Godly growth will lead us to fruitful, solid, and lasting relationships that focus on others. The twenty-first-century church will face all the challenges of the first century and then some. But, God willing, we will chart a course that will produce Christ-like and Christ-honoring reciprocal relationships. One of the best metrics for measuring the biblical fidelity of our churches will be the depth of fellowship culture (koinonia) we show to one another.

Maturity, the Goal of Mission

It’s all about growth. The Church is a community made up of those to whom the Holy Spirit has given new life (Titus 3:5). Jesus promised that He would build His Church upon a truth—Jesus, the Godman, is the Christ or Messiah (Matt. 16:18). Belief in Him leads to spiritual growth. For this reason, all hell and its minions will not triumph over it. Christ will complete His mission. But how?

The Church’s primary goal is Christlikeness. Peter opens his heart when he speaks of Jesus’ purpose—that he may present her (the Church) “spotless and blameless” (2 Pet. 3:14). Spotless is how the Church should appear to onlookers; blameless is how it should stand forensically before the Cosmic Judge. The Church will become Christ-like through a growth process. Jesus will mature its members to become like Him in conformity to the image of God. He builds His community and His culture through the new birth and growth of individuals.

But growth may not come easily. Paul beseeches Christ-followers, “Just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each of you as a father would his own children, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom of glory” (1 Thess. 2:11-12). The Apostle pleads with believers to grow. Growth will require persistence and patience. No human capacity can do it. Spirit-given love must empower it.

The Priority of Love

What will this look like? We display our maturity in the way that we love, submitting to the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:37-40), the greatest of Christian virtues (1 Cor. 13), and the goal of our instruction (1 Tim. 1:5). Unbelieving bystanders at the end of the first century make amazing comments about the way their Christian neighbors love one another:

• “Hardly have they met when they love each other.” (The Octavius of Marcus Minucius Felix)
• “Indiscriminately they call each other brother and sister.” (The Octavius of Marcus Minucius Felix)
• “See . . . how they love one another … and how ready they are to die for each other.” (Tertullian, Apology)

This deep and lasting love comes only through the Spirit’s work through the Scriptures in spiritual growth. Indeed, maturity is the goal of our mission.[1]

True growth occurs in individual hearts and eventually an increase in numbers. To realign the Church’s mission with God’s Word, we must rediscover and refocus on the individual. Individuals must grow. We must not ignore individuals to create or draw a crowd. Biblical churches will intentionally grow each maturing believer.

Pastor Elisha Yale of the Yale University family once said, “The strength of the Church does not consist in numbers, or its wealth, but in its purity and spirituality, and obedience to Christ.” The Church will succeed at what Jesus commanded it to accomplish. Believers will grow. But how?

Promoting Godly Growth

Jesus gave the so-called Golden Rule as the basis for reciprocal service.[2] He said to His disciples, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12).[3] We’ve all heard people misinterpret Jesus’ command. For example, “Get others before they get you,” or “Treat others well so that they will treat you well.”

These distortions of Jesus’ words bring devastating relational consequences, the opposite of what Jesus intended. No wonder damaged and broken relationships comprise a large portion of our counseling ministries. God calls us to view our relationships as opportunities to care for one another so that we all may grow and experience the good life. The Old Testament called this life shalom “well-being.” It is at the heart of the Golden Rule. How does church culture impact the good life and shalom?

A Koinonia-Fellowship Culture

A culture is a group of people that holds similar beliefs and practices. The word “fellowship” or koinonia, describes the culture in which local church soul care thrives. It is the Church’s context or environment aiming for growth. Management expert Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” meaning a company’s culture is more important than its strategy because culture will determine its organization’s success, regardless of the effectiveness of its strategy.[4] Drucker argued for intentional cultural design and implementation.

But we cannot fabricate the Church’s culture; it must flow from Spirit-empowered hearts (Gal. 5:18-22). God has already designed a culture in biblical fellowship (koinonia). True fellowship finds satisfaction in caring for others. What is more, koinonia often appears in a context of suffering.[5] Picture Job and his friends sitting in silence for a full week.

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