"Community.................."

It surprised me a bit, having missed the initial class in our Bible study of the Book of Acts, to find myself now but one of two with a history of having walked in old-time holiness. My partner in such distinction was no more than a young child when I first joined that bunch in the old church, leaving me to wonder about the absence of my other friends, those also having reached the status of being “senior citizens”. We’ve got two Baptists in my age group who never miss, the rest of the group, on this occasion at least, with less than fifteen of us there, Pentecostal, but their thinking influenced by all that’s changed since we put “legalism” behind us. There are two teachers who rotate in bringing forth a lesson, two different perspectives, two different personalities; and, in truth, it’s hard for me to just let some things slide, the one fellow entrenched in a more Charismatic point of view. That is, at the same time, however, what make me anxious to return each week, disappointed when revival or some other event knocks it off my calendar. We talk. We share. We look at our faith from each other’s perspective without going to war. Here and there we “connect”, the Holy Ghost showing up to manifest Himself in our midst. Tony, last night, briefly commented on one of those verses in the second chapter where it deals with Jesus being crucified and, when his eyes began to tear, his voice quivering, we encouraged him to continue. What we heard was an experience encountered once in a moment of prayer, a spiritual merging with Christ as He hung on the Cross, a tale much resembling a dream once given to me. He and I would talk afterwards of what the “death penalty” actually was. It would have been good to have discussed it with the whole group; but you learn to walk with caution. Not all are ready for deep waters. One step at a time and as He opens the door. I’m just grateful for these who can come together as we do, finding unity in Him without demanding a cloned doctrinal dogma….