Warning. I’m ranting – so move along if you need to.
Somewhere, we decided that Halloween was bad – and we were going to offer an ‘alternative’ (that strangely looks just like Halloween huddled up on our parking lot.) And then we heartily pat ourselves on the back because 700 people show up for free candy and a dunking booth. We don’t get their names, We don’t REALLY meet them, because this time they’re actually wearing real ‘masks’. And somehow we think we have accomplished ministry. And we’ll do the same thing for our Christmas program, Easter pageant, and July 4th celebration.
Inviting them to spend time on our property is NOT enough – it doesn’t matter if we’re giving them candy corn or a worship bulletin. If Christians would actually leave the building, something amazing could happen every day – not just the days we’ve decided are worthy of letting the commoners come into the palace.
And when those ‘commoners’ (princes and princesses by the standard of One) do come into the palace, you better forge a relationship. You could be standing in the presence of royalty.
Everyone's Called to Youth Ministry 
Darren Sutton…you are so spot on. It is ALL about relationship…whether it’s a one day occurrence, a five minute occurrence in a line waiting with people somewhere, or it’s life long and life changing…Christ forged relationships everywhere HE WENT. He never sat back and waited for people to come to Him…HE WENT AND HE TOLD US TO GO. thanx for sharing this.