Roxburgh believes that the only way for a church to really grow is by emptying itself. Going out instead of coming in. When we go out into our neighborhoods, the church will become vital to the people in the neighborhoods, and then people will come and will participate. But the key is to challenge our members to get out.

Cornelius immediately knew what his vision meant and promptly obeyed. But Peter, even though the vision was repeated three times for emphasis, only slowly came to understand what God was saying to him.

Stephen Covey suggests a simple exercise - imagine you are attending your own funeral. What would people say about you? Covey suggests that such an exercise can change your life. In fact, it did change one man's life--Alfred Nobel.

Gamaliel recognized that Jesus was not a common thief, and that one of two things would happen. The chicken coop would be reduced to ashes, or the fire would spread, refusing to burn itself out. It was beyond the power of the high priest to determine the outcome.

General Colin Powell once said "Young people need to learn the paradox of giving - that when we help others, we get back far more than we contribute." Teens who help others get to know the satisfaction that comes from making a difference in someone else's life.

Barbara Brown Taylor once said, "We believe Jesus is the only way, and that his way teaches us to live in peace with other ways…. Ask me about God's opinion of other ways, and I will refer you to God."

We repent because God loves us. Let's don't break God's heart.

We have decided we can follow Jesus without a cross, without sacrifice. We want a low demand faith--that requires little of us. But even popular wisdom says, "That which costs you nothing is worth nothing."