Together

"what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may also have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ… If we say, "We have fellowship with him," and yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth. If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us of all sin." 1 John 1:3,6-7

Insight

I believe it is safe to say that we have all struggled with "My One Word" at some point. In the four years that I have been choosing a word, I've always ended the year by saying, "I wish I would have done more." So, I began asking, "What am I missing?" 

As the Welcome Team Coordinator at the Wilmington Campus, I have the privilege of serving alongside such a diverse ministry that serves our church and our Lord each Sunday. At the start of 2022, I asked everyone to write down their one word and why they chose it. When cleaning out my desk at the end of summer, I came across a stack of papers that held a glimpse into my team's walk with the Lord and who they were trying to become. 

I felt the Lord pushing me to lean into that, even though it may seem out of the blue. I started to email people asking about their word and what the experience had been like. The responses ranged from "It has been exactly what I needed," to reactions similar to my own, "You know, I didn't do much with it as I had hoped." 

I decided to talk about this in our next Sunday meeting before serving. After that meeting, one of our volunteers came up and suggested that we start asking different people on our team to share their "MOW" experiences with the group. Little did we know, at the time, that this simple thing would change our trajectory as a team and as followers of Christ. 

It was encouraging to hear how people kept their word in front of them, like journaling or having it on the mirror to see each morning. It was even more beautiful to feel a greater relational connection through their vulnerability to express how they hoped God would be moving in their life. 

In these meetings and conversations, I realized what had been missing in my process was koinonia. Koinonia is the Greek word for "Christian fellowship, or communion, with God or, more commonly, with fellow Christians." 1 John 1:3,6-7 is a great look into why we are supposed to have fellowship with him and with fellow Christians. 

God never called us to do life alone. Here at Port City, our vision is, "Life with God Together for the World." When walking with the Lord and in His light, we will inevitably have people alongside us. Therefore, why are we trying to become who God has created us to be apart from the way He calls us? 

When we invite people into our walk, we open the opportunity to learn and grow. We get to build a relationship centered on Jesus, with a person we can ask to hold us accountable for who we are becoming. My word for this year is "remain" out of the scripture John 15:1-8. To remain in Him, I have to dwell in His creation. 

I know now that this isn't something I can do alone. I need to let people into my walk to give me strength, wisdom, and sometimes a push to continue this journey. I also need to do this for others. I genuinely believe that it is in Christian community that is vulnerable and relational, where God will do His greatest work within us. I encourage you to find your "koinonia" and start the journey to becoming who God has created you to be, together.

Reflection

• Who are some people that you can walk alongside through your journey of becoming?

• What tactical steps can you take to be intentional with bringing others into your "My One Word" journey?

Prayer

God, I pray that we can find koinonia; a community with whom we grow closer to You. I pray that we can be open and intentional in our walk with You and those You have placed in our lives. We know that You call us into your community, and it is in those spaces that we can feel equipped to become who You have created us to be. We are grateful for Your love, wisdom, and continual pursuit. In Jesus' name, amen. 

Lillian Beecroft, Welcome Team Coordinator at the Wilmington Campus, wrote today's devotional.