Day 7: Be Bold!

"And pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel." Ephesians 6:19

Our church is in the middle of a 16 day prayer challenge to pray and act like a missionary does! In that spirit (or Spirit) I recently walked around my neighborhood. I wanted to share Christ but I didn’t want to force my way in. I'm not a very confrontational guy. I never score very high on those 'Do you have the gift of evangelism tests?' I saw a group gathered around a BBQ in a front yard. I sucked it up and did my best meander up to the group and said, 'hi'.  In my first conversation I was told that the first 4 commandments (We're talking the big 10!) were garbage. The same man asked me, ‘Do you think there is only one you?’  I knew it was a set up but I said, ‘Yes’.  He responded, ‘Then you know nothing about psychology.’  I love intellectual one upmanship! His grown son, the host, was a cheerful agnostic.  I handed him an invitation to church. As I continued my walk through the neighborhood I saw a man on his back deck. I leaned over the fence, ‘Welcome to the neighborhood.’ I called out.  He responded with a cheery conversation that included his Catholicism and my evangelicalism bonding for social conservatism and a discussion about God and church.  20 minutes later I went my way with a cheery wave. Next I saw a family pulling weeds in their new yard. I welcomed them to the neighborhood. I pulled a few weeds. I discovered good Christian brothers of a Southern Baptist persuasion.  As I headed home, I spotted my next new friend, sitting on his deck with his pug next to him.  Pug ran to greet me at the fence. As I got to know pug, John and I discussed the weather, God and his relationship with his 18 year old daughter. A short time later I spotted my near neighbor watering his flowers. We had often talked but never about God. With new found purpose, I stepped up to him and asked - have I ever invited you to church? As we chatted I said - 'I don't believe we've ever discussed God. Tell me what do you think of Him?' He responded that he believed in God and Jesus but organized religion bothered him. Invigorating! I plan to stop by again to finish that conversation sometime soon.  Pray for boldness and initiate a conversation today!