We do not see “smaller groups with these names” in Scripture. The Bible does talk about youth, women, and sisters in Christ in the New Testament, but they are not designated as a certain “fellowship,” though they may be “having fellowship together over God’s Word.” The word “fellowship” is the Greek word “KOINONIA” and it means “communion, sharing in common.” When young Christians, or Christian women come together to study God’s Word and learn of the Savior, they are “sharing together the blessings they have in common” because of Christ’s work on the cross for them.

The word “choir” is not mentioned in the Bible at all, but we do see the word “singers” 37 times in the Old Testament. Today we would use the word “choir” to describe them, but in Old Testament times they were simple called singers who sang in the worship services of the Levites. Their singing was accompanied by many musical instruments (see 1^st Chronicles 15:16; 2^nd Chronicles 5:12-13). One will look in vain for a special class of “singers” and “musical instruments” used in the worship of God in the New Testament, though in Ephesians 5:19 we are exhorted to be “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord.” This should be true of ALL believers, whether they have a good singing voice or not, for God wants His redeemed children to “make a joyful noise to Him” and He delights in hearing the “melody in our hearts” producing praise to Him. I should say that when believers are worshiping the Lord in song, we are indeed having “fellowship together,” yet we are not called a “choir” or a special “fellowship group.”

I suppose we could end our short meditation here, but I would like to point out a few references with the word “fellowship” in them. In 1^st John 1:1-3 we read, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which was have seen and heard we declare to you, that YOU ALSO MAY HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH US; and truly OUR FELLOWSHIP IS WITH THE FATHER AND WITH HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.” The moment one “believes on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior” (Acts 16:31), they are brought into this amazing and wonderful FELLOWSHIP with the Father and the Son and with each other. We are God’s children and possess eternal life, the same life that was manifested by the Son of God when He walked on this earth. This life gives us the ability to KNOW GOD and to have fellowship with Him, as we see in the words of Christ Himself in John 17:3, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” This, dear ones, is the “fellowship” every believer has. We all “share in common” this relationship with God as our Father and with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

In 1^st Corinthians 1:9 we read, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SON, Jesus Christ our Lord.” I would like to quote the words of a commentator on this verse: “FELLOWSHIP is joint participation, equal sharing, living participation enjoyed by each and every saint because of their union with Christ. This fellowship centers in Christ, whose Person binds every loyal heart to Him and to each other” (J. Hunter in “What the Bible Teaches”).

Let’s close with 1^st Corinthians 10:16-17, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not THE COMMUNION of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not THE COMMUNION of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we ALL PARTAKE of that one bread.” In the NASB the words “the communion” are translated “a sharing,” for every believer “shares in common” the benefits of what the wine and bread symbolize. When we pass the wine and partake of it at the Lord’s Supper we are, in effect, saying that we are all “sharing the benefits” that are ours because the Lord Jesus was willing to die and shed His blood for us on the cross. Likewise, when we break the bread and pass it to one another and eat it we are saying that we owe our salvation and eternal life to Jesus Christ who was willing to offer up His body as a sacrifice for our sins, to “bear our sins in His own body on the tree” (1^st Peter 2:24) to satisfy God’s holy claims against sin. We are indeed having “fellowship” together as we “share in the blessings” of His finished work at Calvary and we thank Him for being willing to take our place in death and judgment to pay for our sins. In verse 17 we see that the “bread” also SYMBOLIZES US, for all believers make up the “mystical BODY of Christ” (see Ephesians 1:22-23 and 1^st Corinthians 12:12-13). Believers are ONE GROUP made up of all age groups of men, women, boys are girls. We conclude that the church, the body of Christ, is THE FELLOWSHIP that is vital and that really matters.  (DO)  (584.3)