A peek inside this post: Life is meant to be lived connected to God and others. Read these devotions on fellowship to help you embrace community with your brothers and sisters in Christ.
In our world today, we often hear messages that it’s important to be independent and not to rely on anyone. And, a lot of our modern day conveniences and technologies do more to keep us apart than bring us together.
For example, I’m grateful for my washing machine. But there was a time when families would come together and wash their clothes in one location together! Imagine the friendships that must have grown as they scrubbed and rinsed.
I’m glad for the convenience of my garage door opener. But there was a time when neighbors would talk to each other on the front porch and ask about each other’s day. Imagine the community bonds that must have been built on rocking porch chairs!
I’m thankful to have a phone with me wherever I go in case I need it. But there was a time when friends and family checked in on each other with an actual phone call or visit, rather than just seeing updates on a social media news feed. Imagine the lasting connections that formed and deepened with each conversation.
The Bible teaches us the importance of living in fellowship and community.
God designed us to be connected to one another. To share our lives, our joys, and our struggles.
Even from the beginning, God said it wasn’t good for the man (Adam) to be alone, and so He created Eve. (Genesis 2:18)
We are not meant to do life alone.
Instead, we are called to live in relationship with God and others, supporting and encouraging each other as we grow in faith.
In Living Linked, we’ll explore the need for fellowship and community, and how beautiful life can be when it’s lived together. Through Scripture, reflection, and practical activities, we will discover how living linked to one another strengthens our faith, deepens our relationships, and brings us closer to God.
Easier connection: We are offering this devotional as a PDF for your convenience!
Who is this devotional written for?
Before we get into the devo’s content, you may be wondering what age group it’s best suited for.
This devotional is written for:
- families with children or grandchildren
- Sunday schools
- youth groups
- outreach
To accommodate the wide range of children that may be participating, our hope is to write devotionals that ANY age can get something out of by not talking down to teenagers while also not speaking too maturely for younger children.
We try to offer additional resources to help reinforce the lesson if parts of the devotional might be a little complex for young minds.
Discussion questions are meant to be simple, and the depth of discussion will vary based on age and maturity. As a general rule, we err on the side of not making the content sound like it’s written for kindergarteners, but hope that it’s short and sweet enough for them to participate!
Ok, let’s get into Living Linked: a devotion on fellowship and community…
Living Linked: a Devotion on Fellowship + Community
Day 1 | What is Fellowship?
Read: Acts 2:42
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Fellowship is more than just hanging out with friends. It’s about sharing life together, supporting one another, and growing in our relationship with God as a community.
In the early church, when believers were just learning how to meet together as the body of Christ, they were committed to spending time together. They learned about Jesus together and prayed for each other.
Fellowship is about being connected, not just socially in a group, but being bonded together spiritually because we love Jesus.
Fellowship is where we experience God’s love in the presence of others, and where we show that love through our actions.
Fellowship helps us to stay strong in our faith. When we are surrounded by other believers, we are encouraged and challenged to keep following Jesus.
God created us to live in community, and he models it for us perfectly by existing in the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. Even God doesn’t work alone!
When Jesus was on the earth as a man, he spent a lot of time fellowshipping with people, often over a meal.
Fellowship isn’t always something that happens naturally; it’s something we need to look for on purpose, and do our best to help it grow. We can do this by being good to our friends and family by loving and caring for one another.
Think about your own life. Who do you do life with? Do you have friends or family who encourage you in your relationship with God? If not, this week is a great time to seek out those connections.
When we gather with other believers, we experience a glimpse of what heaven will be like—a place where we are united in love, worshiping God together. Let’s make an effort to value and participate in fellowship, knowing that it’s an important part of our faith.
Discussion
- Do you have friends or family who encourage you in your relationship with God?
- What are some ways we can intentionally build fellowship in our lives?
Activity
Make a plan to spend time together in fellowship this week. It could be a game night, a meal, or a time of sharing and praying together. It doesn’t have to be complicated, it just needs to be intentional, on purpose.
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for creating us to live in fellowship with one another. Help us to spend time with other believers, sharing our lives, and encouraging one another. Show us how we can build strong relationships that honor you.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Continue Reading “Living Linked: a Devotion on Fellowship + Community”
You’ve just enjoyed Day 1 of “Living Linked: a Devotion on Fellowship + Community,” where we started learning that life is meant to be lived connected to God and others.
But this is just the beginning! Days 2–5 are full of practical lessons, Bible verses, and family activities that will help your kids (and you!) link into the community around you.
By completing all five days, your family will discover the need for fellowship and community, and how beautiful life can be when it’s lived together.
Ready to continue the journey? Get the full 5-Day “Living Linked: a Devotion on Fellowship + Community” as a PDF and set your family up for a school year full of faith, fun, and growth!
Snag your Devotion on Fellowship + Community HERE.
If you complete this devotion, let us know in the comments! We love hearing from you!