"Throw a dog" on the grill

Wondering what to do this summer to build more connections with people? Try inviting someone over and "throw a dog" on the grill. According to the Hearth, Patio, and BBQ Association, 1000 people were surveyed and asked what they would most likely discuss around the grill. The number topic they most likely will discuss is their neighborhood, family, and friends (39%). World news, politics, and sports (34%) were the next topics that they are most likely to discuss. What does this survey tell us? People are very open to building relationships and that church planters have an open door to establishing new relationships just by firing up the grill. Think about it, BBQ is about as American as you can get. People love to do it; there is something that people enjoy about "hanging around outside" amidst smoke and fire (sounds primitive doesn't it?). People also love it because it really isn't that expensive. 3 lbs of burger and 3 lbs. of hot dogs will cost you around $11-13, if you look for a good sale. Add in some chips, tea, buns, cupcakes, and condiments and you can pull off a BBQ for 12 people for probably less than $25 (get the wife to shop, she's more thrifty); now that's a pretty inexpensive outreach project. I don't think I will fully understand why people love and gravitate to food; but I do know that in ministry that if you bring out the food, it brings out the people. Just think about it; 12 people talking about life, thinking about life, and perhaps asking questions about life. Man, that's like Bass fishing in a freshly stocked pond. So, the next time your thinking about what you can do to reach out and connect to people, perhaps try cleaning and firing up the old Weber (or Char Fire), it might be the outreach answer your looking for. Try it, "throw a dog" on the grill and "be ready to give the hope for the reason that lies within you (1 Pet. 3:15)."