It’s been a good week of ministry. Pastor Nathan, Dan Williams, Diane Titterington, and a group of students spent the week in Salina, KS at Super Summer. That’s a summer camp sponsored by the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists. Meanwhile, several of us were at “Faith and Family Day at the K” last night. I pray that kingdom fruit would come from both of these ministries.

Not only has it been a good week of ministry, today will be a good day of worship. We have our first Parent/Child Dedication in two years this morning. This is an important time. Sociologist Charles Smith recently wrote a compelling piece in “First Things” about how the Christian faith is transmitted from parent to child. (Search for “First Things” and “Keeping the Faith” to find it.) His research found that parents are overwhelmingly the decisive factor in children’s spiritual formation. He writes, “The good news is that, among all possible influences, parents exert far and away the greatest influence on their children’s religious outcomes.” Parents, you have more influence than you think. So today, we want to encourage these parents as they publicly state their intention to raise their children in the faith. And as a church, we will pledge to help them. We will pray for them and try edify and strengthen them in the Lord. I believe it’s harder to raise children in the faith than at any time in my lifetime.

Today we turn to James 3 as we resume the Bible’s teaching about the tongue. I specifically want to focus on the damage inflicted by the tongue. Some of you may have struggled for years because of careless or malevolent words. I pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to heal your heart this morning.

This afternoon at 5 p.m. we will meet in the Train Station for our monthly prayer meeting. I urge you to be there. Charles Spurgeon called the church prayer meeting the “boiler room” of the church. Let’s be honest: a prayerless church is a prideful, presumptive church. A prayerFUL church is a powerful church. We have a choice! I hope to see you this afternoon.