Kids

Sixteen babies! We dedicated sixteen babies at our congregation a couple of weeks ago. I was telling a young lady about that not too long ago and she graciously told me she didn't want to place membership at our congregation because she was afraid to drink the water. She wasn't ready to have a child yet.
There are several ways to grow a church. One is to teach people about Jesus. Another is to have people move into your area (that's really swelling, not growing). Then there's the "have babies" option. Now we just need to get all of the parents to sign a "can't move" contract.
But as I looked at those precious kids, I couldn't help but wonder which ones would stay faithful. Which ones would be wonderful servants? What would they grow up to be? How had they and would they change the lives of their parents? I appreciated one of our shepherds getting emotional as he prayed for these wonderful, precious, innocent lives. Jesus said that they kingdom of heaven was like those little children. I believe it.
I loved it when our congregation stood in affirmation. We stood telling those parents and those children that we would be there. We would teach them in Bible class, we would tell on them when they weren't doing what they should, we would love them almost as much as their mom and dad. It won't be long before they are climbing up on the podium and looking out from inside the plexiglass pulpit. Soon they'll be sprinting down the halls. It won't be long until their teeth come in, then they start loosing them. Then it won't be long before they are standing up with their future spouse telling the preacher and the witnessing crowd that they pledge to honor them until death parts them. And the cycle starts again. Praise God!
I love it. It takes a village? No. It takes a church. Have a great day! JW