AGROS MINISTRIES

Lesson from a Dog

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A gentle swish on my ankle startled me into remembering the pup at my feet, and I'm afraid I lost a bit of the sermon as I tried to keep my grin from bursting into a full-scale laugh. The dog had wriggled into church midway through the service without the help of an usher. With all his friendli-ness, maybe the dog should have been our greeter, for he certainly made the rounds, welcoming all five of us (six including my brother, the AMF missionary who was preaching). Even the coldest frown didn't deter that pup from liking everyone.

Few people have been to this church in Arvada, Wyoming, but, oh, what they've missed. They've not seen the pianist complete with sensible straw hat. They haven't sung to the accompaniment of the untuned piano where no amount of talent can make up for the years of wear and use. They haven't felt the brilliance of the faded sunshine trying to penetrate the dust that no amount of scrubbing could remove, and they've really missed the joy on a puppy's face as he settled down under my feet to enjoy the sermon.

I had a living object lesson the day I attended the Arvada church. I saw the "faithful few" using their abilities for God's glory. I saw the peace of God written on their faces because they had a church building in which to worship; I detected no discouragement due to the small number of people in the congrega-tion. I couldn't help but wish that all Christians had their joy, along with the perseverance of the pup who couldn't be coaxed, pushed, or pulled out of the church. Lastly, and probably most importantly, I learned of the great need for more American Missionary Fellowship missionaries, people such as my brother, people who really believe Matthew 18:20 which states, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there will I be also."

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