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| On the way to Charlotte. |
We all came together like family. Here are the photos of
these wonderful people. I will be fortunate to remember everyone’s names, and
get them in order. I am hoping Anne can help me.
I think that, when we assume our celestial glory, God will
impart to us new, more glorious names. Our names in this life, suit this life. They
will do for now. They are true, but lacking. Names have meaning. Our names in
the next life will sparkle with even newer life.
Here are some members of the body of Christ.
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| Anne and Tony Joiner. |
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| Tony and his new baby, Mattie. |
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| Mattie loves all things Zender. |
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| Tony and his wife Theresa. |
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| Anne and Tom, who drove up from South Carolina. |
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| Philip Garrison, of Charlotte. |
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| Another Charlotte guy and longtime correspondent I'd never met: Jamie Craft. |
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| Jamie and his girlfriend Christina. |
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| With Tony and Philip. |
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| With Jamie and Christina. |
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| Tracy and Jack, who drove up from Columbia, SC. |
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| Steven Tilley. |
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| Gathering of the body of Christ. |
These meetings are beneficial in multiple ways. When a
visitor is unsure about the new teaching and environment, it helps them to see
how normal everyone is. Some of the friends of those attending this meeting
accused their loved ones of going to a cult convention. (I am a dangerous cult
leader, you know.) We joked about that. We joked about when we would be
sacrificing the chickens, and handling the snakes.
How does one describe members of the body of Christ? We are abnormal
in our normalcy. We are fairly typical human beings, saved by an amazing grace.
Liberation makes people normal. Spiritual freedom makes people relax into sweet
grooves. It is the fear and bondage of religion that makes people afraid their
friends will be handling snakes and drinking the proverbial Kool Aid. Religious
people fear everything. They are hung-up, and stuck-up. They can’t escape their
own righteousness. They’re unable to consider that real faith is not to
be found in their organized, fake-truth camps. Mostly, they fear freedom. They
can’t imagine how anyone unbound to the religious systems of humans can find
real truth beyond those walls.
It is only outside those walls that real truth exists.
Jamie Craft asked me, in the middle of the meeting: “Martin,
how are you doing?” I can’t thank him enough for this question, and for his
care of me. Everyone here knew what I’d been through the past six months. The
very question made me cry. Truly, the love, acceptance, grace, and commitment
of these fellow members of Christ’s body soothed the soul of one so recently
tormented by opposite things. The clash of the contrast is what so quickly
produced the tears. Tony’s wife Theresa, the gracious host of this gathering of
saints, later told Anne: “I am so happy we were able to provide this kind of
fellowship for Martin.”
Exactly right, sister. I am always happy to know people benefit from
my presence and teaching, but truly, the greatest benefit is mine.
For me, it is the gift of life.
Postscript: I’m returning to Faith tomorrow night,
when I will teach at 7 p.m. on my
book, How to Be Free From Sin While Smoking a Cigarette. You can watch
this live at www.thepottershousefellowship.com: Tuesday, February 12, 7 p.m. Eastern time. Stop back to Zenderville tomorrow for my account of—and
photos from—the Faith gathering.
All I can say is: Amazing Faith.
© 2013 by Martin Zender
