Christ Jesus is the one who tells us that it is by the renewing of our minds that we become like him, and therefore grow closer to God. Our little community church has gone, not through struggles, but through bloody, disgusting and painful warfare. That is all, praise God, in the past, and we can report that there has been a wonderful renewing of minds in the area of Christian equality. Sadly, many did not have this renewing and have left to fight their battles in other places. For those who came to a greater and better understanding of the truth of God’s Word, great joy and freedom has been experienced.
In the past, our deacon board (men only) would meet in quiet solemnity with the doors closed and conduct business. Never could anyone who was not a deacon be allowed to speak, give thoughts or ideas, and certainly women had no place in this inner sanctum. Now that we are a totally egalitarian fellowship, the deacon meeting is held in a sunlit, open-doored room, where men and women talk, pray, explore, guide, listen and above all laugh. Joyous laughter can be heard at every meeting, for “there is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.”
