The struggle for most of us isn’t whether we should talk to people about Jesus but how. We picture sharing our faith as a memorised script we deliver, a performance we are more than likely to make a mess of and so we say nothing at all. However, Pippert in her book, “Out of the Saltshaker” offers something far more freeing.
It begins with a change of our attitude toward people. Our attitude, which communicates just as much as our words do, must be shaped by a profound biblical truth: that God’s image in people, however marred, is stamped in each one of us. This means every person we interact with bears his image. In Jesus’ words, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me” (Matthew 25:40 – NLT).
Jesus wants us to see our neighbours next door, the people where we work and study, people next to us on a train, bus or plane are precious and sacred to God. Jesus wants us to see through the protective armour they wear to uncover their needs, desires, isolation and longings and he wants to give us the courage to reach out to them. Never assume people are as they appear. All of us are broken. Our message is not that we have it all together but that we know Someone who does! Instead of assuming that a person is closed to God, walk into a conversation genuinely curious and take people seriously – their questions, their doubts, their objections – because we believe the gospel can stand up to honest scrutiny.
Pippert is often asked what she does for a living. She continues, “You might think I’d try to hide the fact that one of the books I’ve written is on the topic of evangelism. It is quite the opposite. Often, I respond by asking, ‘Have you ever been offended or buttonholed by Christians trying to share their faith with you?’ That’s all I have to say. Everyone seems eager to share a war story. Once they discover I’ve written a book that examines how to communicate the Christian faith more effectively, I usually ask them, ‘How do you share your deepest convictions with others, without betraying your beliefs yet without seeming intolerant or arrogant?’ That nearly aways opens the door to a provocative discussion of faith”.
It is a natural and brilliant use of a question. We don’t need to manufacture spiritual conversations. We need to listen well in the ones already happening, trusting that genuine curiosity, paired with genuine respect and conviction open doors arguments never could. As Pippert rightly points out, ‘We get into trouble when we feel it’s up to us to defend God and prove by our own wits and wisdom that we are right and they are wrong … we may be winning and forgetting the purpose of evangelism: to introduce the gospel to our hearers in the confidence of God’s power to convert”.
Have a go in the next few weeks. In your next conversation, resist the urge to fix or explain right away. Seek to connect with the person instead, by asking questions based on their answers and see what doors God opens!
Learning to fish for people!
Mark Ng
Recent Comments