[OBW]

Don,

Great answer. And I expected no less from you. Surely we all fail at some level. Yet at some level we all succeed.

But I already knew about your general involvement beyond your own small gathering and your attitude toward the others. My question was to awaken any who have not challenged their notion that there is some special blessing (oh no; not "blessing" again) on certain ones that is not available to others. And when I see references to "the saints" in a less than open and inclusive way, it suggests to me at least a vestige of the old thinking.

I do not think that Steve (who said it) thinks it quite like he did before. But the habit of naming some in such a manner as being "saints" or "Philadelphia" and not others suggests a lingering thought that should be explored.

Are not we all saints? Do we not find ourselves sometimes in an experience of brotherly love when everything is AOK, then later find ourselves in a taxi riding through the slums of Laodicea or Smyrna?

I know your answer without hearing it. You have said these things before and I believe it fully. I am also pretty sure that the experience in the conference was very "Philadelphia" in nature. And you have told us before how very much like my place, IBC, your group (extending to those who are not in your actual assembly) is in moving from a purely theological, apologetic, evangelistic existence into one that expresses love to all the "neighbors," even the unsaved, often without making them endure a gospel message in return. How far we have come from the thought that "church" is not intended to be a public charity. It has been suggested that it was the abandonment of such charitable activities by the fundamental/evangelical branches of Christianity that has lead to much of the decline in society and the creation of the nanny state. (But to heck with them all. We're just here for Christ and the Church!!!!)

And that is the reason that I respond to you in this way. There should be no thought of "once associated always associated" as some have wanted to say. We should all hold our heads high and tell our brethren who still meet with the Church in Raleigh (there is one, right?) or the Church in Irving that we spent the past evening at a homeless shelter passing out food or blankets, or having a fellowship with some from various assemblies and we talked about grace and mercy, helped a friend with a hard personal issue, prayed about "low" things like our health and the direction of the country. And declare that Jesus really does changes lives as our change from what we were as members of the LCs should demonstrate.

I would love to have some way to come see you sometime. This holiday season is given to a trip to Baltimore for the wedding of our first to a lovely young lady from that area. They met here at the seminary and will become man and wife on December 30. Pray for them and rejoice with us all!