OVERLAND PARK, KS — Brett Halpern, 36, a project manager and member of Ridgewood Community Church, told his small group leader eleven days ago that he would “definitely pray about it” before making a decision about volunteering for the men’s retreat planning committee. He has not prayed about it. He has not thought about it. He has done nothing.

Halpern confirmed to reporters that the phrase left his mouth “automatically, like a reflex,” and that he was already thinking about dinner by the time the conversation ended. “I said I’d pray about it the same way you tell a waiter the food is great before you’ve tasted it,” Halpern admitted. “It just comes out.”

His wife, Kristin, 34, confirmed that Brett has used the phrase at least fourteen times since January, covering topics ranging from switching insurance providers to whether they should get a dog. “He has prayed about zero of those things,” she said. “He did google ‘best dogs for families’ at midnight, which I suppose is a kind of seeking.”

“I genuinely intended to pray about it. But then I got in the car and a really good podcast came on, and by the time I got home I had moved on emotionally.”

Small group leader Nathan Ware, 42, told reporters he has learned to interpret the phrase contextually. “If someone says ‘I’ll pray about it’ while making direct eye contact and nodding slowly, there’s a 15% chance they mean it,” Ware said. “If they say it while reaching for their coat, it’s a no.”

Halpern said he plans to actually pray about it this weekend, a commitment he made while putting on his jacket and backing toward the door.

At press time, Halpern had texted Ware “still praying about it — want to be really intentional” from the drive-through lane at Chick-fil-A.