Sometimes our traditions can become barriers to people meeting Jesus. Can we get past our spiritual pride and realize that it is because of Jesus that God's grace is for EVERYONE?

The church has always been meant to be a gathering of people called by God, not just a building where people go to seek God. Jesus is everywhere that people have come together to worship Him.

Life isn't always easy, and we all get to the border of promise at some point. Do we have enough trust in God that He will carry us through (even if it seems impossible), or do we give up and turn back?

We have the freedom to do whatever we wish, but not everything is to our benefit. God calls us to use our freedom to love those around us with everything we have, which will benefit us beyond measure!

Our church is a community in transition, and the most important thing we can do moving forward is love each other first and foremost. Elders love younger leadership (even when the ideas seem foreign) and younger leaders love their elders (even if they seem out of touch sometimes). That is the kind of community that makes church a place for lost people to feel as if they are home.

Living on the "farm" means investing in the farm with our time and resources. When we do, we'll reap the abundant rewards of working with God.

The church belongs to older brothers, what are they going to do with it? Will it just be an exclusive club, or will the church be used to accomplish the mission of Jesus? A place that welcomes the lost and the prodigals back again with open arms?

You can't chase after a prodigal son or daughter like you can find a lost sheep or lost coin, but that doesn't mean you stop praying for them every day that when they hit rock bottom they come back....even if you're not still alive to receive them.

The core problem of the lost coin is that you don't even know what gives value, either to yourself or to the church. But the value of a coin comes from the value of whose symbol is stamped on it, and your value of as a Christian comes from being marked by the value Jesus places on your life.

A sheep is capable of knowing that it's lost, but it has no idea how to get back. So if a lost sheep is ever to be found, someone has to go and get it. When the missing sheep is someone you love, you do whatever it takes to bring it back. And when it does, you rejoice.