I have become that older woman standing up front with raised hands during prayer. I met her during the Pastors Conference at Huguenot Road Baptist Church at the Baptist General Association of Virginia meeting in 1999. She was then about my age now, nicely dressed, attractive and pleasant when I spoke with her after the session.
I certainly did not talk to her about her behavior; that sort of thing was just not done in my style of Baptist Christianity. As I recall, she needed directions. But it turns out she led me, indirectly, to where I am now.
First of all, God convicted me at a later time concerning the inner gossiping I did, with myself, about how foolish she looked and why can't those charismatic people do their thing in their own churches. But I repented of my thoughts and attitude, and value anew our BGAV and all that it has stood for during its long history.
We in the BGAV allow our member churches to be themselves, to make their own rules for personal behavior, to create a church constitution, elect deacons and all that ordinary stuff which makes a church one which is led by the Holy Spirit, rather than by the Southern Baptist Convention. Yes, we are associated with that once august group and still have hope that it may one day repent of its arrogance, just as I did after my experience in Richmond almost 10 years ago.
Now I often find myself kneeling by the side of the bed, or sitting in my living room wing chair with arms raised, praising God for who he is and all that he has done in my life, and continues to do. What a joy — “praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise him all creatures here below, praise him ….”
Peggy Sawyers, Monterey