But I’m a Card Carrying Member…!

As Jose slipped quietly into the great beyond there was a smile on his face. Coming up to the great gate in the sky he saw Peter there; Some were allowed to enter heaven, some were turned away. He knew he would be allowed in for his fate was secure. “Why should I let you in to heaven “, Peter asked of Jose. Grinning from ear to ear Jose reached into his back pocket and whipped out the card he had carried with him for years. On one side was his pictures, date of birth, date of baptism and the signature of the pastor and missionary. Turning it over he held it up in front of Peter, “Why it says right here that I have all the rights and privileges of a card carrying member of my church”.

Fantasy? Yes and no. Let me tell you about Jose. As a group of us was studying the Bible with Claudia, a neighbor of his he came into the simple mud and stick house and sat down on the dirt floor. As we finished, his neighbor introduced us. He proudly whipped out an identification card issued by his church and passed it around for us all to see. One the back it did proclaim he had all the rights and privileges of a member.

Not satisfied one of the Brazilians with us began asking him simple questions about the Bible. Turns out he knew almost nothing. Why? Because the church he goes to does not teach the Bible and he does not read.

The Brazilian evangelists we were with knew where Jose was coming from. One of them had grown up in this same town, in this same denomination. For eighteen years he had gone to church. And had never known who Jesus is.