It’s time to start planning for Christmas. Not for decorations and presents, but about which friend, coworker, neighbor, or family member you and I are going to invite to church.

You see, Christmas is one of two times (Easter is the other) when some people are open to the idea of walking into a church. So start strategizing! However, as you think about which person (which people) you’ll invite, make sure that your actions and attitude make it easier for an invitation to be well-received. 

If you don’t talk to your neighbors for ten months and then hand them an invitation, they might question your sincerity. If you’re crabby at work, a sudden, “Hey! Want to come to church with me?” might make it seem like Jesus hasn’t made a difference in your life. If you’re quick to judge, they may think God doesn’t want them in his house either. 

However, when you’re full of compassion, kindness, and can speak the truth in love, you offer a respite from the world. When you share that even when you are weak, you are strong, you are testifying to the power of Jesus in your life. When you open your home, make meals, and genuinely celebrate or mourn with them, you “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10).

Time to start planning.