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Stock take closure: Good Neighbours and Augustine will both be closed on Friday and Saturday, 17-18th June, for stock take. Last year we did a rolling stock take, which allowed us to keep the shops open and count in quiet moments, but this is not ideal. This year we want to make sure that our stock take is accurate and that every book is counted or accounted for. We used to be able to manage such a stock take on a public holiday without any inconvenience to our customers, but we now have a much larger stock-holding and it cannot be achieved in one day. Thus we will start on the public holiday, but it will roll over onto the two trading days mentioned. Apologies for the inconvenience. We will be at your service again on Monday, 20th June.

If you Google "millennials leave the church", you will find many articles that give reasons for the exodus (mostly US surveys) and some that offer solutions to the problem. In every age there have been youngsters that want to find their own way. In the past, they may have wandered off, but in time many found their way back again. It seems that many of the millennials (20-somethings) are staying away. Why?

There are as many reasons for the exodus as there are articles on the web, but the lack of truth deals a double blow. We live in a 'politically correct' era: we must make sure we say and do the right thing so that no-one is offended. In this atmosphere of being 'nice', sin and hell are so watered down that no-one knows what they need to be saved from. Anything distasteful or too demanding in the Bible is glossed over or ignored and everything that God does for us out of love and mercy is emphasized. The gospel is skewed and the truth of the Bible is distorted. Of course, not every church is like this, but there are too many that are.

It goes without saying that there are great dangers for the people of God of any age when the truth is distorted, but one of the effects is exodus of young people. The truth has been distorted for so long that parents don't have a firm knowledge of the Bible to pass on to their children. Children who have no real roots are easily swayed when the first storm comes. It usually arrives in high school. At school evolution is taught and a secular worldview is prevalent. How can youngsters sustain the onslaught if they have no substantial roots?

When the preaching and teaching doesn't match the Word of God, confusion is created. Where does the truth lie? Youngsters doubt the authenticity of the Bible and question its relevance. They are promised a happy life in Christ, but their lives tell a different story. Sadly, there are also many thinking millennials who walk away because they simply see through the hypocrisy.

One of the solutions, surely, is to tell our children the truth. And from a young age. There is a real heaven to be gained and a real hell to be avoided. Our God is a God of love, but he is also a God of wrath. How often are children told the story of Noah's ark with sweet songs of the animals going in two by two, but the fact that God killed all of mankind is glossed over! God showed great mercy to righteous Noah and his family, the depth of which is only fully grasped in comparison to the fate of all the other people of Noah's time. Let's convey the whole truth of the Bible to our children so that they know all of God's attributes. The more they know him, the more they can trust him. Let's ensure deep, deep roots.

Following on from this deep knowledge of God and his word is the need to teach our children apologetics. They need to be able to defend their faith so that when the high school storm breaks, they can stand. All of this means time spent our children. Sending them to Sunday School and hoping for the best is not enough.

I have to finish by saying that steeping your children in the truth is not a guarantee that your children will stay. My children were well taught - years of home education with Word-based curriculum - yet they have still wandered off. I have given this much thought and conclude that one of the reasons is that I did not convey my love of and reliance upon Christ. I gave them all the knowledge of Christ, but my relationship with him was a private affair. Typical British stiff upper lip - don't show your vulnerability! There are other factors too, but all the head knowledge without heart knowledge left a vacuum. It was filled by the world. Let my mistake be your warning.

Children's book sale: To put our money where our mouth is, we are offering discounts on all children's books from Monday, 30th May till Wednesday,15th June. All children's books and family worship books will be less 10% and all books from Christian Focus Publications (CFP) will be less 15%. While this sale is primarily to encourage parents to spend time with their children in the Word, church holiday clubs and Sunday Schools are welcome to use this opportunity to stock up on resources and prizes.

It was a pleasure to see all the children gathered around the book table after church on Sunday.One was drawn to the dinosaur book, another to the bugs book and another to a book called Runt the Brave. The latter is an allegory for David and Goliath. We brought it in after one of our families had reviewed the sample and gave it a very positive thumbs up. The follow-up is Runt the Hunted. Both books are paperbacks written by David Schwabauer and are R134 each.

If money were no object I would have all of the books on my coffee table. However, as much as I love books, I have to say that a newborn eclipses all these wonders of creation. I should know - last week, my first grand-daughter was born!

Some good reads!