DOCTRINE AND FRIENDSHIP Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama) August 25, 2018 I know preachers and Christians who expect you to agree with them doctrinally in order to get along with them personally. They act as if you must have something against them personally if disagree with them doctrinally. I knew a preacher who was like that and as long as I agreed with him doctrinally we got along just fine. But when I began to disagree with him on a few doctrines he acted as if I had something against him personally, so he cut me off and that was the end of our friendship. But thank God I also know preachers and Christian friends whom I disagree with on some doctrinal issues, but we are still friends. For example, I go to a Bible Class on Friday nights at Gulf Shores, Alabama and the teacher has been a dear friend of mine for many years, as was his father. (Bill Sharpe) I disagree with him on some of the doctrines he teaches, but he and I are still friends even though he knows I disagree with him on some doctrinal points. To me a person is very small minded if he cuts off fellowship with you personally, because you disagree with him doctrinally. But no two people can agree 100% on everything. I have been married 55 years to the same wife and even she and I do not agree on everything, but I love her as much and more today as I did 55 years ago. Dear preacher and Christian friend it does not bother me if you disagree with me doctrinally and I will still be your friend even though you do. I hope you feel the same way, for if the only people we are friends with are those who agree with us in every doctrinal point, we will end up with no friends at all. And dear Christian we need good friends especially in these last days when the devil and the world turns against us with all their might and hatred. Now of course we cannot have fellowship with those who deny the fundamentals of the Christian faith. But today Christians split up over the smallest issues of no importance and over ridiculous issues. Believe it or not, I knew of a church that split over the issue of whether or not Adam had a belly button! I kid you not.