Christians can learn to say the right thing at the right time when it comes to evangelism.
When someone says, “Well, I don’t understand how you can say ‘God loves us’ when the world is in such a mess,” there are six possible responses from Christians:
1. Launch into an earnest sermonette on the existence of God. [apologetics]
2. Mumble an ambivalent argument and change the subject. [mumble]
3. Zero in on the real issue: the reality of original sin. [apologetics]
4. Speak slowly and loudly on the blessing of justification,
sanctification and the glorification of the Christian.
Talk down to them. [religious language]
*5. Ask about “the mess.” Where is this person’s unhappiness
with the messy world? Listen for hints or confessions
of an inner, personal mess.
*6. Just keep listening as the person continues.
The last two are the best responses. Most people acknowledge the need for sensitivity, listening skills, and seek to apply the gospel to a person’s need or hurt. Information is not what people usually look for first when they are hurting, vulnerable, or sharing feelings, and defending the facts of faith can actually kill the conversation. In the distrustful and skeptical hearts of people today, religious reasoning is rarely the starting point of a spiritual journey. [above used 8/24/97]
James Engel offers a summary of the process of a person’s heart becoming good soil for the seed of God’s Word. It can help Christians be insightful.
-10 Awareness of the supernatural.
– 9 No effective knowledge of Christianity.
– 8 Initial awareness of Christianity.
– 7 Interest in Christianity.
– 6 Awareness of the basic facts of the gospel.
– 5 Grasp of the implications of the gospel.
– 4 Positive attitude to the gospel.
– 3 Awareness of personal need.
– 2 Challenge and decision to act.
– 1 Repentance and faith.
0 A new disciple is born.
A. Grace opens the door for truth.
B. Evangelists must “know the soil.”
C. Be patient.
D. People need to hear the same words in a fresh way.
Many are inoculated to the gospel and don’t really listen.
Just as sitting in a garage doesn’t make one a car, so sitting in
a church doesn’t make one a Christian.