September is a busy time for most families with the end of summer and schools being back in full session. Fall sports, including high school and college football, get underway. There are few things more enjoyable than a Friday night high school football game, or a Saturday college football game. Our favorite teams compete, and we are enthusiastic in our reaction as fans.

Fall also brings about the changing of the seasons and some of the most beautiful manifestations of God's creation. In late September and into October, we begin to experience one of the most beautiful sights with the changing of the colors and the brilliant array of gold, red, and orange! I cannot imagine an atheist or agnostic seeing this wonderful display of God's handiwork and remaining a nonbeliever.

What about the church? What does the fall season bring to the life of the church? There are numerous activities, and in many ways, we have come to gauge the vitality of a church in terms of how busy the people are. And while there is some relative truth to the point that a congregation needs to be active, the absolute number of activities and services does not necessarily illustrate the strength of a given local congregation of believers.

The real test of a church is whether we are manifesting the Spirit of Christ in all aspects of congregational life. Are we being the salt of the earth and light of the world? Are we impacting lives of individual people in our homes and neighborhood for the cause of Jesus Christ? Are we ministering to the "least of these" our brothers and sisters with particular needs? In responding to these questions, we begin to answer the question of what it means to be the church of Jesus Christ.

As we move forward in a new Christian Education year, and as we move toward the fall season, let's resolve to make certain that in the life of Saloma Baptist Church, we are influencing our community and world for Jesus Christ, we are displaying the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and we will affirm the love of Jesus Christ for all people! We are made in God's image, and we are the ultimate creation of God. So, let's be about His work!