But I’m still responding to Mandy…  I’m just doing it here instead of as a comment.  (Mostly just because I can…)

1. I love to mow.  I have terrible allergies in late April, early May, but I love to mow.
2. I don’t trust ANY automotive mechanic.
3. I hate having dirty hands, although I don’t mind doing things which result in dirty hands.
4. I would SO love to truly relax for an entire week.
5. I love Perry Mason books and episodes.
6. I love to exercise but can’t bring myself to get started again because I hate being so on – off – on – off.

What about you?

You’d think I could squeeze in a blog post, but somehow that doesn’t seem to be a goal that I can reach.

I think this is perhaps one of the most damaging statements that can be made in the context of encouraging Christians to share their faith.

Typically, I have heard this in the context of a “Great Commission” or “evangelism” sermon.  Christians are encouraged – even pushed – to “witness” to everyone that they encounter.  In the mind of the sermonizer, this means that the Gospel is shared in significant detail.  The Christian must bring the victim to a full knowledge of their sin and confront them with a decision to either choose Christ or choose Hell, or “witnessing” has not been accomplished.

This has the immediate, certain, and unfortunate result of crippling the growth of the church.

This means that only those who have made a decision to follow Christ are encouraged to come to church.  This creates the perception that only Christians should come to church.  In some Reformed circles, this is actually the intent.  I read entire discourses on the idea that church meetings are not intended for evangelism, that only believers should really even attend.  ”Seekers” really don’t exist, and they sure aren’t welcome.

I call that, for lack of a better word, baloney.

I want sinners to come to my church.  I want people with problems to come to my church.  I want people who don’t even believe in God to come to my church.  I want people that I don’t like to come to my church.

Because I believe that the context of a “corporate worship meeting” is the absolute BEST environment for the Holy Spirit to touch a heart and make it tender to the Gospel.  I don’t believe it’s the ONLY environment, and I don’t believe that someone MUST come to church to meet Christ.

But I am sick and tired of “pastors” belittling those who invite people to attend their church.

Inviting someone to our church should be one of the FIRST things we think of in a new friendship or any other relationship.  Here are some reasons why…

1. It’s quick.
2. It’s easy.
3. It WORKS.  People who are INVITED to church are, statistically, INCREDIBLY more likely to show up than those who are reached by ANY other method.  And if they show up, they are in the best environment possible to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be loved on by Christians.

So, here’s how I see it.  If you know people that you have never invited to church, you need to think about what you’re saying. Or, more correctly, what you’re NOT saying.  Either…

1. You don’t truly care about that person, or…
2. You don’t like your church, or…
3. You don’t really believe God loves that person.

Ouch.

Invite somebody.  Repeat.

Books don’t have comment sections.  Books don’t have distracting “anonymous” commenters who take the discussion in an entirely different direction.  Books don’t have advertising, and books can’t be clicked.  Well, except in “Kindle” formats, and others of that nature.  But are those REALLY books?

Books never have video.  Books never have audio recordings.  The author’s picture is always the same.

For me, lately, books seem to be winning.

What about you?

A new blog, written by five totally awesome people and one rad weirdo named Bernard, will be going live on Monday, December 5 at www.exfake.com!

Adam Thomas, Michael Melenka, Steven Russell, BJ Hewitt, Junior Casares, and I are blogging about the whole “pursuit of authenticity” thing relative to Christianity – along with whatever else strikes our fancy.

There’s a contest for some free iTunes launching on the first day, too.

To keep up with news about the site, you can follow our Twitter feed, like us on Facebook, circle us on Google+, or just keep clicking on the Refresh button on your browser once you go to the site itself.

Don’t miss it.  These guys are the greatest, and I’m next in line for that title.  I hear it means you get an “L” tattooed on your forehead, but I might be missing the point…

I’ve concluded that blogs need to have a purpose of some sort in order to be effective, and this one doesn’t have a purpose at all.

Not even to me, really.  It’s just a place to say a little something and check some stats every now and then.

I’m toying with starting another blog – one with some purpose, but I’m not settled on exactly which purpose to shoot for.

Thank you all so much for being my friends.  I’ll still be around, don’t worry.

Peace out!

Her body couldn’t function in “the world”.  I don’t know the details of her disease, but she simply couldn’t tolerate normal air.  Her environment was incredibly controlled, and her best friend has been a little dog with hair instead of fur.

Her name is Sara.  But everybody calls her Gitz, for Gitzengirl, which has some connection to the disease that I can’t exactly remember.

She has touched thousands, if not more. She refused to be sad, even in a very, very tough situation. She was determined to Choose Joy, and named her blog exactly that.

Her body, they say, is shutting down.  Her race appears to be run.  She’s going home, to meet face to face the Saviour that she has trusted so faithfully through an incredible journey.

I pray that I can find the grace to Choose Joy.  Life’s not about comparison, but I have so much to find joy in.  Yet, I so often look to the wrong places for joy and for strength.

Thanks, Gitz, for the inspiration.  Godspeed as you journey on.  When you get there, hug everybody you see.  One of them might be somebody I know.

And leave a note with St. Peter about where you’ll be, because sometime in the course of eternity, I’m gonna have to look you up.