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What do you think of when you hear the word "evangelism"? If you're anything like me, a whole lot more negative images pop into your mind then positive ones... I think of being outside Qwest Field before a Seahawks game and seeing a man wearing an "Are You Going to Hell?" sign. Or the times I curiously stopped the TV clicker on TBN and got an ear full of how I can experience God's salvation and healing if I send in my 20 bucks... or say the right prayer... or buy blessed holy water from the Promise Land...

Of course these are extreme negative examples of so called "evangelism". And I'm guessing that you'd agree that Jesus had something entirely different in mind when He said "Go and make disciples..." (Matthew 28:19)

While we all know that sharing our faith is something we should do, why is it it that when it comes down to it, we usually avoid evangelism?

In his book "AKA: Lost", Jim Henderson asks similar questions. "If the gospel really is good news... why is 'witnessing' often a negative experience, for both the sender and receiver? Wouldn't it be great if you could communicate the good news without having to become a spiritual salesperson?"

Check it out.

Wonder... That's the word that comes to mind when I think of our little boy, Micah. Remember when everything was strange and wonderful? When your world was growing by the hour everyday?
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It's been a lot of fun watching Micah explore his little world (which is much bigger then he knows). Everyday he seems to discover something new. His fingers... A flower... Doors that open and close... Carpet... Wind (as I blow in his face)... The neighborhood cats... Things that are really cold (like ice cream)...
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We just recently took him to the ocean. It was all new to him. All of it. The sand. The waves. Crabs and barnacles. The sounds and smells. All of it was new.
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I remember the first time he walked in grass with no shoes or socks on. He was so perplexed by the green stuff tickling his feet. He would take a step and then look at me and smile. Then slowly do it again and again. Later, he would press his hand into it, squishing it down, and then pull his hand up, watching the blades slowly rise. Then he discovered that you could pull up the grass and watch it fall to the ground. I loved watching him. I loved seeing his amazement. His little expression kept saying, "My Mommy and Daddy's carpet doesn't do this!"
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In that moment I was reminded that grass actually is pretty cool. And in other moments, Micah's reminded me that cats really are strange and wonderful creatures, as they purr and hunt and have claws that retract. And he's reminded me that the ability to make noises with your voice and to shape them into words with your mouth, to speak, is quite amazing.
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Remember when you were first discovering all of it? When it was all new and no one had to convince you how wonderful, how full of wonder, it all really is?
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Jesus thank you for creating this world in which we live and work and play and create. May we never loose our sense of wonder at it all, and in our wonder, find ourselves thanking and worshipping you, the Master Creator.