Fellowship among believers is more than just talking over coffee after church service. Biblical fellowship in New Testament times - or koinonia - had rich and varied meanings, including covenant relationship, partnership in the gospel, communion with God and others, and the sharing of earthly possessions.
In True Community, best-selling author Jerry Bridges (The Pursuit of Holiness, Respectable Sins, Trusting God) explores koinonia and the practical implications it has for today's church. With discussion questions at the end of each chapter, this book will help you dig deeper into what Christian community in the twenty-first century should look like. You will come away with a new appreciation for fellowship, the church, and what God intended the body of Christ to be.
CONTENTS:
- Sharing a Common Life
- Union with God
- Communion with God
- Fellowship and Community
- Spiritual Fellowship
- Partnership in the Gospel
- Spiritual Gifts Within the Community
- Sharing Your Possessions
- Supporting Your Local Ministry
- The Fellowship of Suffering
- The Fellowship of Serving
- Social Fellowship
ENDORSEMENTS:
Our campus ministry was studying fellowship when I discovered Jerry Bridges' book. This is the finest book I have read on fellowship. We were struck by its thoroughness, clarity, and scriptural foundations. It breathed new life into our group and significantly altered the way we viewed the purpose and function of our community. I unreservedly recommend True Community to anyone yearning to learn and live what Scripture teaches about Christian community. - Matt Podszus, Director, The Navigators, University of Kansas.
As a pastor of a small but growing church, I am so grateful for this book. Spiritual fellowship, as described and prescribed by Jerry Bridges, takes people who are spectators at church and turns them into life-giving participants in the body of Christ. True Community will make its way into every new member's orientation packet in our congregation! - Dr. John Yenchko, pastor, North Shore Community Church, Oyster Bay, New York.
The Holy Spirit has given Jerry Bridges a gift of being able to explain and apply biblical truth with unusual clarity and simplicity. Pastors, deacons, and small-group leaders especially will benefit from reading this book, finding specific help in leading their churches into Christ-reflecting, gospel-fueled community. The discussion questions at the end of each chapter add particular value for those using this book in a group setting. - Larry E. McCall, DMin, pastor, Christ's Covenant Church, Winona Lake, Indiana; author of Loving Your Wife as Christ Loves the Church.
