FUNSHIP,FOODSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP: WHERE DO BELONG?

EXORDIUM:
John chapter six is a very important passage of Christian Scripture and an index into the lives of many people and of the Church today. Human nature has not changed much for the better but has consistently grown worse (cf. II Timothy 3:13).
Without much controversy there are three outstanding categories of people found among the bands of those who profess faith in Christ. These are the people we want to talk about in this short discussion.
There are people who are pleasure-oriented (Foodship), entertainment-oriented (Funship) and Kingdom-oriented (Fellowship). I am afraid that this is going to get personal with us. We are not going to talk about somebody else but us as we ask, FUNSHIP, FOODSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP: WHERE DO I BELONG?
To do justice to this discussion we would have to go back to the text of John Chapter Six and ask, WHAT KIND OF DISCIPLE AM I? Am I a funship disciple, foodship disciple or fellowship disciple? These questions are rhetorical and mean to help me realize my true identity in the Kingdom of God. Again, it is important to ask, “Am I spoiling or spurring; self-centered or Christ centered?”
Undoubtedly, there are two classes of followers: Situational followers (fair weather, none committal Christians) and the unconditional followers. There are Christians (disciples) of convenience and Christians (disciples) of conviction. Ask yourself again, “Where in these do I belong?”
In John chapter six our Lord had sumptuously provided for the masses of His followers. Recognizing His power of provision the people planned to take Him by force and make Him King probably with the Chieftaincy title of the “Great Benefactor 1 of the Jews” (John 6:14 –15). But then Jesus left them because He did not come to make foodship disciples. The people pursued after Him and having found Him the following day heard the Lord telling them, “You seek me not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate bread and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes but labor for the food which endures unto eternal life” (John 6:26-27).
Am I following the Lord because of the food He provides or because of Who He is and what He has done in my life and for me? Foodship discipleship is seen in many professing Christians today.
Some twenty first century Christians characterize the foodship discipleship mentality. Hear them when a call for burial is made as they ask, “ Would wine flow?”. See them at any given ceremony struggle and fight for food. Romans 12:15 enjoins us to “Mourn with those who mourn….” How justified are we then to demand for food and drinks from those whom we have come to share their sorrows?
If a preacher is a foodship disciple, his primary interest is not in the Spiritual well-being of the flock but on how to fatten himself and line his pockets (cf. Phil. 3:17-18; Ezek 34:1-10). No wonder many would down tools and leave the ministry should supports cease to flow.
OUTLINE OF DISCUSSION
FUNSHIP, FOODSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP: WHERE DO I BELONG?
Those who are funship and foodship disciples Warship, that is, they War and Ship to each other. This explains why there are many conflicts in our congregations. It is because of the presence of these categories of disciples. However, those who are fellowship disciples Worship, that is, they Word and Ship to each other. In the Kingdom of God here on earth, Funship and Foodship discipleship are more interested in “Serving tables” (Acts 6:2) while Fellowship discipleship basks in the WORD OF GOD (Acts 6:4).
Let us examine the character traits of each of these three groups in the church and see whether I as a Christian manifest any of these traits in my Christian life.
I. FOODSHIP (PLEASURE-ORIENTED) DISCPLESHIP:
(a) They are preoccupied with laboring for the things of temporal nature,
“The food which perishes” (John 6:26) and have been told not to (John
6:27). This is because the true nature of the kingdom of God is not
such (Romans 14:17).
(b) For the child of God, proper understanding should be gained
concerning the world and the things therein (Hebrews 13:14; I
Corinthians 7:29-31; I John 2:17).
(c) Foodship discipleship will come under great condemnation as the
objects of their interest will someday be destroyed (I Cor. 6:12-13).
(d) Such do not stand to gain anything but to loose (Matthew 16:26-27).
REMEMBER THAT JUDAS WAS A FOODSHIP DISCIPLE (John
12:4-6; Acts 1:16-20).
(e) If only in this life we have hope in Christ we are of all men most
miserable (1 Corinthians 15:19).
II FUNSHIP (ENTERTAINMENT-ORIENTED) DISCIPLESHIP:
(a) These are the self-centered and not God-centered people. Self is the
pivot of their existence (II Timothy 3:1-2,4). They go for what satisfies
their selfish and materialistic needs. To them self is all that matters.
(b) They are the fun-loving, easy-going and none-comitial Christians.
They go to church not to worship God but to be entertained by the
musicalities of preachers’ voices with no apparent interest in what
God’s Word says (Ezekiel 33:30-33).
(c) These are those who want their fancies to be tickled. Their motto is,
“TICKLE ME” (II Timothy. 4: 2-4; cf. Isaiah 30: 9-10).
(d) These are Spiritual pollutants, poisoning the atmosphere of sound
spirituality, attracting to themselves Divine condemnations (Jude vs.
11-13).
(e) Demas was a Funship disciple (II Timothy 4:10). What was he doing in
Thessalonica considering what the spiritual temperature was? (cf.
Acts. 17:11a).
III.FELLOWSHIP (KINGDOM-ORIENTED) DISCIPLESHIP:
(a) These are beautiful souls, God’s Vessels of Honor and Heaven’s
pride. These are God’s generals. When God’s roll call of who-is-who
is made their names are written in gold.
(b) Fellowship disciples are kingdom-oriented whose true objective is
to seek the Word and the Lord; the Word of the Lord and the Lord
of the Word. They are focused on Kingdom matters (John 6:66-69).
(c) “FELLOWSHIP” is from the Greek word, “KOINONIA.” Christian
fellowship is both vertical and horizontal and have three dimensions –
with Godhood: Father, Son and Holy Ghost (I John 1:3), with one
another (Act 2:42) and in the WORD.
(d) FELLOWSHIP WITH GODHOOD:
There must be an agreement (Amos 3:3) and this entails that we must
walk in the light (I John 1:7). To walk in light means that we must love
what they love and hate what they (Hebrews 1:9; Psalms 97:10).


(e). FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER:
This means that we feel the feelings of each other
(Romans12:15; I Corinthians 12:25-26), Sharpen each other and
(Proverbs 27:17; Isaiah 41:6-7), promote
sound spiritual well being (Romans 14: 19; Hebrews 10: 24-25)
and by sharing things in common (Acts4: 32, 34-35).
(f) FELLOWSHIP IN THE WORD:
This means that we must culture our selves in the Will
and ways of God; Studying to show ourselves approved
unto God. We must feast upon the Word daily and also
in endeavoring to internalize its precepts (Psalms 119: 9-11).
SUMMATION:
As were sharing on the subject of FUNSHIP, FOODSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP: WHERE I YOU BELONG? I had wondered within myself if in the course of this discussion you had recognized a negative familiar personal landmark (FUNSHIP or FOODSHIP) or a positive familiar landmark (FELLOWSHIP).
If you are a FUNSHIP or FOODSHIP disciple, I challenge you today to get out of the wrong boat and get into the right one. But if you are a Fellowship-Kingdom-oriented disciple, I encourage you to remain where you are. Keep paddling and committed!
Hilary Johnson Chukwuma Chukwurah (Evangelist)
Minister, Township/Campus Church of Christ,
14,Agbugwu Lane, off University Market Road,
P.O. Box 351 (Personal Box), Nsukka -410002.
Enugu State, Nigeria.
PHONES: 08039596919; 08182820677.
E-mail: hilaryjohnsonc@yahoo.com;
hilaryjohnsonc@gmail.com