To connect means to join together. For Christians, to join together means to be associated with others in bonds of encouragement, support, and service. The Bible uses words like “fellowship” and “partnership” to describe the connected relationship Christians share with one another — a connectedness that is rooted in God’s embrace of us through Jesus Christ.
We are in communion with one another because we are in communion with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Apostle John put it this way, “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3 ESV). Fellowship with God grounds our fellowship with one another.
When we become Christians, we become part of the fellowship of the cross, no longer alone in the world but tightly bound to one another; no longer lone islands in the ocean but an inseparable union because God’s love has drawn us near to him.
In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul uses the analogy of the human body to highlight the connectedness of the church. Every part of the body needs all the other parts for the body to be whole. We all need each other. At Emmanuel, we are committed to being a community where strong relationships are built, where people enjoy each other, encourage each other, and join together in service to others.
Come connect with us. Let’s travel the road of life together in Christ.