Algae

Fungus/Fungi

LICHEN

Numerous complex plantlike organisms made up of an algae and a fungus growing in symbiotic association on a

solid surface (such as a rock or tree)

Symbiotic: is a type of relationship of common benefit or dependence; the relationship between two different kinds of living things that live together

and depend on each other

A LIFE GIVING CREATION

Lichen is an illustration of an intimate merger where two

living organisms have a mutually dependent and a

mutually productive relationship, creating

something together that is more dynamic than either of

them alone could achieve!

THE CHURCH Ecclesia and Koinonia

“CHURCH”

!   Ecclesia

!   “the called-out ones”

!   A governmental body, not a building

!   Matt 16:18-19 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church (ecclesia), and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

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!   Ephesians 1:22-23 “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church (ecclesia), which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

!   Colossians 1:17-18 “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church (ecclesia), who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

!   Koinonia

!   Strong’s- fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse

!   Merrian-Webster- intimate spiritual communion and participation; sharing in a common religious commitment and spiritual community

!   Koinonia is the expression of intimacy, communion, and covenant that a group of people share with Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, AND each other.

!   Same horizontally as vertically

!   Displayed through love- love for God, love for each other

!   Matthew 22:36-40 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

!   John 13:34-351. 34 “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. 35 This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

!   John 14:20-24 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”… 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.!

!   John 15:12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

!   John 15:17 This is my command: Love each other.

!   1 Cor 13, Gal 5, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians

-Rick Joyner

“God created us to have relationships horizontally as well

as vertically. You cannot be rightly connected to the Head

without being rightly connected to His body.”

! Bob Jones 11/12/13: The Lord is calling forth a mature remnant to promote them with new authority. They will have the ability to come together in unity because they have settled their affections on Him (Colossians 3:2). Therefore, they can agree with one another in unity. And when they do, they will have koinonia (communion) together for the common purpose of the Church. When they meet together in unity, a higher wisdom will be imparted.

!   This remnant can be found in 1 Corinthians 2:6-10:“However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

!   But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

!   The Church has gone through a rather severe testing for the last six or seven years but that time has come to an end. Now is a time of closing out the old books and opening new ones. It's an end of one time and the beginning of a new one. Those who've been promoted will become the leaders of the Church and they will minister by what they hear from the Holy Spirit. In this promotion there will be an understanding of what God wants done and how to do it.

!   Get ready to bury the good and bad past and come into maturity where everyone hears from God in corporate meetings. Then His plans and purpose can be set in motion because the Body has come into agreement with Him. Then at the end of this time the greater works will begin. And one of the things we will do first is glorify the Father in great signs and wonders.

!   “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I Am], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son. John 14:12-13, Amplified

KOINONIA

!   1 Thes 3:12-13 12 May the Lord cause you to increase and enrich your love for each other and for everyone in the same way as we also love you. 13 May the love cause your hearts to be strengthened, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his people.

GOD IS LOOKING FOR A CHURCH THAT LOOKS LIKE LICHEN!

!   A governmental structure that is life giving and encourages diversity and uniqueness in individuals

!   A governmental structure that doesn’t devour the individual

!   Individuals who are life giving to the community

!   Individuals that are as committed to loving each other well as they are to loving God well