Be of One Mind

The smell of casseroles and lentil soups, the sight of kids racing to be first in line, the sound of post-church chatter, all come to mind when I think of the word “fellowship.” A fellowship dinner, most often a potluck, is a common weekly event for many Adventists. But what does fellowship really mean? What is God’s intent when He urges us toward fellowship? And how can we experience true fellowship in our broken, divided world?

Philippians 2:1, 2 says, “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Paul expresses fellowship as being of one accord and of one mind. First John 1:7 says, “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.” John takes it further and shows us how to have that fellowship: by walking in God’s light.

The Common Goal

When Christians are focused on a common goal—following God and the light of His Word—a spirit of fellowship will naturally develop. In my own life I’ve experienced the joys of fellowship with other Christians when chasing a common goal. When I served as a missionary in the Philippines among 50 international young people, we bonded quickly and closely because of our shared experiences. Our primary task was digital evangelism. Every day for a year we had to put time into learning digital evangelism together and implementing what we had learned to share the gospel and encourage people online.

It was also through the experience of living and working with so many cultures in the same space that I began pondering what it means to be “of one mind.” The diversity of worldview and mindset that I encountered was illuminating. Although we had the same main goal of sharing Jesus with the world, our approaches were so different and sometimes conflicting.

I learned that “be of one mind” does not mean “have the same thoughts” or “do the same things.” There is so much value in different ways of thinking, understanding, and living. But when we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, He allows the Holy Spirit to convict us on how we should accomplish our goals and serve Him. The more I was able to let go of my cultural biases and rigid mindsets, the more I could see how God was working through my co-missionaries, and that allowed me to become closer to them and experience another level of fellowship.

What God Intends

How important is fellowship in the Christian walk? First Corinthians 1:9 says, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Fellowship is not just a suggestion, but a calling for us from God. He yearns for closeness with us and gives us each other to experience a form of that bond. The bonds of fellowship can be both vertical, between God and us, and horizontal, between us and others. In 1 Peter 3:8 we are given yet another invitation to “be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous.” Simply following Jesus’ example of kindness and brotherly love can go a long way in connecting with other people.

The more I was able to let go of my cultural biases and rigid mindsets, the more I could see how God was working through my co-missionaries, and that allowed me to become closer to them and experience another level of fellowship.

Further, Jesus did not discriminate with whom he shared His love, but showed compassion for both friend and enemy: “Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, ‘Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ ” (Matt. 9:10, 11). Jesus performed simple acts that had a big impact, such as interacting and spending time with those others wouldn’t reach out to.

Fellowship in Our Broken World

Being of one mind in this modern age is harder than ever. I don’t have to quote statistics for you to believe that this is one of the most polarizing times to be alive. Countries are at war, and division is rampant within nations, communities, and even families. This division manifests itself politically, socially, and spiritually. Within our churches congregations often struggle to come to agreement on all manner of things. Our global church has representatives with opposing viewpoints on various theological issues.

Sometimes when I look around me, I lose sight of how we as a church—or I as an individual—are following the invitation in the Bible to be of one mind with fellow believers. Yet when I hear a choir singing praise together, hear a story of a sacrificial group of missionaries, or witness the coordinated kindness of strangers when someone is in need, I’m reminded that God is still working to bring His children into one mind. Striving to find unity is essential in our Christian walk as the pressures of the world continue to grow around us.

Removing Roadblocks to Christian Fellowship

When we encounter a viewpoint that differs from ours, our natural inclination may be to reject the point of view and the person sharing it. I have done this countless times, even going to the mental lengths of believing that someone holding an opposing belief would not be a person of value in my life. Whether or not the person was claiming to follow God, I was unwilling to entertain ideas from them. But when I check myself and take the time to hear another person out, ponder what they’ve said, and see if it’s something that God could use, I experience learning, growth, and a deeper ability to connect and fellowship with people.

Ephesians 4:1-3 says, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” The Holy Spirit is given to us as a helper, to prompt our minds and give us God’s direction. The Spirit brings us the “unity” that Paul mentions in Ephesians. When we ask, we will be reminded to pause, ponder, and see what the Lord wants to show us as we learn from and come into one mind with each other.

Paul urged the church in Corinth to be one with each other. Jesus urged His followers to cultivate unity. This remains imperative for us today. We can and will experience true unity and fellowship when we earnestly ask God for His Spirit to bless our efforts.

The next time you’re at a fellowship meal, remember that there is more for us to do than just talk and eat. We can find common ground, lay aside biases, and truly experience God’s desire for His children to be of one mind.