What is fellowship?

I used to think that a good church had: good fellowship, good music and a good sermon. I stopped going to church when I realized that I had better fellowship with my friends at a bar, I heard better music on my ipod, and could download a better sermon online.
Why go to church?

Fellowship is indeed a good reason, but what is it? It may not mean what you think it means.

Some churches have said, "We've lost any idea of community," and responded by promoting that they are all about "fellowship." This seems to involve hanging out with other Christians. It's probably a good idea to define what fellowship is. The Bible is a good place to look.

The New Testament speaks of koinōnia - "sharing" or "participation in a common thing" Christian fellowship has a earthly but also a heavenly dimension.

We have fellowship (share/participate) with Christ - 1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom you were called unto the fellowship (koinōnia)of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

We have fellowship (share/participate) in the body and blood of Christ - I Cor 10:16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation (koinōnia) in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation (koinōnia)in the body of Christ?

We fellowship (share/participate) as we serve (diakonia) others - 2 cor 8:3-4 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part (koinōnia) in the relief of the saints

We fellowship (share/participate) with the Holy Spirit - 2 cor 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship (koinōnia) of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

We fellowship (share/participate) in the sufferings of Christ - Phil 3:8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share (koinōnia) his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Our God actually comes to us in his body and blood, fellowshiping with us in an awesome, mysterious way and we fellowship with him in our journey through the Christian life in an awesome mysterious way. I like hanging out with people, but fellowship with God - our creator, redeemer and sanctifier beats coffee hour any day.

p.s. All this is not to downplay the communion of the saints (where 2 or 3 are gathered, there I am in the midst of you) Also, When we sing to God, we join our voices with angels and archangels, all the saints and the whole host of heaven, magnifying and glorifying God. That is also awesome fellowship, but I think that's a whole other aspect of this "fellowship" topic to be addressed.)