This is a two-part bulletin, if you can imagine that, kind of a before and after thing. I hope you find it edifying!

Last Sunday, Mr. Mo mentioned to me that he had a sermon on cassette that wasn't so good. Oh, the speaker was just fine, but apparently it was a meeting preacher that didn't use the remote mic and didn't stay behind the pulpit, so the pickup was background at best. This meant the audio has to be turned way up, and then you get the humming of the PA system as well. Since he'd read that I do a little about getting a cassette or LP recorded on to a computer in a past bulletin, he wondered if we couldn't do that. Bump up the audio, and take out the hum. I said it sounded like something we could try, so I offered to come over Friday and give him a crash course in recording wav files. Great, he says. By the way, how about bringing your family and we'll have our elder visit?

Whoa! I know that the elders were going to meet with every family, but I didn't expect it to be me so fast! I wondered right away what he was going to ask me, and all kinds of potential questions popped into my head! What am I doing, as a father and husband, to edify, lead, and encourage my family? What kind of works would I consider doing for the church in this area? Have I been looking for and taking advantage of opportunities to teach? What sort of things worry me, and what am I doing about them? As a Christian, am I "growing", and what makes me think so? These are the questions I already often ask myself. I was ready for the hard, hard questions and I was a little nervous about it.

However, Friday night came and went, and I lived through it! Let me tell you how it went. Mr. Mo and Mrs. Janet went to great lengths to make Deniese and I comfortable. (There were no hard questions!) There was a lot of love and concern expressed, though. First there was a lot of love and concern towards us. There were many reminders that others care for us, and pray for us. Letting us know we are not overlooked. Bringing to our attention that we are precious in God's sight. Advice was asked for by us, and given by them, in areas concerning the raising of our son, getting along with worldly people at work, and keeping our marriage strong. Reassurance that we are doing a good job, and reassurance that patience pays off. Experience there for us to draw on, any time. Dave got some kind words of encouragement, too. In fact, he was the subject of Mr. Mo's attention for quite a bit. Although I write this bulletin as if it were just myself or even just Deniese and I that met with them, we all talked.

There was a lot of love and concern for others, too. We were asked for our thoughts on the troubles our congregation currently has, and any ideas we might have in helping these terrible things not to be. Advice from our experience with congregations we have been a part of in the past. Requests that we keep our Christian family members in our prayers, and gratitude for what we do accomplish in helping others.

In short, it wasn't a trip to the principal's office. It was more like a visit with my grandfather. Not pushy, not prying. Not criticizing, not even even scolding. It was encouraging, thought out, gentle, uplifting. It was sincere and loving. In other words, it was an example of everything that I should be as a father, a husband, a coworker, and a Christian. So when your turn comes to meet with the elders, don't be worried about it. They want to help you. Your whole family will be better for it!

1 Timothy 3:1-7 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not guilty of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Titus 1:6-9 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers.

1 Timothy 5:1-2 Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

1 John 2:13-17 I write unto you fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.