God never intended for us to be individual islands unto ourselves.  As you read through the Old Testament, you will find that community was important.  The same is true in the New Testament setting.  Nevertheless, many seem to have forgotten the power of fellowship.

With all our social network media, we reach out to others with our posts, but we really do not have fellowship with them.  Because of social network media and various other activities from a distance, we have forgotten to break bread with our brothers and sisters.  We justify this by saying we don’t have time.

When was the last time you broke bread in fellowship with someone?  Your immediate family does not count—although in many families, that might be the place to start, since most family members in this country no longer sit down at a dinner table together.  Our society has made it too easy to pull through a drive thru, or to eat in front of the TV.

The early Church broke bread together.  Church history is replete with examples of Christians sharing a meal.  In my own life, some of my fondest memories are sitting around the table with friends from church or students from my classes.  Around a table you laugh, cry, play games, share a testimony, read a passage of Scripture, pray with one another, and share a common meal.  This is something that needs to be revived in our culture today: the power of fellowship.

In Acts 2:46 we read, “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart” (NASU, 1985).  The early church understood the value of breaking bread with one another.  Do we?

This week, try something different, something old—break bread with someone.  Rediscover “fellowship”.  Call up one or more friends and invite them over for a bowl of chili and crackers.  Share a piece of pie and a cup of coffee with someone.  Or, better yet, call several friends and invite them over for a “pot luck” meal.  Learn again about the importance of fellowship.

Got Bread—Break it!  That is my believer’s tip of the week.

Until next week, I am James Tollett, your missionary to America.