This Sunday began a new exploration of a different church, Aletheia Norfolk. The church is conveniently located in a campus building about a one minute walking distance from my house. I planned on attending Calvary Revival, a predominantly black church, but waking up extremely tired can change plans pretty quickly.
Check out their website
A friend named Graham Miller once told me he doesn't care what denomination a church is or what particular theology they are following, but the most important aspect of a church is whether or not it works and works properly. I truly felt like Aletheia is a church that works, inside and out. The pastor was honest and humble. The people were approachable and cordial. I almost experienced a culture shock, going from the mystic services the week before to the more well-rounded, biblically based community.
One particular quote Pastor Jamie said struck me deeply. "Gifts are tools for the ministry, not measures of maturity." I am insecure about my ability to grow and mature, but I am realizing that I feel this way because I am thinking selfishly about how I can benefit myself from my gifts.
"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do no require." 1 Corinthians 12: 21-24
One week I go from hearing about the Holy Spirit as a flaming bowl of water pouring on the campus of CBN and striking down people with "POWER!" to a calm and confident belief that as a Christian we are already opened to all the wonderful gifts of the Spirit. I'm looking forward to the next month for sure.
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