Envision with me the ideal summer destination or vacation. What do you see?
For some, summertime is filled with images of beach getaways, bonfires, sand, surf, and drinking iced tea or lemonade by the poolside. It may mean vacationing in coastal cities like Myrtle Beach, going on a transatlantic cruise, snorkeling the coral reefs in the Bahamas, windsurfing in the Caribbean, surfing in Costa Rica, river rafting in Oregon, biking in the White Mountains, or skiing in Utah. There are almost limitless possibilities, plenty of languorous vacations, of trips filled with the promise of discovery.
My summer did not look like any of these things aforementioned. Yet, what I (re)discovered was something better.
There is a term I’d like to introduce you to. Koinonia. It is a Greek term for “fellowship.”
In the Christian church, this word describes the idealized state of fellowship and unity.
It is a word with deep and rich meaning. It conveys a joint participation in something beyond just yourself. English terms community, communion, sharing and intimacy conceptualizes the essential meaning of Koinonia. The etymological meaning of Koinonia is upon disagreement. There is no adequate English term that can express the depth and richness of this Greek word. Yet, one will know what “Koinonia” feels like. First, let’s take a look at its usage in the Bible.
In the New Testament, its first usage appears in Acts 2:42-47. The early Christians devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings and to the communion, to breaking of bread and to prayer. They sold their possessions and gave to those in need. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with joyful hearts, praising God.
Communion is the celebration of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection in obedience to ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’ It was in the breaking of bread that the Apostles recognized Christ and proceeded with communion. There is a spiritual purpose with meals, then, and to the breaking of bread when the word Koinonia is used in this context.
When the Gospel is living inside of us, fruit will develop outside of us. There is an implication of action in the word Koinonia among scholars who study this word. The action that is taken comes from experiencing a Gospel-centered life. It seems to me that the very crux of Koinonia is connected with the heart of the Gospel for beautiful things to occur.
Let me give you one example of this beauty that I have tasted personally before but got to witnessed in my life recently again. I had the incredible honor and privilege to talk and help with students who came from all over the United States to San Diego, CA for 10 unforgettable weeks of their Summer. They came in not knowing what to expect, some would even say they didn’t want to be there, others were in for the sunshine and outdoor fun San Diego offered, yet all of them left changed inside and out. They lived, worked, and ate within a transformational community in which God grew them in ways beyond their imagination.
It was with these very people that I remember my “younger” days of experiencing a rich and opulent fellowship. My memories became alive when I saw this group of young men and women who thirsted for deeper relationships and deeper faith in the Name of the One who they proclaimed. They were eager to do much more in their generation. Take risks and share their faith. They couldn’t sit around knowing that someone around the corner is an arms reach of hearing the Gospel for the first time.
I saw much “Koinonia” shared among them. From their Friday gatherings, campus outreaches, to local prayer and worship beach outings, I got the sense their collective conscience was attuned to something Higher. They wanted to be intentional, deliberate, and sacrificial with their time for the glory of God. In unity under Christ, they created a movement that swept through the streets of San Diego. Honestly, you could feel their energy rising as they approach you and tell you how great their summer was going. How wonderful their God is and what He did for us. Yeah, they were strikingly enthusiastic about their faith.
I realize I want to tell you what I got to partake in, so I’m going to put up some pictures to describe to you what felt like Koinonia.
