Weekly Devotional: Strong Friendships and Fellowship
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the day approaching. — Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
For those of us who have them, strong friendships are blessings in our lives. They can help push us closer to Christ and bring us joy. However, building strong Christian friendships does not happen overnight. Fellowship is an important aspect in pushing each other closer to God while building connections with each other.
In This Weekly Devotional:
- What Is Biblical Fellowship?
- Why Is Biblical Fellowship Important for Christian Friendships?
- Pursuing Strong Relationships as Christians
What Is Biblical Fellowship?
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. — 1 John 1:7 NIV
If we head to the New Testament, we find mention of the word koinonia. This Greek word roughly translates to fellowship.1 You may be wondering, What is fellowship in the Bible? Well, fellowship relates to community and coming together with a common goal, to bring glory to God. Ultimately, fellowship is about him.
On a practical level fellowship involves us loving and looking out for each other. As we serve Christ, we can also look for opportunities to be there for one another. Fellowship may look like:
- Going to church together
- Praying together
- Studying scripture together
- Eating together
- Doing tasks together
- Worshipping together
At the heart of it, Biblical fellowship comes back to Christ and pursuing him.
Why Is Biblical Fellowship Important for Christian Friendships?
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. — Proverbs 27:17 NIV
When it comes to friendships and developing relationships with other Christians, fellowship allows us to connect and unite. Biblical fellowship allows us to encourage one another and push each other closer to Christ. Although it is possible to have friendships with non-believers, those formed through a common love and a mutual respect for Christ and his word can be so rewarding and enriching.
1 Corinthians 12:12 says, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” As Christians, we are all united by our savior. Having that as a foundation for our friendships can help us strengthen each other and our relationships as we grow.
Pursuing Strong Relationships as Christians
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. — Acts 2:42 NIV
If we want to find Christian friends and build good friendships, we can start by going to church and other faith-based event or bible studies. In these environments, we can find others who are also trying to grow closer to God and care about being nurtured spiritually.
We can also bring our desire for strong relationships to God. He understands and created us to have other people around us. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”
It is also important to remember that strong friendships do not just appear. They take effort and consistency on our part. However, we should not be discouraged if we are struggling with developing this friendship as they take time.
Grand Canyon University (GCU) has a strong community of students who exhibit God’s love and Christian values. GCU offers chapel and life group opportunities where you can connect with other students while growing closer to God. To learn more about student affairs, or to find a degree that's right for you, fill out the form on this page to speak to a university counselor.
1What is koinonia? Got Questions. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
Approved by the local outreach coordinator of the Office of Spiritual Life on May 1, 2023.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
