1. 'Tis the season to evangelize

Years ago, when Weblog was an intern in D.C., he was sitting in Union Station awaiting a train home. It was the end of the summer, and a youth ministry conference was going on just miles away. A young woman walked up to the bench and awkwardly began a conversation. Weblog had seen this before and knew what was coming—a gospel invitation. Unfortunately, the girl was so nervous she could barely converse, much less share the gospel. So Weblog was able to do some Barnabas ministry, comforting the young woman who was sent to Union Station and told to preach the gospel to a specified number of non-Christians. Weblog felt sorry for her, having been in similar pressure situations in which a conference leader exhorted attendees to head out to the streets and preach the gospel. Christians shouldn't be ashamed to walk up to strangers and tell them why they're going to hell, after all this is eternity we're talking about.

Turns out, it's a late summer ritual, and missionary trips to the city are going on across the country. The New York Times says, "If it is summer in New York, it is high season for visiting missionaries, whose numbers have swelled greatly in recent years, according to the leaders of several mission groups. That is not only because of the growing pull of evangelical churches, but also because of New York's appeal as a challenging landscape for young evangelicals."

Street preachers are out in force in Dallas-Fort Worth, though it turns out they're not so welcome. And smaller festivals are attracting youth in Middle America, while on the West Coast masses are filling Angel Stadium.

2. Indonesia waits on execution of Christians

The AP reports, "The delay, early on Saturday, ...