Barb and I worshipped with "Touchstone Fellowship" in Lebanon, Tennessee yesterday. This a congregation that began in April of 2003. Most of the group was part of a larger group of members of the C of C in this city that discontinued their contemporary worship service when they moved into a new larger building. Many of these folks felt abandoned and began the only contemporary fellowship of our tribe in Wilson County. There were somewhere between 60 or 70 gathered for worship. Touchstone is looking for a new part-time pulpit minister and I was their to preach or try out, as we call it I hate that term, but I am not sure I know a better description for the process. They are a great group of Christians. They are a bit "older" in general than you might expect a new contemporary group to be. They have a very enthusiastic Youth Group. One young man spoke at communion and I have seldom heard a more spiritual heart felt talk. Discussions in the Bible Class that followed were based on Rick Warren’s book, "The Purpose Driven Life". From the comments made you could tell that this is a group of God’s people that are seeking His image and likeness, and that was so encouraging. This visit with Touchstone just confirms what I have felt for a number of years. Our tribe is going through a sometimes wonderful, and often difficult period of change. At Madison, where we presently worship, that change took place from within, and I might say at a large cost, but a necessary one. At Touchstone, the change took place with a totally new beginning. Don’t ask me which way I think is best, I don’t believe there is a best way. But change must take place or death with be the result. This whole process can been seen in the natural world when that little worm in the cocoon realizes that it is time to move out and up. What was a comfortable abode for a period of time will become a place of death if that metamorphosis doesn’t take place. Life and death are at stake. New life awaits on the other side of the struggle. Wings and freedom are the prize. Anytime we are confined by man made traditions or dogma, our future is bleak. It is TRUTH and TRUTH ALONE that gives freedom. My lesson at Touchstone was based upon the statement of Zechariah to Zerubbabel and the remnant that had return from captivity to rebuild the Temple. "Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit says the Lord of hosts." Zech 4:6. If you are a part of my tribe and in the middle of this struggle, let me assure you that God is at work. And as David told Goliath, "The battle belong to the Lord." I Sam. 17:45-47. This struggle is a matter of spiritual life and death, not only ours, but a world of lost people that live around us. Let me leave you with this thought from my lesson yesterday. "Possibilities are not about God’s ability, but our ability to believe in Him more than our doubts and fears". "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly, beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Eph. 3:20,21.