Freedom in the Church

It had been another encouraging evening of fellowship and prayer. Maggie loved having the freedom to pray from her heart with and for the other women in the church.

Maggie was amazed by this church that she had only attended a few times. It was so different from anything she had ever experienced! The speaker didn’t mind if they were interrupted on Sunday morning by a person who had a comment or a question, and there were many people who were involved in the teaching. They also did not emphasize all the things that Maggie should not do and make her feel like she was always doing something wrong.

In the church she had gone to before, Maggie had not been allowed to question the church leaders and had been taught to never think out Scripture for herself. The church had a neat set of prescribed rules and church members were not supposed to step outside of these boundaries.

But Maggie wasn’t perfect. She hadn’t been able to follow all of the rules that the church leaders had laid out. Because of this, she had always believed that she was dirty, second-rate, and tainted. Maggie felt condemned in this church.

But now Maggie had the freedom to truly participate in church without fearing the disapproval of church leaders. She was encouraged to think for herself and to use the gifts that God had given her. And this was a church that genuinely loved to be together as church members often gathered to share meals and socialize with each other.

Praise God that the freedom of Christ reigns in this church in Oaxaca, Mexico. Pray that MB Mission workers Robert & Anne Thiessen, who are serving in this church, will be encouraged as they see the active involvement of church members. Pray that the church will grow as others are invited in to experience the freedom and love of Christ.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17