Warrior HQ
Home of
Paraklesis Production
Earl and I were members of a popular, healthy traditional church
in Southern California. We loved the people there; we loved the
pastor. Earl especially had been involved in the church's
leadership. I had taught children's church. He had taught adults.
Together, we had led one of their home fellowships.
That church had been but one of many traditional churches we had
embraced. Largely due to nine years with the military, we had moved
a lot and had tasted a variety of different denominations and kinds
of churches. Our favorite was the "Gospel" military chapel where, at
first, we were the only Whites. I loved the choir, although I never
could get my feet and hands together. No rhythm. They loved us
anyway.
Seemingly overnight, though, I became an invalid. It was actually a
progressive thing with my back. I had long endured a moderate level
of pain until one day my back "locked." I found that I could not sit
much more than five minutes without being in agony. And despite
prayer and Ibuprofen and, later, prescription medication, I found I
could not sit in church. At least, I could not sit and think about
much more than the pain. I would get up and down and miss much of
the service as I would walk around the foyer.
Eventually, I accepted reality and became housebound. I learned to
work on my computer lying down. I became dependent on family for so
much that I could not do lying down.
My family, therefore, had to go to church without me. At first, I
received a handful of calls from the church's members. Mostly, these
came from the pastor. My friends would ask Earl and the kids how I
was doing and hear the latest news. They would send back little
messages, saying they were praying for me.
I do not fault them for not doing more. These were busy people.
These were people active in ministries. New people were coming into
their lives that claimed their time.
Even so, I was alone. And as time went along I became more alone. I
had not yet discovered the Internet, which opens doors to the world
for many who are housebound.
I was restless for fellowship with believers, which is a good thing.
But it left me frustrated. So, I began to do research via telephone
and learned of a network of home churches in our area. Earl and I
decided to go meet with two of its leaders to learn something about
them.
To our relief, these particular home churches were committed to the
essentials of Biblical Christianity. And though our denominational
beliefs differed with theirs, we had Jesus in common.
Earl and I, then, decided to visit one particular home church in
this network. The church was made up entirely of young people. We
had thought that it might be a good place to bring our young-adult
son and daughter. We figured that once they were settled, Earl and I
could move to one of the other churches. What we found, though, was
that Earl and I belonged. We fell in love with these wonderful young
people.
It wasn't easy on my pride to have to lie down on a sofa or the
floor, but it did not matter to these people. And soon it no longer
mattered to me. Also, what I found is that because I was there and
actively involved, I was receiving a whole lot of prayer. And God
answered. Today, I can sit for hours with minimal difficulty.
What we found within our particular network of home churches was an
extended family. We love the traditional church and know there are
things they are capable of doing that we are not. But I do not
foresee us ever going back to the traditional church model. We bless
those in the traditional churches and are so very thankful that they
are there. But God has led us to something else.
Return to: Top of Page
Goto:
Life of the Day Star Warrior
Coming Soon