Pastor David Keuss - Hope without Compromise

D ue to the economic recession and continuing recessions around the world, the US economic situation is such that birth rates have dropped to historic lows.  See here .  Pew Research found birth rates have not been lower since the Great Depression:  As a result, certain church ministries may see long-term demographic shifts in numbers and / or volunteers.  The youngest demographic group ministries will see the first wave of that change over the next ten years.  Childrens ministry across the country will be impacted by the decrease.  The drop in numbers would be seen across the country in Youth Ministries 14 years out or so.  Likewise College Ministry after that would see smaller enrollments to go fishing in for Christ. In the short term, looking at another trend, the Baby Boomer generation is retiring at fast pace.  This will have another impact on the size of Senior Ministries.  These age-graded ministries (that in itself is a big debate to touch on some time) will be drawing

Thanksgiving comes and goes.  Early the next day is Black Friday.  Lately a reflection of our culture is unfolding in Black Friday video footage:   A video here records the sad picture of people (could be neighbors or anyone) essentially pushing, shoving and knocking each other out of the way at Walmart just to get a deal on a phone.  I'm just like anybody who likes to save 20 or 40 dollars, but honestly, this year, I skipped Black Friday just from weariness with consumerism.  I (maybe others) sense that its just not worth it some places.  Online shopping was not just an accident but an intention for me this year.  I wonder how civility can be restored in our country?  It seems the only real answer is a renewal of love of God and therefore neighbor.  As the love of God drops off, people love their own morality (a made up one, rather than derived/driven by God one).  Definitely worth praying for spiritual change.

Contentment in Life Changes: A Spiritual Lesson. I wanted to take a lunch time break to share a specific lesson from a church planter who was until recently with the North American Mission Board (referred to as NAMB by those close to it), myself.  North American Mission Board serves the cause of Christ by organizing and funding disaster relief work and also missions work.  I was on the missions work side of this, involved with them because of my call to plant a local church congregation.  NAMB also sponsors US military chaplains for its denomination in all branches.  I just thought I'd share that for most of us, since most Americans probably have not heard of it.  Church planters were typically sponsored for two years time , to help get a church going while the pre-launch phase is going on.  That is what we had, two years time.  Those two years of their support were valuable.  Of course, you might wish as we did that it was another six months or year, but you have to be grateful