On a recent thread on the Forming Intentional Disciples Forum, Sherry Weddell (author of the work Forming Intentional Disciples) clarified that posts related to cats could be posted if they related to evangelization. In a moment of inspiration, I decided this was a moment to ask a somewhat bizarre question, “Do cat videos relate to evangelization?” The answer may not seem as simple as you might think.

Before someone can hear the Gospel and enter into relationship with Jesus Christ, a connection must be formed between that person and someone who professes to know Jesus Christ. In terms of Sherry Weddell’s work, the first step in conversion is a relationship of trust. It is precisely when trust is formed that one is able to then have the strength to ask the deeper questions, and ultimately to seek the deeper answers.

So the answer to the question, is yes, cat videos have a place in evangelization. In fact, there is a whole gamut of items that constitute the human experience which must be put at the service of forming relationships. Relationships are often grounded in those things on the surface which seem to be insignificant. In the space of “doing nothing,” we often bond with people in ways that go beyond concepts and ideas, and in a gentle way connect to a world that is constantly moving us beyond our limited perceptions.

Thus, the serious Christian must take time to be less than serious. Play, humor, and other trivial aspects of the human experience are not simply side-effects that the saint acknowledges at a distance. The saint committed to evangelization must learn to engage these often mundane details with a sense of curiosity and exploration.

Before we connect on the profound parts of life, we must learn to connect on the less than profound. Let us make time for cat videos, silly memes, and all those things in life which allow us to laugh at ourselves and this strange world we have been given.