Fellowship

Recently, I’ve been listening to a series on 1 John from Veritas in Cedar Rapids. Listening to other pastors is one way I stay fed spiritually, and since we have kids attending there, it also helps spark good conversations with them. What’s been especially timely is how often the same themes have surfaced here—among our students, in FCA, and in conversations across our church.

One of those themes is simple but powerful: biblical fellowship and joy are deeply connected.

Joy runs through all of John’s writings. In the Gospel, Jesus says His desire is that our joy would be full (John 15:11). In Revelation, heaven rejoices over the victory and reunion of the Lamb. And in 1 John, John tells us plainly why he writes: “that our joy may be complete” (1 John 1:4). To John—and to Jesus—our joy is serious business.

But John is also clear about something else: sin steals our joy.

Sin breaks relationship—with God and with one another. It shows up in our failure to love, our reluctance to admit wrong, and our tendency to put ourselves first. And in 1 John, sin is directly tied to fellowship. That matters, because fellowship is one of the primary ways God intends to fill our lives with joy.

When we hear the word fellowship, we might think of meals in the fellowship hall. Those are good things—but biblical fellowship goes much deeper. Fellowship is a shared life. It is a committed relationship with God and with one another through Jesus Christ.

Fellowship with God means we pursue Him—not out of obligation, but out of desire. We read Scripture and pray because we want to know Him. We follow His commands because His ways deepen that relationship.

Fellowship with one another works the same way. It’s the recognition that our lives are connected—and so is our joy. It’s the willingness to live in a way that protects those relationships and helps them grow.

Jesus gives us the summary: Love God. Love others.
And both Jesus and John tell us—this is where joy is found.

In a group conversation this week, someone said, “Love is easy.” Not everyone agreed at first. But as they continued, they said, When you see the value of people and recognize how much God has given you, love just flows. There were still honest questions about difficult people and situations—but by the end, the group recognized something important: when our perspective is shaped by Christ, love becomes less about effort and more about overflow. 

That’s the kind of joy I long for all of us to experience at Living Hope.

So let me offer two simple encouragements:

First, fellowship doesn’t happen at a distance.
You can’t keep God at arm’s length and expect deep joy. You have to be with Him. The same is true with one another. If we want the joy of fellowship, we have to actually share life—show up, be known, and stay connected.

Second, fellowship cannot survive where gossip thrives.
Gossip tears down the very relationships fellowship is meant to build. It replaces trust with suspicion, love with distance, and joy with division. Even when it sounds subtle or feels justified, it works against everything God is trying to form in us.

If we want to be a people marked by joy, we must be a people engaged in biblical fellowship—who show up and speak with honesty, yes, but also with grace, humility, and love. We protect fellowship not just by what we do, but by what we say and refuse to say.

Let’s be a church that is rooted in Christ, growing in love, and fruitful in joy—together.