Unity...

Psa 133:1 KJV - [[A Song of degrees of David.]] Behold, how good and how pleasant [it is] for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Psa 133:2 KJV - [It is] like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, [even] Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

Psa 133:3 KJV - As the dew of Hermon, [and as the dew] that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, [even] life for evermore.

Eph 4:3 KJV - Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Eph 4:4 KJV - [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Eph 4:5 KJV - One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Eph 4:3 KJV - Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Eph 4:4 KJV - [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

Eph 4:5 KJV - One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

Eph 4:6 KJV - One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all.

Eph 4:6 KJV - One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all. **********

When I was nineteen years old, I attended briefly an Apostolic Church.

This was a source of contention in my household, since my background up to that point had been as a member of Galilee Baptist Church. I had fond memories of church attendance at Galilee, but that wasn't my motivation to attend...

Her name was Linda.

She was the Pastor's oldest daughter. Another member of my high school track team had dated his younger daughter. She invited me to church, and I came. My intention may have not been too spiritual.

I was surprised at the practice of Glossolalia, or speaking in tongues. Baptist don't teach it because they don't practice or believe in it.

I had a rival for the affections of Linda: his name was Ricky.

Ricky decided one Sunday to ask me an obvious question: "were you baptised in the name of Jesus, or in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost?" I said: "I'm baptist, so it was in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost." I turned my attention back to the sermon by Linda's father.

Ricky decided to "help" me by soliciting the help of two deacons, and the three of them crowded me about the state of my salvation after service. The church was otherwise empty.

One of them said: "if you don't go in the back and get baptised in the Name of Jesus, if you died tonight, you might go to hell!"

Angry, but in my full wits, I replied: "the only thing I'm going to do now is go out that door and go to dinner!" Ricky helped me leave that church. He neither dated nor married Linda. The turn of both of our affections is probably the best thing to happen to Linda!

In North Carolina, it's called the "dog and the persimmon tree." The dog is chained around the tree. The fruit is falling all around him. As a meat eater, he has no nutritional interest in persimmons, but he will block anyone who tries to pick the fruit from the tree.

At the beginning of this blog, I mentioned that the job that I now have "my flesh did not produce." So, I find myself away from what has become familiar to me, New Light Christian Center Church, who freely teach about tongues, faith, marriage, prosperity, relationships and ministy.

So, last Sunday I attended a baptist church here in Wappinger Falls, New York. It is a black church with predominately black members; some Hispanic and Anglo members. I attended their Sunday School in which they discussed the Book of Jude.

The Sunday School teacher meant well, but to illustrate her point, she made a negative reference to not being like "prosperity ministries."

I hung my head. I got through the school and the service. They had a female minister in the pulpit praying during service (not a common missionary baptist practice), and practice footwashing on Maundy Thursday, also not a commom baptist practice.

My prayer is that wherever God plants Cassandra and I, that we not be "persimmon dogs," that we use what we've learned to build up the Body of Christ regardless of denomination (or, non-denomination); that we are there to serve.