1. Set the date for the new class early. Don't wait until you have people who are interested.
2. If you use I Have Good News For You, order books, bulletin inserts, posters and sign-up sheets. Place posters in prominent places with a sign-up sheet placed to the side of each poster.
3. Speak of the class in sermons (it's easy to work this into most texts), prayers in worship services, bulletin paragraphs, newsletters, etc.
4. Develop a list of people who should be contacted for the class and another list of those who have indicated they plan to attend. Aim to expand both lists. Ask certain members to invite and bring certain prospects. Develop and maintain a regular prospect list.
5. Be sure to invite Lutheran transfers to go through for a refresher and so they may get to know you better and for you to become better acquainted with them. Two very important things happen here: First, the Lutheran transfer usually enters into a new and higher level of discipleship, and, second, the discipling bond between pastor and member increases.
6. All members of the congregation should be invited and challenged to attend and to bring a friend. The Good News Bulletin Insert (# 105, 50 inserts for $3.50) helps greatly with member enrollment. 

1. Remind your flock that being lost and being without a Savior is not fun. It's a matter of life or death forever. Who would wish the latter on anyone? 
2. Make it your own goal to personally and successfully bring at least one person to the class.
3. Ask the elders to assist you in inviting and bringing non-attending members to the class.

Warmly invite each church officer and elder to monitor your next class. They really need to know what's going on here. 

"When Jesus saw the crowds, He had compassion on them" (Matthew 9:36a). May the love of Jesus touch our hearts to have compassion, too. God's grace to you!  

Government: A Godly Perspective. A reproducible Bible study on CD by R. R. Kremer (WELS). Six lessons: 1. Government established by God. 2. America designed to be Godly. 3. The Christian & Civil disobedience. 4. The Christian's role in government. 5. Church and state, agenda or fact? 6. Overview of today's government. You may reproduce as many copies as you wish. To order click #259 $27.95 or by email. 

1. The amazing way in which all the prophecies of the Bible have been and are being fulfilled. In the O.T. there are 333 prophecies dealing with Christ alone and all were fulfilled. The only way one can explain how all Bible prophecy can be fulfilled is that Someone was behind the writing of that Book who knew the future, namely, God.
2. The Bible has been the most maligned and hated book in the world. If any other book would have been attacked as the Bible has been we can be sure that it would not have survived. The only explanation for its survival is that Someone very great has been standing behind it.
3. It has amazing unity. 39 men wrote 66 books over a period of 1,600 years on a very controversial subject - religion; yet, there is complete unity. There are no contradictions. The only explanation is that Someone must have guided the men who wrote it.
4. It also has tremendous power. Who has heard someone say, "I used to be a murderer or a thief and after reading Shakespeare and Plato I became a changed person."? But thousands, yes, millions of people have had their lives changed into a marvelous new adventure after coming into contact with the Bible.

We would say, "Don't believe the Bible for any of these reasons. Rather, study carefully and see for yourself." At this point it would be good to share the Gospel of Jesus with the person from your heart and invite and bring the person to the next adult class using the course, I HAVE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU. Literally tens of thousands of people have started this course as skeptics and left as firm believers!  

by Thomas S. Rainer

• The women's restrooms. Almost 100 percent of the female guests we retained addressed this issue. They noticed first and foremost the cleanliness of the restrooms. Then they noticed the convenience of getting to the restrooms. Finally, they noticed the capacity of the restrooms. Did they have to wait in line? [complete article]

By Rick Warren

• Hearing is simply the vibrations that take place in your ear.
• Listening is how you decode those vibrations in your brain.

Here are four tips to becoming a better listener.

1. Withhold judgment and criticism from the start. Don't evaluate until you've heard and comprehended it all. [complete article] 

by Pastor Bob Tasler

Our son and his family just spent a week with us, and when they left a few days ago, our house suddenly became quiet. No more soft little feet pattering the floor at night, or quiet, expectant voices in the morning, or squeals of delight, or toys under foot. Their presence was a sweet blessing that can't be duplicated. Carol and I missed them the moment they headed down the jet way and we headed home.

We drove away from the airport with empty car sets and full hearts, a little sad but also glad. Sad they must leave, but glad they are healthy, loving, happy, and growing. That night we recalled how their father, our son, grew up so quickly and now knows a parent's love. He and Debbie are better parents than we were, more patient, playful and attentive. We thank God for that.

But they won't have loved them more than we loved him and his brother. Being part of a loving family is among the greatest of God's blessings.

Parenting is never over. It's not like making the final touchdown, spiking the ball and going home after the game. Being a parent is a thing for life, a forever relationship. When it's good, it's about the best experience one can know in life. When it's not, the remorse and regret can be overwhelming.

Psalm 68:6 says, "God sets the lonely into families." Families can be large or small, nearby or far away, emotionally close or distant. Whatever the case, they are still family and we need them.

An old man at a campground met a runaway teenage girl. As she told him why she left her family, he took a bundle of match sticks from his coat pocket, chose one of them and broke it. "This stick is you by yourself," he said. Then he tried to break the rest of the match sticks all at once, but he couldn't. "This is your family," he said. In the morning, she was gone, but in the place where she'd slept the old man found the small bundle of sticks.

Carol and I look forward to more grandchildren visits in the future, and I'm already mentally planning activities for when they come to Colorado again.

A tidy house is nice, but a messy one with love and laughter beats it any day.

Pastor Tasler writes a weekly message like the one above and emails it to hundreds of people around the country free. You may subscribe by emailing him at pbt45@ecentral.oom.