It's been a week.

For a while now, we've been saying we need to run social media ads for our new As It Is In Heaven hat. We love the hat, we know it'll sell (I think it might actually be Ben's favourite thing we've ever made), and we know ads put it in front of people who would never normally see our posts.

And they work. The orders have been coming in.

But ads don't just attract customers, they also attract trolls.

Most of the comments are easy enough to ignore. Some we laugh at, some we reply to with kindness. But one comment stopped me in my tracks.

"Profiting from the Lord's name. Just like Jesus would have wanted."

That one hit me like a sucker punch. Right to the gut.

Because nothing would break me or fill me with more shame than knowing I'd betrayed the kindness Jesus has shown me by using His name for personal gain.

I went to ground with the question: Should we be doing this?
I went to prayer: Jesus, say the word, and we'll shut it all down.

But as I prayed and reflected, I was reminded of why we started this brand in the first place. This is our postmodern response to Jesus' call to make disciples.

It might sound simple (trust me, it does as I type it), but a hat, a T-shirt, or a hoodie can become a non-threatening invitation for someone to start a conversation in a way other methods often can't. Asking, "Hey, what does As It Is In Heaven mean?" is initiated by the very person you hope to connect with, and it feels like a natural, easy way to talk about Jesus.

Sure, that conversation isn't the destination. It's not the gospel in itself, but it is an open door where there might not have been one otherwise.

It has always been our vision to create apparel that Kingdom people can wear with pride, declare into the world, and use to invite conversations with others.

And I know this works because it happened to us recently with this very hat.

We were at home packing orders when a visiting family member noticed one sitting on the bench.

"As it is in heaven... I know those words. I used to pray them as a kid."

The conversation went on to prayer and the significance of Jesus modelling those words.

No hat = No conversation.

We weren't even wearing it. It was just sitting there.

That conversation won't be the end of their story, just another step in their journey of discovering Jesus for themselves. But we're grateful something as simple as a hat we created could play a part.

That's why we'll keep designing Christian apparel.

That's why we'll keep running ads.

Even if the trolls come too.

And as for the "profit"...

Does anyone start a Christian clothing brand because it's the easiest way to make money? Definitely not us.

We run too many sales and give away too much for free. If maximising profit were our goal, we'd make very different decisions.

No, profit has never been the mission.

The mission has always been, and will always be, to clothe a generation in the words and illustrations of Scripture.

If, by God's grace, a hat or a T-shirt becomes the beginning of one more conversation about Jesus...

Then every troll in the comments is a price we're willing to pay.