Rediscovering the 'F' word

So you are a follower of Jesus living in Jerusalem. His last words for you were to wait for the Holy Spirit to come and, wow, did he arrive in power. Suddenly the gathering of 120 swells to over 3000 as hundreds of people give their lives to Jesus.  Without having years of preparation or gradual growth this first church had to become rooted and established quickly. So what key things did the first followers of Jesus focus on?

Well, reading Acts 2 v 42 gives us an idea.  This first church devoted themselves - that means they gave themselves fully and completely - to a number of things. One of which was fellowship.

We can lose sight of what this word really means. For some, the word speaks of secret societies. To others they think of 'Lord of the Rings' and still to others, you may think of afternoon tea with quiche.

Biblically, the word fellowship speaks of deep communion and participation worked out in our relationships. Maybe the idea of 'shared lives' catches a sense of it's true meaning. People whose lives are connected at a deep level in Jesus choosing to encourage one another, be generous towards one another and, basically, open their lives to each other. Healthy churches are built on this idea of biblical fellowship - so do we need to rediscover this 'f' word?

Fellowship can't be forced or fake. But it does require all of us to take a step towards something, to choose to get connected with people beyond a Sunday morning meeting. This term, at The King's Church Mid-Sussex, there are over 30 ways to connect to community mid-week. You can read about them all in our new King's Life magazine.

There are a range of Life Groups; people getting together for coffee, cake and to encourage one another in their walk with Jesus.

For those who are exploring the Christian faith there is the Alpha Course. A chance to ask questions, discuss issues of life and faith, meet new friends and talk freely.

If you have recently become a Christian, or are new to the Christian faith, then there is a group looking at the foundation building blocks of the Christian life.

If you have been a Christian for years and want to go deeper, then there is a group taking a closer look at the book of Jeremiah.

If you want to look afresh at our new identity in Jesus and what it means to know truth that sets us free, then there is the Freedom Course.

There are daytime groups, Bible journalling groups, prayer groups, and there are courses on life skills such as money management, marriage and parenting.


There are many ways to connect, to get to know people, to grow in your faith and, we hope, to step towards fellowship.  Let me encourage you to take a first step; sign up for a group, get involved, get connected.  If you have any questions email life groups@tkc.org.uk