Mark Twain…Maxine cruise..

Today’s ships.. Mom and Dad…man didn’t get off ship The World… constant travel

Compared to: The Titanic…lower decks…early immigrants: on deck

The ship has become the destination instead of where the ship is taking you.

The modern church..for 200 years, gatherings like Esther’s house or our Wed morning prayer group Then….a building…professional clergy….

Luke

Many of us concerned about our church in the last decade….numbers, supply. Many good things going…God’s Kids, the new Youth Group… tried to get the congregation more involved…picking hymns, lay leaders… All good stuff… But this morning let’s think about what makes a Christian grow. Christianity Today… Mega Church study… for many, church has become the destination. What seems to count is what we do individually.

Rick

First heard this song at a Clown Service. Brad

So… What works? • personal Bible reading • prayer and meditation • a meaningful relationship with a Christian friend • serving others

Making God, our destination. Simply looking at our service as the tool. There are a thousand different ways to get to Alaska and they’ll all get you there. But there’s only one Alaska. There’s only one God. Isaiah 55:6-9 (New International Version, ©2010) 6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;   call on him while he is near.  7 Let the wicked forsake their ways   and the unrighteous their thoughts.  Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them,   and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,   neither are your ways my ways,”   declares the LORD.  9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,   so are my ways higher than your ways   and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Quest class: Maturity comes when we learn to delay gratification for something better. My S’field carload. Snow days.

Congregation sings: