Maximum Joy: First John--Relationship or Fellowship? – Anyone who has raised a child understands the difference between relationship and fellowship. A parent has a permanent relationship with his/her child. But fellowship is a different matter. To have fellowship with a child means the parent and the child are enjoying their relationship. and though their relationship is eternal, their fellowship is not. The Apostle John wrote one book about how to have an eternal relationship with God - the Gospel of John - and he wrote another book about how to enjoy that relationship by having fellowship with God - the epistle of First John. Anderson's book explains how First John is about fellowship, not relationship. 

Dave Anderson (Ph.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) has served as a pastor, church planter and professor for over thirty years in the Houston area. He is adjunct professor for Dallas Seminary, and has taught in more than fifteen countries outside the US. He is currently the pastor of Faith Community Church in The Woodlands, Texas. He has his wife, Betty, have raised four children.