Valentines Dreams

Last night, I attended the 49th annual LLL Valentine's Sweetheart dance, sponsored by St. Peter Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois near Chicago.  They were a great group of people and those who attended seemed committed to the mission of LHM.  They are a very supportive church of LHM.  However, it was apparent at the event that the average age of the group was not 24.  The older generations of our churches and communities have done a lot to advance the Gospel.  These are the people that allowed LLL and LHM to be successful over the years in brining Christ to the nations.  However, as I have heard many LLL members say, we need to get younger people more involved in the church.  We can celebrate past successes of the Gospel all we want, but it is also time to ask "God, what's next?"  What is next?  How can we share the Gospel with current and future generations.  There is an easy answer and a difficult answer to the question.  Of course we need to preach Christ Crucified to them (easy answer), but we must also do it in a mode and language to which the hearer will listen (the difficult answer). 

My prayer is that congregations like St. Peter in Arlington Heights as well as churches coming together in mission, like LHM can advance God's Kingdom into new places and the peoples.  Whether young or old, believers must overcome the challenge of genuinely speaking and living God's Word so that those who need to know Christ's message of hope can know and be saved.  Sharing Christ's message of hope isn't just a program or activity, it is a matter of life and death.  Blessed be the man or woman who remembers that when living their lives.  

Happy Valentine's Day.  Romance is a gift from the Lord Almighty.  It is a reminder of the relationship between Christ and the Church.  As the Father committed Himself to us by sending His Son to die for us, its honors God to commit ourselves to our spouses, as well as our commitment to his plan for our lives.  Dance, Love, live God's plan.