Travis said,
"I can say that it was a time of humility, often repentance, and it seemed the Holy Spirit really attended to the practice I think we would do well to practice this more.”
Neil quoted Forrest and then said,
F - "I believe that it would be very instrumental in maintaining love, humility, and unity among the brethren."
N ”“ "and having been allowed to participate in such a heavenly holy, anointed, and beautiful ordinance JUST ONCE, your words are true. I would testify, but for the truth that my mere human words would not convey in totality, how beautiful this little utilized ministry is.”
From my experience I fully agree with the above statements as well as all that brother Greg has shared on the subject of foot washing. My personal conviction is that there are three ordinances in the church, water baptism, communion, and foot washing.
Brother Neil is the first person whom I have heard outside a small group of believers I have come across that has referred to FW as an ordinance. It wasn’t until I was saved for a little over 10 years that I came across pockets of devoted brethren in Indiana we had begun fellowshipping with and where we ultimately invited a gentleman to come and teach our small home fellowship in Michigan.
As I have shared before, amidst my apprehension as to why we would invite a man to drive nearly 4 hours each way to teach such a small group he accepted and did so weekly for over 6 years. He was a very methodical teacher and before we would come to understand and learn as well as UNLEARN many things, he taught on foot washing in a series regarding ordinances in the church.
Like many things concerning fellowship, witnessing, deliverance, the function and operation of the gifts of the Spirit, communion, and foot washing, etc… He never said we had to do this or that but would clearly layout from scripture Gods heart on such matters.
After he taught on foot washing, he never said "okay, let’s wash one anothers feet” he was a patient and gifted teacher and never primed the pump so to speak. He would give the Holy Spirit time to work the truth down into our hearts. After he would go home we would still have at least two other meetings during the week and would discuss and pray about what the Lord was showing us and we began to ponder and consider this ordinance and believed God wanted us to experience this practice.
Now water baptism, communion, and foot washing can and has become a RITUAL among many professing Christians throughout the ages believing that if they just DO these things it will make them spiritual. Like all of the above anything we do outside of the leading and directing of the Holy Spirit is merely a work of the flesh and profits nothing.
Our small group was clearly convinced we were to partake in such an event and spoke to our brother about it and we scheduled a time to travel to Indiana and link up with another home fellowship and participate in a foot washing service.
It all began like we always began first in prayer, then praise and worship, then an exhortation, and then the foot washing. One of the many, many, lessons this brother taught us over the years was that of seeking Gods divine order and learning to wait upon the Lord in ALL things and when we do we can most assuredly know that we know the Spirit of the Lord will be in our midst.
This particular day I was eager, hungering, and desiring to participate in the exact description brother Neil explained in this ordinance. We separated the men and women in different rooms and my heart was so focused on blessing my brothers and here was the key to this event that made it so amazing was as we would lay hands on the brethren and begin to wash we would pray as the Holy Spirit would lead for that brother.
This Holy Spirit lead prayer would then lead into not only praying down blessing, but also confessing and speaking aloud Gods promises in this brothers life, as well as healing, deliverance, protection, etc..
I washed several brothers feet, deeply desiring to do all, and I tell you brothers and sisters the truth, all that bath water was mixed with tears and was beyond humbling. Like our brother Paul, it is almost too heavenly to describe, as there are no words to truly justify such an experience.
I was so caught up in this experience of washing the others I did not realize that I myself was not submitting to having my own feet washed until a brother came to me with tears and said, "Brother Dave, please sit down, I want to wash your feet”. I was taken aback and I responded with, "No, that’s okay, let me wash your feet” which of course he said no so I removed my shoes and socks and as that brother began to wash my feet and pray for me God showed me my sin and spiritual pride and as brother Travis rightly stated I repented.
A major key and truth we were taught on this subject was it is not in the foot washing alone but also the prayer, intercession, confession, and supplication with both the understanding and in the spirit, for one another.
It has been said here that this is an underutilized event today in the body of Christ and like many other things I also agree. Like I said, this can become a ritual or routine just like the other ordinances. But when the Holy Spirit is involved? Not so.
Great topic Forrest, thanks for sharing brother.
