Day 56 Sunday.

I woke up to the sound of rain. It rained till about 10-10:30. Carrie and I enjoyed a lazy morning. We had fresh coffee. Eggs toast spiced Gouda.  I was glad not to be biking today. We walked the muddy road to the camp side service. It was a service of thanks and also sharing of the struggles a lot of us are going through. It reminded us that everyone has a story. And there not all neat and tidy. But every story involves A person.  And every person matters to God. The question is are we willing to give up some of our precious time to talk to or with people about it. A lady on this tour shared with me something that really helped her in the healing of a tough situation. It was a situation that had many emotional and situational similarities. She shared this thought.  Lord fill my heart with the willingness to leave the consequences with you. For someone that likes to be in control or at least thinks there in control it's very freeing thought. Can I leave it up to God. I'd like to give Him some pointers on what to do. Thankfully it's not up to me. The day you can leave it up to God is the day you are free. It's the day the hold on you is released. God has us on a path. It's not the path we'd choose all the time but it's the path he knew and knows we'd be on. 

In conversation with others during this trip there seems to be a real concern over the rapidly declining attendance of adults but especially young people in the church. Why are some churches struggling more then others. I'm sure there are lots of reasons. I'm not one to say I have all the answers. Far from it.  

If you could, how much time would you sacrifice to reach or introduce someone to Christ. 10 hours a week. Maybe 5 hrs. How about 1-2 hrs. That sounds a little more acceptable. 

A recent study showed that if young people aren't coming to your services on Sunday then non Christians won't come either. What are we willing to do to reach them. Some say nothing. And the church keeps getting smaller. Others would say as long as it doesn't affect me. That still sounds like a do nothing. 

So 1-2 hrs a week to reach people. What if that was Sunday morning from 10 to 12. We'll hold on a minute 

That's the time that I like to hear the music I like. It's my time. It's time for me to be served. 

Ok  sacrifice my Sunday morning to reach people. Sounds good in principal but to carry that out every Sunday. 

Let me tell you my point of veiw. I love this saying. 

Saved people serve people. I think it is well worth giving up my comfort on a Sunday morning to reach people. I can listen to the music I like all week. The prospect of reaching new people for Christ makes all our so called sacrifices worth it. After all God sent his Son for us. 

We will have to start making changes and sacrifices to reach people. If we don't our churches will die. 

Riding through Quebec is a sobering reminder of a church that has become irrelevant in its society. Huge empty churches. 

Len.