The issue starts with some nice cover art with a note from Cheri Ford -- "Who, who, who in the skies can compare with Yahweh?
Ken provides a great exposition of Luke 15 and the concept of lostness. He starts by setting the scene. Jesus eats with publicans and sinners and the religious were scandalized. Ken says that there are four kinds of lostness. The first is that of the sheep who has just lost its way. It wandered off without even realizing it.
He states that these kind of people are good people who are just spiritually adrift and need help. The second is like that of the coin, they just have no real value. These are the people who may be moral and upright, but have no value for the Kingdom, since they are not connected. The third is the prodigal son who deliberately decides to go his own way. Then there is the older brother who doesn't think that he is lost. Ken goes on to discuss how each of these gets lost and then, how they can be found. This starts with a loving God who wants his people to be found. Then we have the opportunity to return to him -- we have been found.
McFoone demonstrates how we can overcome life's trials. We are founded on a rock that is higher than us.
Clay writes of the excitement building for the Here's Life campaign. I think that I (as the co-chair) wrote the actual status report. This will probably be mentioned later, but we actually used the Coldwell Banker real estate call center. It worked very well.
Ken addresses some of the tensions within the church and our households by expounding on the parable of the wine skins. When the Spirit moves change occurs -- and this change is not always orderly. With most of us, this creates tension. As I remember it, there could be a lot of tension when things seemed out of order. Yet, I also remember how God seemed to put things back in order. It was a growing experience.
It looks like there were many children being born in our "In the Family" column. I guess that we grew in other ways than evangelism. I also note that Ken, Mona, Dave and Mary Fountain went to Hawaii for the convention. After I became pastor, the convention was held once more in Hawaii -- several leaders went -- they didn't send me, but I did get to go to Bakersfield twice. I also note that Ken was the Vice President of the Ministers Council at this time. This let to a hurtful incident later.
Then we end with a report of three baptisms. I confess that I don't remember any of these people. Of course, in those days we had so many baptisms that there were many that I didn't know.
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