When we come together for worship, we join together on the heavenly “Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven” (Heb. 12:22–23). Such a glorious gathering, grounded in the blood of our covenant Mediator (v. 24), empowers fellowship when we come back down the mountain.

For many people, the pull to isolationism is strong. It’s just safer to be alone, to stay home, or to be with those whom we know well. Being with others means we’re susceptible to a host of dangers. Perhaps we hide behind the excuse that we’re introverted. Fellowship and community are draining. Yet the New Testament in sundry ways highlights the importance of Christian fellowship. For example, the picture that we get of the Apostolic church is one of deep, regular fellowship: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). It’s no coincidence that their fellowship fueled holiness (v. 43), mutual care (vv. 44–45), great joy (v. 46), and evangelistic zeal and success (v. 47). Great power in the Christian life springs from Christian fellowship, so we neglect it to our own detriment. In the bonds of Christian fellowship, our affections for Christ and His church are stirred.

The Puritans understood this. They practiced what they called “conferencing.” In Puritan thought, a conference was intentional religious conversation designed to stir up affections for Christ and apply biblical principles to life. Conferences were, as Edmund Staunton described, “gracious discourse and holy communication [that] mutually impart each to other for their edification, and spiritual advantage.” This is how the Puritans thought that the spiritual graces are best cultivated. William Gurnall said it well:

Converse with the saints that have the Spirit of God in them. They that would learn a foreign language associate with men of the country whose natural tongue it is. Wouldst thou have God and learn to speak heaven’s language? Associate with those who by reason of their heavenly nature will be speaking of the things of God. It is true, they cannot propagate their spiritual nature; but it is as true that the Spirit of God may take the gracious discourses which they breathe forth the means of quickening thee. While thou art with such, thou walkest in the Spirit’s company.

We learn to think, speak, and love like Christ when we spend time with His people.

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