What happened to the young couples?!?

Most church leaders ask this question.
I'm not sure I have an answer, but perhaps an observation.
I think some have approached the problem from a simple consumer mindset. Put together some programs so the children of these couples will have something fun to do.
So we become a seller of services. We lure young couples by offering more bang for the buck.
I've heard people say "they just didn't have anything for my kids".
Don't get me wrong, some churches by their very nature are not kid friendly. Their filled with older people who have no desire to see a kid act up in church. They just want them to sit still and be quiet. And frankly those churches for the most part are dead or dying.
Some feel that if you have a dynamic speaker or leader of front of the people, then that will attract the younger generation.
While it helps, I'm not sold on this either. Again it tends to make the church no different than any other program or organization.
Maybe the core question is what attracts people to people.
Maybe the deeper question, have we truly transformed?
The church in Acts had no children's program, no seminars on how to grow churches, no blogs.
But I would submit that they grew at an incredible rate.
Why?
There had to be something special that the outside world saw in the believers of Christ.
I guess I'm saying that we are the advertisement for our God. And I think the world looks at us and says "your no different from us".
They can join any other organization and get that.
But when people see something that they lack, when they see love and compassion, when they see the church as a caring place, a place not focused on themselves but on others, then I think we have transformed church from just a place to a community.
Let's be honest, when we do advertise our church, are we really looking for the unsaved or are we looking to pull other Christians from other churches into our really nice programs?
You might get the idea I hate kids programs, or programs in general.
I don't.
I just hate programs that make us feel like were doing something, when really were not.
So I guess the young couples need to know you care.
But I think that more importantly, they need to know your for real.
They just don't have time for pretenders.

I see hope

At times I'm negative.
I know I shouldn't be, but I've seen things that happen in churches that just makes you want to cry.
But I was encouraged at the Midwest Region Conference of our denomination.
I heard stories of people setting aside the normal church routine and being the church that I believe Christ has called all of us to be.
Instead of sitting, their doing.
Now I'm sure some people in our churches are fearful we are moving to fast, moving away from what they are used to.
And I'm just as sure for some of our more pioneering members, we aren't moving fast enough.
But we are moving.
Our denomination is so cool in the fact that we don't hammer a certain style. We are very diverse in our approach to church.
The speakers at conference were awesome, the organization was awesome, the worship was awesome.
In fact, I'm not sure I've been to a better one.
I had a boss once who owned a struggling company. As his company fell down around him he would always say, "were just about to turn the corner".
And we never did. The "corner" was just to big.
My prayer is that we "turn the corner".
And we don't stop there.

Ode to Sandy

She came to my parent's home when she was still a pup.
My younger brother had always wanted a dog, and Sandy just showed up. She must have been a stray, but it didn't matter.
Sandy and Jim hit it off great.
Nobody could come into the yard without Sandy barking and alerting Mom and Dad. Sometimes Sandy would continue to bark at people even when they had entered the house, which would get my Dad scolding her.
But it didn't matter.
Sandy either liked you or she didn't.
Even if she didn't like you the worst you got was a whole lot of barking. She never bit anybody that I can recall. She had a job to do and she did it for a long time.
She had been through many changes at my folk's home. Jim would move away, grandchildren would begin invading her space, my father's cancer and his death, and finally she moved to a new home with my Mom.
But her expression was always the same. Those dark eyes and alert ears were always probing, looking out for her family. She never had any pups, she didn't need them. We were her family.
And if it's possible, I think she took pride in looking after all of us.
Over time her steps became less quick, her hair stopped growing. There was pain in every step as arthritis got to her. Her eyes became clouded, her hearing began to fail. I would walk up on her without her even moving. When she did realize I was there she would become startled, and maybe embarrassed by the fact that I had gotten that close.
And finally Mom had to put her down.
The last years of her life were spent keeping my Mom company. She made the house less lonely for Mom. Now that Mom is engaged to be married, maybe Sandy wanted to hang around until she knew Mom would have somebody.
I can't be for sure, but I wouldn't doubt it.
Sandy was that good.
I will always remember Sandy laying at the feet of my Dad. He sat in his chair, suffering from the effects of his illness, Sandy never letting Dad get to far out of her sight.
Thank you Sandy.
You were a great dog.

So, here I am again.

No I haven't died.
I was shocked to see I haven't posted since April. Man the time sure speeds past us.
Let me give you a short recap on events since April.
1. My oldest graduated High School.
2. Went on a great vacation to North Myrtle Beach. Met Brian and Danielle there (who happened to be there the same week...cool) and had a great evening. I discovered that Brian is uncomfortable with heights (I've know the guy since 2nd grade and didn't know that). Our room was on the 18th floor so the view didn't sit well.
3. Oldest son's girlfriend breaks up with him. As a parent this has to be one of the toughest things you deal with. Watching your kid mope around the house. What's really tough is trying to tell him you think it's probably for the best. I was in his shoes once and I know I didn't listen either. Makes for a very frustrating experience.
See, you really haven't missed much.