What Is the Price of Admission?

The young people's meeting was over, and the gang was sitting around the table sipping hot chocolate and munching cookies. The big question was, What can we do to get more out to our meetings?

The usual things were suggested. One was a contest between the girls and the boys to see who could get more out. More lunches. Change the meeting night. Put more pep into the discussions.

"Why don't we charge admission the way they do at the movies?" suggested Barry.

"Are you crazy?" was the chorus greeting that idea.

Then Barry went on to explain that people seem to take more interest in things that cost them something. He said they ought to charge admission in reverse. By this he meant that instead of making it look as if you're giving up something to come, make people want to come for what they hope they will get when they come. Instead of having people think they're giving up seeing a good TV program by coming to the young people's meeting, make the meetings so interesting they'd miss the TV gladly.

Somebody else suggested that outside the door they place a box into which each person that went in would have to deposit his gloom.

The word "gospel" means good news. Christianity is that good news which was sent to the people from God. We have a happy religion. Jesus attended banquets and parties, weddings and reunions. He brought joy into whatever group he entered. Maybe if we made the price of admission to our church activities the giving up of gloomy thoughts we might enjoy our religion more.

Thank you, Christ, for bringing joy into the world.