A Little Taste of Heaven

" The nations of the world, including America, continue to struggle with political and social strife over who should be allowed to live within their borders. But the church should never be divided over who is allowed through its doors. In fact I believe that God is presently giving an unprecedented opportunity to churches around the United States and Canada to become living illustrations of what heaven looks like.

I also believe that many, if not most, of the petty disagreements that cause division in churches around the nation would become completely irrelevant if our pews were filled with Africans, Asians, Europeans, Central and South Americans, as well as North Americans. Can you imagine having a serious discussion over which instruments to use in worship Jesus Christ before people that have never seen an organ?

As this issue goes to press, there are over 400 distinct people groups living in the United States. This means that at any given time, there are scores of opportunities for believers to touch these peoples of the earth with the faith, hope, love, and family relationship that only exists in the body of Christ. They are out there in our neighborhoods, lonely, uncertain, needing a friend, and wanting to belong in their newly adopted nation. Some have come to escape difficult circumstances, and some to improve their lifestyle; but is the earthly reason they came really that important to the family of God?"

Michael Loftis, President of ABWE, "ABWE Messenger", Vol. 54, No. 2, Summer 2006 (Used with permission.)