Tinkling glasses of lemonade, glistening rays of light, and the laughter of children in the evenings—these are the delicacies of life that drip with the sweetness of summer. There's something fascinating about this season. It's one that beckons us to break from the mold of everyday existence and enjoy freedom. We are compelled to spend time with those who love us for who we are and bask in the pleasure of living. As a result we travel, visit, see, do, spend, laugh, remember, reach out, and most importantly, grow.

Wouldn't it be nice if this were the kind of Christianity that we shared with non-believers? The summer kind of Christ-likeness, in which Christians reach out and share the flavor of God's Word, the glow of His life, and the laughter of His joy through real life interaction, asking nothing in return.

Love Thy Neighbor

Brian McLaren, pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in Spencerville, Md., and author of More Ready Than You Realize: Evangelism and Dance in the Postmodern Matrix said in an interview with Christianity Today.¹

"We [at our church] emphasize that to be a good member… we must get to know our neighbors. We say, throw parties. Have people over. Be nice to the children in your neighborhood. Be good people. Be good neighbors. That makes it easier to talk to people about your faith. …To me, part of the issue is how we can help Christians live such good lives that people want to ask questions. If people aren't asking the questions, and we're teaching Christians how to talk rather than walk, we might just be encouraging them to be obnoxious."

McLaren is referring to what some call "lifestyle evangelism." It isn't forceful or demanding; it's simply a way of life that is full of hope and open-armed with love.

John and Julie Majors of Little Rock, Ark., are an example of this kind of Christianity. They do a number of small services for their neighbors to show their genuine care for them. Julie takes meals to sick neighbors, throws baby showers, hands out candy on Valentine's Day (with brochures for FamilyLife's marriage conferences), and bakes goodies for new neighbors. John regularly mows the lawn for an elderly lady, exchanges tools with other men, and has taught one man how to fly fish.

"When we moved here four years ago, we chose a church nearby so we could invite people to go with us," says Julie, "but we've had more spiritual conversations in our driveway, even though we haven't invited anyone to church yet."

Together the Majors have also coordinated a neighborhood garage sale, hosted a weekly "Survivor" night (for fans of the popular television series), and are planning to put together a gathering for their cul-de-sac to celebrate the Fourth of July.

What John and Julie have done isn't hard. It's a matter of reaching out, making friends, and sharing life with others. How long has it been since you sat on the front porch to watch the sunset or took a walk just for the sake of seeing the neighborhood? "You've got to be outside to meet people," Julie says. "If you don't like gardening, water your weeds!"

Join Together

Another way to reach out during the summer months is to form groups of individuals in the church who desire to minister to the community. This could include volunteering at a neighborhood nursing home, orphanage, or soup kitchen; picking up litter from public parks and highways; playing basketball in the inner city; or writing letters to soldiers overseas.

Darla Coleman, of First Church of the Nazarene in Texarkana, Texas, started this kind of outreach through a sign language/lyrical movement team called "Hands of Praise." This group of young ladies performs at local churches and community events. "Everyone can't make the cheerleading team, but anyone can make this team if they desire to worship the Lord and grow spiritually," Darla says.

Since the group started two years ago, it has grown 10 times its original size. "Lives have been changed in a mighty way through this ministry," says Darla.