Hello my new friend and brother! Thanks for writing, it means a lot ... a whole lot! :)

Finding a church, huh? It hasn't been one of my more successful endeavors. At the present we are not going to any official church, nor are we looking. Our fellowship is found in simple get-togethers. On Sunday afternoons we are part of what has been called home group. It's just a few of us who meet for a meal and a short time of teaching (I'm doing it lately as the original guy has backed off for the past year). My wife and I also enjoy getting together with friends either at our house or theirs. The Internet has also become a major part of the communication in my life with other believers.

Our kids have been grown up (supposedly) for a few years now so trying to find something for them is no longer an issue. And that was always a difficult thing to work around. For a couple years we even went to a Presbyterian church nearby for the simple reason that our oldest daughter had been going to their youth group (Senior High) on Wednesday & Sunday evenings. I got involved in her youth group (something that she absolutely loved) helping with music and other things as well as doing a few music specials on Sunday AM's in the main worship service (It rattled a few cages). The last straw came when they asked me if I would be interested in leading the Junior High group. I said sure. The fact that I was not a member was an issue and I told them why I wasn't nor would become one. It didn't go over too well. They loved a lot of what I shared with them about Christ and the gospel, but saw me as way over the edge when I related my views of the gospel and the Christian Life. Their basic philosophy was stated in this phrase I heard preached a few times there, "Of course you can't keep the Law, but you ought to try!"

There is no doubt that children will be adversely affected by most churches for the same reason we are. But then again, they are affected by every thing they do and everywhere they go. How they see US handling it will play a HUGE part. Because we, as a family, talked my children knew of many things we didn't agree with ... and it wasn't mainly the doctrines, but the lack of life that was happening. Having said that I am still convinced that my girls were adversely affect by many things we didn't know about, though many of the negative things had already taken place in a couple grace-oriented home-groups we were a part of. Go figure.

At times I have wondered when they will see more of Christ in their everyday life, but I have been often blown away (in a good way) by some of the realities they firmly stand by. I have had some excellent talks with my 3 girls over the years ... and there is such a love in them toward us. One thing they know for sure is that mom and dad don't play church. The fact that it is so real to us has been a stabilizing factor in their lives. :)

Jim