McDONALDS AGAIN

I like good food, which is why with no disrespect intended, I never really frequented McDonalds even in the days when I was far less careful about diet. There were really only two things that would get me to the #1 fastfood outlet in the world.

Sometimes being in a foreign country where the cuisine was not all that one might be looking for, it was a relief to find the familiar golden arches - yes, they really are worlwide. By the way about twelve years ago I ate in what was then their biggest store in the world - in Moscow. It was interesting to see Muscovites dressed to kill, enjoying their Saturday night out at McDonalds. It was costing them almost a week's wages for their dinner, so I guess it was worth putting on your best suit for a burger.

The second reason I would go to McDonalds was to take my grandchildren there. Most kids love it. Ours do too. Thankfully they were seldom interested in finishing their grease-laden happy meals as another attraction lured them - the playground. Kids prefer the slides at McDonalds to the Chicken McNuggets.

So there are dozens of adults sitting around in a place they don't want to be in, eating burgers they are not really enjoying, because the kids love it there.

We need to learn from that model on a church level. Kids whose parents worship with us regularly are part of our great children's program because that's what the family does on a Sunday morning. But how do we reach families who don't come to church yet and don't really have a relationship with God?

That's easy! Have such an outrageous program for kids that even though the adults don't want to be there, their offspring drag them along on a Sunday morning.

We're working on that for the fall. Watch this space.