Apostolic Truth Tabernacle - Visited

It may be helpful for me to tell you that this is the church that meets in the small shopping center shared with Bell Office Supply. There is a large sign in the window that simply says "Apostolic Truth Tabernacle" and lists a phone number. Since there were no service times listed I called the phone number that morning and learned the church service would begin at 10:00 AM.

I arrived there a few minutes early which is usual for me (in most other things too). There weren't very many cars in the parking lot or in the church building for that matter. I have, especially recently, started getting used to visiting some small churches. I counted a total of 13 during the middle of this service. This was my smallest church so far.

The pastor, James French, introduced himself to me and invited me to call him Brother French. I think almost everyone in the church came to meet me, the highest percentage so far, bless them. We started off with some praise songs, some familiar some not which has, understandably, been my experience. I was pleasantly surprised by how easily I was still able to "enter in" even in such a small group with limited musical resources. I actually wondered for a bit if the angelic hosts were helping this little church group out with the singing. It certainly felt like it.

I was able to share with the pastor after the service the primary reasons for my visit. They invited me back and I hope to visit them again next year.

The principal verse I walked away with (I like to use scripture to form my prayer) was 2 Chronicles 7:14.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." - 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

During the IHOP-SS sets we like to narrow it down even further and try to use the apostolic prayers to form our prayers and singing around. I will need to continue in prayer to see how the Lord leads us in prayer through His holy word.

- Wade Baker