This fall, Casey and I, along with our two friends Steve & Marcus, got to start a class for the sixth graders at church on Wednesday nights. We call it "The Bridge". Our hope is that the class will not only bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood, but most importantly, that the class will introduce them to The Bridge [to the Father], Christ Jesus.

None of the four of us have a ton of experience working with kids...excuse me, young adults...so we've been learning a lot. Last night, I think we learned several crucial lessons.

Lesson #1: Don't send one young adult into the classroom holding two bags of candy without also sending two bodyguards to accompany him. He will be mauled.

Lesson #2: If you buy candy for your class, only buy enough for them to each have a couple pieces. Buying two bags means they will eat two bags. Even if that means they each eat 10 pieces of candy, thus darkening any favorable light their parents would have previously seen you in, once their children come home so hyped up on sugar that they won't go to bed, and they keep repeating the names of the teachers who so generously gave them TWO BAGS OF CANDY.

Lesson #3: If you must get the class to answer questions by bribing them with candy, you should also follow up the giving-out-of-candy with the instruction that all who eat the candy during class will forfeit that candy, and all chances at earning any more candy. Or else, you will hear the ripping of candy packages, the getting up-and-down to throw trash away, and the whining for more candy from anyone has still has it in their hands the entire class.

With these lessons in mind, we charge forward, ready to love some kids and share some Gospel and praise some Jesus...just with a little less candy involved.