When the same key word crosses my path twice in one day from two different sources, I pay attention. The word, Koinonia, first caught my attention during a church sermon at Black Rock Church this past Sunday morning.
Later that day, I received a message from a relatively new friend in Christ, Marianne Schmidt. She was responding to my message thanking her for the wonderfully inspiring time at her house the day before. Her note simply said “Koinonia….” I thought, could that be the same word preached in church today?
Koinonia is a Greek word that is used in seventeen verses in the New Testament. According to The NAS New Testament Greek Lexicon, Koinonia means “fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse.” It refers to both fellowship with other believers (Acts 2:42) as well as our fellowship with Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9).
When believers experience Koinonia, we are fellowshipping on a deep level through a shared belief and commitment to Christ. We don’t have to personally know each other to know where our hearts stand.
Marianne had invited me and others to experience the anointed teaching and artistic abilities of her ministry partner, Vernice Holmes. We had an afternoon of fun, laughs, testimony and worship. I had never even met these ladies before.
Marianne’s response captured the essence of what I was trying to say to her: time together as believers deserves it’s own special word. The word has to encompass the rare intimacy that can only come about from Spirits recognizing each other and longing to worship our Lord. This type of fellowship undergirds believers’ faith and endurance for the trials of this life. We refuel with koinonia-type fellowship. No other fellowship hits the mark.
Both ladies have amazing stories of faith, overcoming adversity, acquiring supernatural artistic abilities and sharing the love of Christ everywhere they go. Marianne and Vernice help others see past their circumstances and to the life possible for every believer through Christ and fellowship with one another. Koinonia.
Check them out: www.kingdomcovering.net and www.iamvernice.com