’s gotten into the sweet habit of reaching up to our cross necklaces and saying “cross”; it’s one of the few words he can say right now, and even though he’s little, we go ahead and share something about Jesus when he says it.

Another fellowship that has become part of my life is going to “Sacred Harp Singings.” There’s not a lot of interaction, but everyone sings together, all sitting in a square (one leg for each harmony part), taking turns picking songs and leading them. Those old hymns are rich with teaching from the Word and praises and laments from the journeys of brethren who are asleep now. (Their website – http://www.fasola.org – tells more about them and has the lyrics to the hymns.)

I appreciate your exhortation to test for truth and guard against lies as well. It’s so sad and scary how many organized groups are embrasing teachings that aren’t of God and people who do not strive for holiness. As hard as it is to hear sometimes, I know I have plenty of weaknesses and am far from living completely free of sin, and I need to hear about it, instead of being left alone to wallow in the mire in the name of not being judged or criticized!

I pray often that God will lead me into fellowship/assembly that will enrich my walk with Him AND that He will help me to be encourageing to others in the same way that I need encouragement! I’d appreciate your prayers as well!

Blessings to you, Rachel.