Virtually all Christians agree that Jesus was baptized by John and at that time received the Holy Spirit. And virtually all Christians have the Resurrection at the core of their belief. Then many part company in their interpretation of scripture.
To say that we could receive the same indwelling of the spirit when "two or more are gathered together" may be presumptuous. But it's true. Ask any practicing Pentecostal or better still ask anyone in any congregation who has experienced the same. The debatable part is the question: Was Jesus truly human when God chose Him to spread the Gospel and promise ever lasting life? Was Jesus God Himself? That being said, John Vaudry in his letter mentioned "a minister of a church is required to sign a statement that he is in agreement with the Westminster Confession of Faith."
It begs the question: Should all churches require the same obligation of their members? Various fundamentalist denominations think so. But by doing so, I believe, encourages a subtle form of hypocrisy. More than one person has told me of their beliefs which were contrary to church doctrine and could not be openly discussed with other church members especially not with their pastor – a sad situation.
The direct result of adhering to a very strict dogmatic persuasion and surrendering your will to a person rather than to God is the formation of sects, many of a destructive nature. Think of Jim Jones mass suicides or the Davidian carnage at Waco. But the good news of the Gospel is that if we have God given love in our spiritual core as advocated by Jesus, spiritual fulfillment will prevail.
