Play Dates: Helpful or Hurtful {continued}

Yesterday I share with you about a group of friends I observed having a play date at the park. There was desirable community but it came with bumps and bruises on the kid side of things. We got some conversation started yesterday! Head over there and chime in or speak up on this post!

Having experience the pros and cons of play dates and then watching this one has me thinking. Are play dates really worth it? Are they more helpful for the family unit as a whole or are they more hurtful? Am I selfish for desiring that mom time? Am I neglecting my child's needs by engaging in adult talk time? Is it worth the "get out the door" fuss? Are my children benefiting form this in anyway?

YES! was the conclusion God helped me land on. Fellowship is not always convenient but it is necessary! People in general have a need for human interaction no matter how introverted the person. That's how we were created. As believers even more so. We need like-minded fellowship. Just Look at Acts 2:42-47 where it talks about the believers in the early church.

The Fellowship of the Believers

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Now we’re going to do a little Greek lesson today. When it says “they devoted themselves to the fellowship.” the Greek word that’s used there for Fellowship is the Greek word “koinonia” {coin-a-knee-a}. This is the first time we see that word used in the New Testament, but it’s used over and over and over again to refer to fellowship. Now what does that mean? It’s a word we sometimes throw around in church, but what does it really mean to have fellowship? Basically it means they devoted themselves to the things that held them in common. The root idea here is commonness or commonalities. And it’s used many different times in the New Testament to describe the way the church related to each other.

1. An uncommon foundation- they belonged to each other in Christ.
2. An uncommon social concern- they shared everything they had.
3. An uncommon mission- they unified in their worship and then they multiplied through their witness

Let's figure out how that practically relates to Play Dates! We mom's need play dates! Now, all of us would say that but few of us are really making this a priority. You know, the kind of priority that says, "This weeks play date is as essential as this weeks grocery shopping!" I am beyond guilty of this. I value church attendance {sitting in a pew listening to a sermon} and even bible study {a group sitting around dissecting a passage of scripture} WAY over fellowship. I don't really think "hanging out" is all that important. If I have to scratch something off my to-do list because I'm strapped for time.

The challenge for you and me the same: make "koinonia" priority!

• Meet a group of people in the same phase of life. For me this means a group of women. 25-35 years old. Preferably with kids. Keep in mind, there is NO ONE exactly like you. Hanging out with men and women is cool but never 1 on 1. Someone around your age group will most likely be in your stage of life and if you have kids don't think someone has to have kids to relate to you although it can be helpful.
• Pick a time that works for everyone most of the time. There will never be a perfect time and there will Always be times when not everyone can make it. Try and be consistent. This should be something reliable for all involved.
• Hang Out! There does NOT have to be a theme, bible study, or agenda at these things. Living life together just means being in the same physical space regularly, talking about day-to-day things, and being there. If your Christians, Christ will come up because He's part of {your entire} life not because you were supposed to talk about Him or His word.

Are you with me and have a hard time making fellowship a priority? What are some ways you do or will start "devoting" yourself to "koinonia"?