The friends

Many moons ago there was a big burn over in Orchard country central Washington. Up in the mountains it fried most all the pine. There we were, crawl'n around try'n to salvage the timber.

While look'n for a place to stay I heard about an old bunkhouse that was owned by a Apple Grove man. The fire crews used it, also, the apple pickers in the fall. Well, I figured if it was good enough for migrant workers it was good enough for me, see'n I was quite migratory myself.

Another cutter on the job was look'n to bunk somewhere so we teamed up for the job.

This Johnson was from the coast, come to find out he was also a preacher, about 30 years old, and had been pastor for a small church near Horner Alaska. Sez he had great hopes the Lord would use him there. What he found was mostly pew warmers. And he tried and tried by way of the Scriptures – Paul's letters – that God gives us all certain gifts to build up the body of Christ. Other then one or two people no one else was interested. So he tells them they were wasting God's time and his and went back to cutt'n logs.

Come Sunday while look'n for some fellowship I had noticed a little church with the sign that sez "The Friends Church". Well sir, Jesus did call us friends so this must be a good place. Come to find out it was the Quakers. The pastor was obviously a spiritual man, went to the pulpit and read from the Bible 15-20 minutes, gave a word of encouragement and sat down. Nothing happened for a spell, I began to wonder if that was it.

Then a person went up and shared something the Lord wanted him to share, about five minutes worth. He sat down and another person got up and shared something from his weekly Bible readings.

And so it went one person after another. Their service was modeled after Acts 13:15, I guess that's how the spirit of God would move in gathering of His people. Today's church services can become too structured leaving no room for the Spirit.

After no one got up for a while we enjoyed sing'n praises to God. One of the fellows with his wife and children had stood up and shared how God continued to deliver him from drugs. I thought good for you man, it takes courage to stand up and say that. The pastor announced our weekly Bible study was at this man's house. Because be'n a new believer we must'n give satan a chance to drag him away.

I left there feel'n encouraged for the week ahead and thought "great job preacher."