Copyright © 2012 by Gus Lloyd
All Rights Reserved.
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, © 1991, 1986, and 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. 20017 and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved.
No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Gus Lloyd
P.O. Box 340983
Tampa, FL 33694-0983
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – for example, electronic, photocopy, or recording – without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Cover design and layout by Nick France
Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com
ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0721-0
To Michelle,
the most Magnetic Christian I know.
Thank you for showing me the way to heaven every day.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A project like writing a book is much like giving birth. Though I have never actually given birth, I have been intimately involved in the process. There is a lot of prayer, hard work, sweat and hand wringing involved. In the end, all you can do is put it in God’s hands.
I start by thanking my bride, Michelle. After thirty-one plus years of marriage, we are still madly in love. Thank you for your patience and insights. I think we make a great team!
It is always great to work with talented people, and Nick France is among the most talented I have had the pleasure of working with. Nick, your keen eye, knowledge and love of the Lord has made for another fun journey.
When we have the chance to work with dear friends, it hardly seems like work at all. Jim Neal, one of my dearest friends, is a pro’s pro in the industry. He has shepherded me through the process of bringing a book to life for the second time. Jim, I am so proud to call you my friend. Next lunch is on me!
Thanks to my mom, Barbara Egts, and to two dear friends, Julie Musselman and Becky Zentmeyer, for their wisdom and expertise in helping to edit the book. I am honored to call you friends.
I am grateful to all the listeners of my radio show, Seize the Day on Sirius XM. I learn so much from being a part of such a great community each day.
Finally, to my children, Emily, Carly, Patrick and John. I hope that my fatherhood in some miniscule way mirrors that of your true Father. It’s cool that you all turned out so magnetic!
INTRODUCTION
Living out one’s faith is not an easy thing to do. I want to start this book by freely admitting that I am not always very good about sticking to the principles that I will talk about here. Like everyone, I have my share of foibles and follies. In fact, I probably have my share, your share and the shares of the bulk of the population of a large nation. But I take encouragement in my shortcomings, knowing that God still has plenty of work to do with me. If there is one thing I do well, it is keeping God busy!
For the past 25 years, I have been a Catholic evangelist. Now, to some, that may seem an oxymoron. Wait a minute, they’ll say. There’s no such thing as a Catholic evangelist. I remember a recent encounter I had with a woman in an airport. I was reading some Henri Nouwen on my Kindle. She was sitting next to me, flipping the pages of a bulky book. She looked over and asked me if I missed the feel of turning pages. (The answer is sometimes yes, sometimes no.) We struck up a conversation and she asked me what I do for a living. I told her I am a radio host and Catholic evangelist. At first she looked at me like I had three eyes. She crinkled her nose and said, “I didn’t know there was such a thing.” As God would have it, she was a wonderful Christian woman, very devoted to the Lord. We wound up having a very Spirit-filled conversation. She told me about some Catholic friends she has always admired and who had worked closely with her family in the pro-life movement. I told her they were Catholic evangelists, too!
Here is a brief synopsis of my faith story: I was raised Catholic, fell away from any faith in my late teens, then gave my life to Christ in my mid-to-late twenties. My wife, Michelle, and I began to worship at a non-denominational church. I read the Bible voraciously and grew strong in my faith. Then Michelle and I decided to look into the Catholic Church, which is where we both grew up. We rediscovered our Catholic faith and have been practicing since.
The reason I share this is to let you know that I have been on both sides of what some see as a great divide. It is part of my mission in life to help bridge this divide. While I am Catholic, many of my dearest friends are Protestant. For most people, this is no big deal. But there is a segment of the Christian population out there that does not believe that Catholics are Christian. While I understand that many of these people are well intentioned, they are dead wrong. Catholics are Christians!
Are there theological differences? Yes. There are arguments for and against each. In this book, I want nothing to do with the differences. Rather, I want to reflect on something that we hold dearly in common: the need to transform the culture. More and more people are walking away from any relationship with God. Watching Christians bicker with one another is something that I believe helps push people away. How will people see Christ in us when we can’t even seem to see Christ in one another? My prayer is that, wherever you worship, you will be able to grow in faith and grace and help bring others to know the One that has changed your life and will change theirs forever.
Believe it or not, all Christians are evangelists. At least, we’re supposed to be. We are called to fulfill the Great Commission given by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Here’s Big Mistake #1 that too many Christians make: they think that Jesus’ command to make disciples (evangelize) is reserved only for priests and pastors and deacons and brothers and sisters and bishops and the pope and people who work for the Church. WRONG! While the clergy and religious have a special role to play in the Church and in the world, there are countless souls who may never even be exposed to one. Others may even look on them with indifference at best, and disdain at worst.
No, the real work of building up the Kingdom of God begins with me and you.
Now, I don’t mean to scare you off, but I must let you know that the world is watching us. This is happening whether we like it or not, whether we accept the responsibility or not. How many times have you heard a sports star say, “I don’t want to be a role model.” Well, whether they want to or not, they are. Kids listen to what they say, watch what they do and want to imitate them.
The same is true of you when you profess to be a Christian. You may not stand on street corners and shout about your religion. You may not quote the Bible or even feel comfortable praying in public, aside from church on Sunday. You may not even mention your faith to anyone. But people know. At least, they should know. By the way you speak and the way you conduct yourself, your words and actions should give you away.
Well, that’s all fine and good,