Do you know “that feeling” when you are on deployment? You are on basecamp; there is worship, food, fellowship, miracles, salvation and you’re just buzzing! It’s like God is all around and you just do not want to leave?
It is called “koinonia.” It’s the expression of heartfelt fellowship in an apostolic context. It happens when we are “on mission,” “all in” and “in one accord.” This is the “awe” the disciples experienced in the book of Acts.
CRI Responders: Set up your personalized fundraising page for future deployments.
You see, we were all made for supernatural community that lives for a divine purpose and mission that is greater than ourselves, our comforts and own desires. We were made to serve others, express love radically and teach others how to follow Jesus.
Something truly dynamic takes place when you experience this. It goes deep and marks you. It ruins you for lesser expressions.
Too many Christians merely punch a timecard and pay their bills on Sunday mornings to avoid a sense of guilt and fulfill their cosmic duty. This is due to the western consumer mentality rather than an eastern, contributing one.
So here’s what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all: Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight. If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three’s the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you’re saying. Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself. And no more than two or three speakers at a meeting, with the rest of you listening and taking it to heart. Take your turn, no one person taking over. Then each speaker gets a chance to say something special from God, and you all learn from each other. If you choose to speak, you’re also responsible for how and when you speak. When we worship the right way, God doesn’t stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony. This goes for all the churches—no exceptions. 1 Corinthians 14: 26-33
If you had to describe what “church” is just by what you see in the bible, is that what you are presently experiencing? You were made for so much more! You are called to be a part of a fiery community of believers radically committed to God, each other and the lost.
When Christianity becomes more about adding to our comforts than laying down our lives, we have lost our sense of direction. When it becomes the “great omission” rather than the great commission we have lost our purpose.
I hope you are finding koinonia in your church. CRI loves the local church and encourages every responder to be in fellowship. If you are not, gather a group of like-minded believers in your home to break bread, share testimonies, worship, read the bible and pray for one another. Better yet, find a lost neighbor and show them how they can become closer to God. Then ask them when you can meet again and have them invite others.
Philippians 2:1-2 declares, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”
Koinonia is being in agreement with one another, being united in purpose, and serving alongside each other. Our koinonia with each other is based on our common koinonia with Jesus Christ.
First John 1:6-7 says, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
As Responders we have to be thinking about how we can form spiritual community and ongoing discipleship for survivors on deployment when it is not otherwise available. We must remember that Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations, not just converts. Thus the need for Crisis Response Missionaries.
During the ARC School, students will have the opportunity to live in a supernatural, missional community. We will be equipping students how to multiply and spread that experience by planting simple churches in the homes of disaster victims. This is just one of the aspects of what it looks like to develop an Apostolic Response to Crisis.
Click right here to start a personal fundraising campaign for your ARC School tuition.
If your heart is bursting for a book of Acts lifestyle, mission, purpose, nations, signs, and wonders, prayer and worship, radical community…this ARC School may be for you.
If you are not able to attend the ARC School but you want more crisis response training, want to connect with your CRI buddies and are up for a good challenge. Join us April 17th-22nd for the Extreme ATS!
