Reflections From Sunday Evening

We are a couple of weeks into the baseball season. It has me thinking about days with kids playing baseball - Little League baseball. One of the unique parts of Little League baseball was the "Little League chant." "Hey batter, hey batter, hey batter. " At advanced stages it turned to "hey batta, hey batta, hey batta, sawiiiiing batta!" Chatter. Catchers talking to the pitcher and trying to distract the batter. Chatter. Infielders keeping a constant barrage of chatter. Those were the days.

Now I am one who tends to believe these experiences of other days have greater significance than it would appear on the surface. So I have been thinking about a new slant on "chatter." How about "chatter evangelism?" When we read the book of Acts we learn that the early believers had a tremendous impact on the world. Some interpret their actions as "chattering the good news." Here is what I've been thinking. Since the word "evangelism" tends to make us pause and have to think if this is a practice we really could engage in, how about another slant on sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with people. Chatter. Here are some examples. "We must have had 300 children walk through our church yesterday, waving palm branches." A person who does not attend church might wonder why they did that. The next thing you know you have the opportunity to talk about the meaning of Palm Sunday and what is going on in the church.

Another example: "During his sermon the pastor stopped and had a little conversation with one of the youth sitting on the front row. It was pretty funny." (Thanks Cort for a real illustration!) That could stir the attention of one who does not regularly attend church. Other examples: We certainly had fun at our church yesterday - Our church is planning to do a series of service projects in a couple of weeks - I heard the neatest song in our church this week - Do you get the idea?

Evangelism need not be a "confrontation." Evangelism need not be trying to convince someone to believe something they don't believe. Evangelism need not be arguing about Christianity with another person. Chatter evangelism - simply tell what is happening - simply tell what has touched your heart - Hey batta, hey batta, hey batta -

It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.