If you have been scratching your head wondering why we keep changing the locations of our adult classrooms around, I can understand!  After all, we have shuffled the lineup three times in the past three months. There is a simple reason - we had a problem, but an exceedingly good one:  after building a $1 million dollar addition to our education wing, and creating several new adult classes, we were already running out of room in some of them! 

We basically had two options:  we either needed to run some folks off, or we could reassign classes.  Obviously I think we made the right choice.  My thanks to all the Bible class hosts for their good work - and their patience!

*****

I traveled to Magnolia on March 9 with Kent Jobe and David Hogg to attend the bi-monthly area-wide church leaders’ meeting.  It was hosted by Nick Starnes, the campus minister at the Church of Christ Student Center at Southern Arkansas University.  He invited three of his campus interns to make presentations about what their involvement with the ministry there has meant to them.  It was an impressive program, and Nick is doing a good job.  Our church helps to support this ministry, and we are fortunate to have this resource for our young people who attend SAU. 

*****

"You have the friendliest church we have ever seen!"  That was music to this preacher's ears.  I was visiting recently with some newcomers to town, and in our conversation they contrasted the welcome they received at our church to the reception they had gotten at much larger, well-known congregations.

I am thankful to be part of such an outgoing, caring, welcoming congregation.  That is one of our assets that we put to good use on Friend Day, our annual service to honor our friends, family members, and co-workers.  I can bring my friends to Friend Day confident in the knowledge that they will be warmly welcomed.

Friend Day allows us to utilize the natural social connections of life to introduce outsiders to our church's message and ministers and, most of all, its Master.  I well remember what one speaker said at a conference I attended years ago:  "Most people aren't simply looking for a friendly church - they are looking for a friend at church."  As Emeril would say, "Bam!"  That statement hits the nail on the head and puts it all in perspective.

No church can guarantee to provide a lifelong friend to every seeker, of course.  But there are some things we can and should do.

First, we can emphasize the message of Jesus, that we will be recognized as his disciples by the quality of our relationships with each other (John 13:34-35). 

Second, we can take to heart the repeated message of the New Testament that the natural social barriers of pride and prejudice have been broken down in the Lord's body (Ephesians 2:11-22; James 2:1-8;  Romans 12:16).

Third, we can provide congregational formats in which strong Christian relationships can be built, such as our Sunday morning adult classes, our Sunday night Growth Groups, and our many fellowship and service activities.

And finally, we can hold events such as Friend Day that allow us to "bridge" the divide between our Sunday morning friends and our Monday-Saturday friends, family, and co-workers.  

Friend Day is always the Sunday after Easter, and this year that falls on April 11.  I hope you are already beginning to "talk it up" with your friends and co-workers.  Who will be your friends on Friend Day?

*****

I have to admit I was curious to see how the community would respond to our first-ever "Clothing Giveaway" on March 6:   I am pleased to say it was a success in every way!   Our folks cleaned out their closets and gave generously, and they donated "good stuff."  There were dozens of individuals who spent long hours in the sorting and set-up in the weeks leading up to the event, and many of our folks came that Saturday morning to meet and mingle with our guests and make sure they all received a packet of information about our church's ministries.

There were around 120 people lined up outside before the doors opened at 9 a.m., and by the time we closed up at noon over 260 people from our community had selected much-needed clothing for their family.  I was surprised at the large number of children who attending the giveaway.  Clearly the word got out in our community and many of the less-fortunate responded.

The whole process was orderly and efficient;  many of our guests expressed their gratitude; and the community learned yet again that this is a church that cares.  My thanks to the Foundations class for sponsoring this outreach project and to all who helped.

******

Speaking of the less fortunate, our congregation is pleased to support the work of our own Crystal Musticchi Hogg with the River City Ministry in Little Rock.  Last year that ministry had over 2000 homeless people who entered their facility, fed 23,000 meals, provided medical services to over 1,000 patients, and baptized 120!  Crystal is the granddaughter of Martha and we are grateful to be able to support the good work she is doing.

******

Our “Passion for Purity” campaign is off to a good start.  Jason Baker has assembled a strong staff of teachers for our teens, and in keeping with our emphasis on a genuine Family Ministry, I am teaching a concurrent class for the parents.

In our first session I asked the parents to gather in small groups and discuss their concerns, opinions, and goals for the class.  One of the questions I asked them was, “How is today’s teen culture different from the way things were when WE were teenagers?”  They responded with an eye-opening list of changes, many of them negative ones.

Among the most common responses:  kids are exposed to more sexual information today, and at much younger ages;  they see more of their friends at school get pregnant and have babies;  new technology has caused untold headaches and temptations;  and more children are growing up in single parent homes.  One interesting response:  every parents’ group, without exception, commented on how much more aggressive young girls are today compared to when they were teens.

 When I asked the parents what they can do to make it easier for their children to talk to them about issues of dating, marriage, and sexuality, they responded with another good list of ideas, including:

Be open and available, no matter the time or what’s on t.v. 

Be approachable. 

Have daily conversations with your kids. 

Control your reactions no matter what is said. 

Begin discussions at an early age. 

Answer their questions.       

Offer some of your life experiences to let them know you have been there. 

Have an initial conversation to let them know they can talk to you. 

Have a realistic conversation about the various scenarios that can happen – pros/vs. cons.

Those are good suggestions indeed!  I am thankful to be part of a church that cares enough about kids to offer programs such as this, and I appreciate the work Jason Baker has put into organizing it.

-Dan

01-11-2009

College Avenue