From my "lost days" I remember some words from a song; "Sunday morning coming down" at least that is the snippet or title that was recalled.  That is a truth for Sunday, as a day of worship as oppossed to just a day of the week, must come down.  Sundays always felt different.  Each day of the week had it's own flavor.  Sunday was unfermented grape juice and unleavened bread.  It felt like a day that God dropped into the week from above.  Today Sunday still feels different.  As a pastor it feels hurried, bustling and shortened.  But every now and then God moves in a special way and Sunday is brought down from Heaven so we mere mortals can experience the celestial realm.  When that happens, some little boy in  me breaks into a grin.  Grandma smiles from Heavens gates and the love of God is alive in church.  Sunday morning has come down.

Teens are the future of church.  Many churches fail to recognize this or to plan for their future as church members and leaders.  Teens will accept entertainment and enjoy every opprotunity that we give them to have fun.   Unfortunatly that is as far as some youth groups and leaders thinking takes them.  Teens want more than fun and laughs.  In the past several years we have "graduated"  over a dozen teens.  Of those that are no longer in the teen department over 90% are still in our church every Sunday.  Two have moved away and are still in church and only one is out of church.  Too many good Baptist churches lose 90% when they are no longer in the youth department.  A host of reasons.  Appealing to their carnal nature to keep them coming insteed of their spiritual nature.  Failing to get them off "baby food" and develope an adult diet for them.  Making the teens the center of attention instead of forcing them to make Christ the center of attention.  Segregating them from the rich and varied athmosphere of the church.  Placating them instead of encouraging and providing service opprotunities.  If you have seen our church website you are seeing our teens work, the only thing they don't do is this blog, P.S. they have their own.  Church needs to be a lifelong committment from ALL it's members.

 Fundamental gets a hard rap in the media, and of course with those who have no opinions of their own just a parroting of the airheads in the media, but it should not be so.  In sports or education fundamentalism is highly praised and taught.  The NFL draft will show that some very athletic players will not be drafted high because of a flaw in their fundamentals.  Unless a science wannabe is fundamental in their understanding of math they will struggle or even fail, but MIT will not want them.  So also in the Christian faith.  If one does not have the fundamentals down pat they will struggle or fail in their walk.  Other dangers of a lack in fundamentals is being drawn away by every cult that comes along.  Never acheiving the growth that comes with knowing the general will of God.  Stability that keeps us from being "blown about by every wind of doctrine.  Get the fundamentals right.

Grace is a word that demonstrates God's love in action.  God is love is a foundational statement of God's character and motivation for all His dealings with man.  Grace is bestowed; freely given of God.  Grace is when someone out of the goodness of their heart gives to another, without regard as to the receipients worthyness, a gift they could never repay.