RECONCILIATION
In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
God created us to be relational beings; so much so that we languish spiritually and emotionally without relationships. They bring us joy, give us purpose, and make our lives feel meaningful. On the other hand, due to the universality of sin in our fallen world, relationships can often be quite difficult and painful. People get angry with one another and hurt each other. We hate, belittle, slander, gossip, criticize, oppress, disrespect, and cut one another with our words and actions. Relationships can become strained and lead to separation, alienation, and sometimes all out war.
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Jesus shows and offers us a better way; He is THE path to human relationships as they should be.
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As indicated in our mission statement, our primary and overarching purpose at FELLOWSHIP CORONA is the work of reconciliation; participating with the Holy Spirit to bring people from fractured relationships to peace with God and with one another through Christ Jesus. This is accomplished by the work of God's Spirit upon the human heart that leads to the pursuit, restoration, and maintenance of reconciled relationships between:
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People and God
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Husbands and Wives
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Family members
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People in general (interpersonal relationships in and outside of the church)
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People of different racial/ethnic backgrounds
We believe that genuine, biblical reconciliation cannot occur without the following essential and chronological steps:
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1. An acknowledgement of a fractured relationship
2. Sorrow over the fracture
3. A desire for restoration
4. Admission/confession of wrong doing; acknowledgement of the sin that created the fracture.
5. Forgiveness
6. Repentance
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When we consider our sinful nature in light of God's holiness, it is an amazing wonder that He loves and forgives us as He does; that He wants to be in relationship with us. In and through Him, there is no relationship that cannot be reconciled where those involved desire to be healed and restored. Relational communion with God drives us to humble authenticity in relationship to others.
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We cannot separate the Gospel from the human experience. We must acknowledge that some very significant aspects of that experience, for better or worse, are and have been determined by the color of the skin people are in. We would be unwise to ignore this reality. In fact, to do so is to handicap our effectiveness as Christ's ambassadors to the world.
​A Word on Racial Reconciliation
At FELLOWSHIP CORONA, we recognize that events, policies, and institutions of our nation’s history have erected “dividing walls of hostility” (Eph. 2:14-16) between people of different racial, ethnic, and national backgrounds. However, we acknowledge and proclaim that Christ, by His example and sacrifice, has destroyed all such barriers to reconciliation and unity in His church (John 17:20-22). Consequently, we seek to live in submission to this truth and to foster an atmosphere of knowledge, sensitivity, and understanding in which we passionately and intentionally pursue the beautiful diversity of God’s human creation in our fellowship, leadership, and all other aspects of ministry as the Spirit provides and enables. We desire to be diligent in our commitment to the ministry of reconciliation and in our aim to reflect the true Kingdom of Christ as described in the Scriptures.
(Revelation 5:9 and 7:9; Genesis 22:15-18; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Gal. 3:26-28; Ephesians 2:11-22, 4:4-6; 2 Cor. 5:14-20)
We recognize that our histories and cultures shape who we are: they temper how we view the world and how we hear the Gospel.
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The Gospel is meant to transform lives often in ways that are uncomfortable and challenging. In America, the issue of race relations is a heavy and uncomfortable topic; the proverbial "elephant in the room" that many in the church would prefer not to deal with or talk about. Nevertheless, it is an issue that has hindered the church from truly being one body in Christ. At FELLOWSHIP CORONA, we want to move courageously toward the unified body that our Lord himself prayed we would be (John 17). Therefore, we structure opportunities to strategically and prayerfully engage on issues of race that will bring about deep healing and authentic forgiveness, thereby forging the bond of peace and true Christ-like love for one another.
​​"For Christ’s love compels us…… he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
​2 Corinthians 5:14-17​​
