Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Bayport, Minnesota

A NEW VISION FOR BETHLEHEM – koino-what?

by Pastor Rich Larson
One ye

ar ago
One year ago I introduced the New Testament concept of Koinonia. This is the Greek word found in the bible that refers to fellowship, partnership, sharing and community. A key passage which helps us understand this word is Acts 2:42. "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship (koinonia), to the breaking of bread and the prayers." These four activities are what the first church became involved in. Immediately after the spirit came upon them at Pentecost they engaged in education, fellowship, worship and prayer.

My prayer is that this concept will continue to guide us through the next year. Koinonia means that we must do more to get together and grow in our faith. I am convinced that no matter how hard we work at developing new programs in the church, unless we each make a commitment to grow spiritually then our church will not grow and we will just be spinning our wheels. We must set aside time to be with each other in prayer, faith sharing, Bible study and service in order for God’s spirit to do his work among us. This is why I have been encouraging you with these words over the last few weeks. I see this as both a short term and a long term vision.

…that we engage at least 50 people twice a year in faith formation groups called the KOINONIA Network. These groups will draw the people of our church into a deeper spiritual walk through prayer, mutual sharing, bible study, and service.

The ultimate goal of our church is to grow in our awareness of God’s mission so that our community knows that we are partners with them in the world. 

The Koinonia Network is meeting on Sunday mornings
during the month of November, and again during the season of Lent, February and March 2009.
We gather in the fellowship hall for prayer, bible study, faith conversation and mutual support.
Our goal is to involve at least 50 people each time we do this.
Please help us reach our goal and sign up for the KOINONIA NETWORK TODAY. YOU CAN JOIN AT ANY TIME.

Koinonia

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,
THANKFUL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN THE GOSPEL
from the first day until now. And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion
at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel thus about you all, because I hold you in my heart,
FOR YOU ARE ALL PARTAKERS WITH ME OF GRACE,
both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.
(Philippians 1:3-7 RSV)

“Partnership in the gospel” and “Partakers together of grace.” These are the two biblical phrases that have captured my imagination and prayers as I have been contemplating what the vision for Bethlehem should be.

The Greek word KOINONIA (koi-no-nee-a) is found in both of these phrases. This is the word for fellowship, companionship, partnership, sharing and friendship. I believe that these words describe perfectly the essence of who we are as the Family of God at Bethlehem. I lift up this word as the guiding principal and vision for us over the next couple of years.

How can we live out the vision of KOINONIA?... by growing our partnerships, partnerships on many different levels, partnerships with each other of course and with God, but also more focused partnerships, like with youth, elderly, shut-ins, inactive members, new members, mission partners, community partnerships. The possibilities are endless. My vision for this church is that…

     1. Each of us will see our Christian faith in terms of a partnership and that we will each commit to growing in our partnerships.

     2. I further have the vision for this congregation that we will start and develop the KOINONIA NETWORK over the next which will  grow out of a sense of KOINONIA and partnership in our congregation.

As we begin to reflect upon and live with this vision I am inviting every member of this church to engage in small group conversation and prayer on Sunday mornings during the month of November during the weeks of Lent. I will be developing a bible study guide and questions for mutual discovery on a Vision of KOINONIA. My prayer is that each of you will take up this challenge, meet together on Sunday mornings during the education hour, help to renew our small group ministry which so many of you have enjoyed in the past, and to begin living into this vision for Bethlehem.

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