Pastor Nicole Johnson                          About Fellowship

Fellowship is important and needed, yet we, His disciples, His Bride, are His church, not a building. Fellowship of true disciples can take place anywhere, it doesn't even have to take place in a building, and we need to fellowship in love and His Truths. Fellowship can be an assembly of just a handful of people even, just as long as we are united through Him and God's Word.

It was in 323 AD, almost three hundred years after the birth of the church, that Christians first met in something we now call a ‘church building’. For all three hundred years before that, the church met in living rooms, on river banks, on hillsides, etc.

Constantine built these assembly buildings for Christians not only in Constantinople, but also in Rome, Jerusalem, and in many parts of Italy, all between 323 and 327! This then triggered a massive ‘church building’ fad in large cities all over the Empire.

This quote should make you really think: But,' I said, 'what do you call the church?' 'Why,' he said, 'what you call the steeple-house.' Then I asked him, 'whether Christ shed His blood for the steeple-house? And purchased and sanctified the steeple-house with His blood?

And since the church is Christ's bride and wife, and that He is the head of the church, did he think the steeple-house was Christ's wife and bride, and was he the head of that building, or of his people? 'No,' he said, Christ is the head of His people, and they are the church.' 'But,' I said, 'you have given the title church to a building which belongs to the people; and you have taught them to believe so.

Many people today understand the church as a building. This is not a Scriptural understanding of the church. The word “church” comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” The root meaning of “church” is not that of a building, but of people.

It is ironic that when you ask people what church they attend, they usually identify a building. Romans 16:5 says “… greet the church that is in their house.” Paul refers to the church in their house—not a church building, but a body of believers!

The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head. Ephesians 1:22-23 says, “And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” The body of Christ is made up of all true disciples in Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2) until His return.

The church is not a building or a denomination. According to Scripture, the church is the body of Christ. There is to be fellowship of members of the His body.

These gatherings of fellowship are where the members of His church can fully apply the “body” principles of 1 Corinthians chapter 12: encouraging, teaching, and building one another up in the knowledge, grace, teachings of Jesus the Messiah. Fellowship that is in unity in His Truth.

Acts 17:24 "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands".

May the grace of God be upon you always.

Sincerely,

Pastor Nicole Johnson

Celestial Grace Ministry