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Trying to walk the talk. God spreads His word and make Himself known like in the parable of the sower. The seed is the Word and the soil is the human heart. The seed will only grow if the heart is ready. Action with compassion will move the human heart than just mere words. When people I know are suffering, I try to pray for them, give encouragement and tell them to put their hope and trust in the Lord.
As to atheists etc, i try to engage them in conversation. It is interesting topic and they like to debate. Sometimes it seems useless since the soil is not ready, but at least I planted a seed in them.
As to atheists etc, i try to engage them in conversation. It is interesting topic and they like to debate. Sometimes it seems useless since the soil is not ready, but at least I planted a seed in them.
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M
i was on another forum. mix of denoms. lots of catholics too.
a catholic woman who was a very smart lady was active in her parish including music ministry.
But....she admitted one day to us ........she did not believe that Jesus was the son of God. Her faith had become zero.
I tried to help. but im not skilled at evangelising. I look back on that time now with regret. she wanted answers.
i suggested c s lewis but she thought his writing was nonsense.
i think she needed a very intellectual Christian to help her. Because she was an academic herself. A Math whiz.
maybe she was too smart for her own good. Too scientific? too mathematical?
to have faith you need to think less and access the artistic side of your brain. in my slightly humble opinion.
anyway sad i couldnt help that sharp woman.
a catholic woman who was a very smart lady was active in her parish including music ministry.
But....she admitted one day to us ........she did not believe that Jesus was the son of God. Her faith had become zero.
I tried to help. but im not skilled at evangelising. I look back on that time now with regret. she wanted answers.
i suggested c s lewis but she thought his writing was nonsense.
i think she needed a very intellectual Christian to help her. Because she was an academic herself. A Math whiz.
maybe she was too smart for her own good. Too scientific? too mathematical?
to have faith you need to think less and access the artistic side of your brain. in my slightly humble opinion.
anyway sad i couldnt help that sharp woman.
Hello @morefaithrequired, with atheists, in particular, who typically believe that they are intellectually superior to others (and especially so to all of us ninnies and yahoos who chose to become Christians 
), I like to ask questions that will (hopefully) get them to think through what I'm trying to get them to understand about God and/or the faith, so that they can come to their own conclusions (I believe this may be referred to by some as the Socratic method of teaching).
While they still end up getting angry/frustrated some of the time, hey, at least they can't be quite as upset with me as they may have otherwise been (since they reached their own conclusions all by themselves). If you'd really like to pursue this method of evangelism (and even apologetics and witnessing), I'd highly recommend reading this book, Tactics, A Game Plan For Discussing Your Christian Convictions.
That, or I just grab the pulpit Bible, sneak up behind my quarry, and then I wack them over the head with it. Then, as they start start to wake up, I tell them the Gospel before they become conscious enough to run away again
~Deut
), I like to ask questions that will (hopefully) get them to think through what I'm trying to get them to understand about God and/or the faith, so that they can come to their own conclusions (I believe this may be referred to by some as the Socratic method of teaching).While they still end up getting angry/frustrated some of the time, hey, at least they can't be quite as upset with me as they may have otherwise been (since they reached their own conclusions all by themselves
). If you'd really like to pursue this method of evangelism (and even apologetics and witnessing), I'd highly recommend reading this book, Tactics, A Game Plan For Discussing Your Christian Convictions.That, or I just grab the pulpit Bible, sneak up behind my quarry, and then I wack them over the head with it. Then, as they start start to wake up, I tell them the Gospel before they become conscious enough to run away again
~Deut
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Hello again @morefaithrequired, one last thing about witnessing, evangelism and/or apologetics that I've found useful, always be honest. IOW, if you don't know or you are not sure of the answer(s) to their questions, tell them that plainly (after all, most Christians are not theologians, priests or pastors).
You might tell them something like this, "hey, that's a GREAT question, one that I'd like to know the answer to myself, so I'll find out what it is from my priest and get back to you as soon as I do, if that's ok with you?"
And if they agree (and they probably will since you've been so honest with them), that means that you'll have a second chance to talk to them about Jesus .. and that with their permission
~Deut
You might tell them something like this, "hey, that's a GREAT question, one that I'd like to know the answer to myself, so I'll find out what it is from my priest and get back to you as soon as I do, if that's ok with you?"
And if they agree (and they probably will since you've been so honest with them
), that means that you'll have a second chance to talk to them about Jesus .. and that with their permission ~Deut
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M
Hello @morefaithrequired, with atheists, in particular, who typically believe that they are intellectually superior to others (and especially so to all of us ninnies and yahoos who chose to become Christians ), I like to ask questions that will (hopefully) get them to think through what I'm trying to get them to understand about God and/or the faith, so that they can come to their own conclusions (I believe this may be referred to by some as the Socratic method of teaching).
While they still end up getting angry/frustrated some of the time, hey, at least they can't be quite as upset with me as they may have otherwise been (since they reached their own conclusions all by themselves). If you'd really like to pursue this method of evangelism (and even apologetics and witnessing), I'd highly recommend reading this book, Tactics, A Game Plan For Discussing Your Christian Convictions.
That, or I just grab the pulpit Bible, sneak up behind my quarry, and then I wack them over the head with it. Then, as they start start to wake up, I tell them the Gospel before they become conscious enough to run away again
~Deut
), I like to ask questions that will (hopefully) get them to think through what I'm trying to get them to understand about God and/or the faith, so that they can come to their own conclusions (I believe this may be referred to by some as the Socratic method of teaching).While they still end up getting angry/frustrated some of the time, hey, at least they can't be quite as upset with me as they may have otherwise been (since they reached their own conclusions all by themselves
). If you'd really like to pursue this method of evangelism (and even apologetics and witnessing), I'd highly recommend reading this book, Tactics, A Game Plan For Discussing Your Christian Convictions.That, or I just grab the pulpit Bible, sneak up behind my quarry, and then I wack them over the head with it. Then, as they start start to wake up, I tell them the Gospel before they become conscious enough to run away again
~Deut
T
A lot of atheists are atheists because they think God is not just or merciful, so it is easier to think there is no God at all. Their issue is mostly about the nature of God. Usually, if you tell them about God, they quickly respond, if there is a God why do people suffer/why would God send people to hell/etc. Our Christian responses are not logical for them. They have experienced hardships and did not experience God during trouble, so they are bitter. Just be kind to atheists, I would be open to discussion if they started it.
People know when they are being loved despite themselves. Sometimes the best witnesses is to love on someone. Christ will use that to break their hearts. You can't talk someone around to faith. God purposely, it seems, made the gospel a ridiculous story. We can't "prove" anything. I remember years ago, volunteering at a street church. I was talking to one young girl who'd become a Christian. She was practically raised in biker club houses and had a really rough life. I asked her why she believed that Christ was who he said he was and that he could do what he said. She looked at me, paused, smiled and said, "Because it is the truth". The Holy Spirit had put that determination and revelation in her heart.
The other story is about me. I grew up in the church and I believed but there was an emptiness. You could not have argued with me because I didn't know what was wrong. To my own mind I didn't do any obvious bad things. I had responded to the call to accept Christ into my heart and was baptized. I attended church etc. The mistake was that telling people to accept him is not enough. In my teens my family and I moved across the country and I was miserable. We ended up at a small church with only a handful of young people. It was very homespun with no real programs except bible study on Friday nights, but here is the thing. These people loved each other and they loved me. It broke my heart. No words could have done that. I learned about the lordship of Christ. You don't let him into a corner of your heart. You bend your knee and give over your life. Their love showed me this in action. Living the love and Christ and giving it to someone, not for doing what you say, but because it is a reflection of the change in your own heart, is the gospel lived out loud.
That is how you share with a church person, an atheist, or anyone else. You have to love on them with a love that the world does not give. The Holy Spirit will do the heavy lifting. My thoughts.
The other story is about me. I grew up in the church and I believed but there was an emptiness. You could not have argued with me because I didn't know what was wrong. To my own mind I didn't do any obvious bad things. I had responded to the call to accept Christ into my heart and was baptized. I attended church etc. The mistake was that telling people to accept him is not enough. In my teens my family and I moved across the country and I was miserable. We ended up at a small church with only a handful of young people. It was very homespun with no real programs except bible study on Friday nights, but here is the thing. These people loved each other and they loved me. It broke my heart. No words could have done that. I learned about the lordship of Christ. You don't let him into a corner of your heart. You bend your knee and give over your life. Their love showed me this in action. Living the love and Christ and giving it to someone, not for doing what you say, but because it is a reflection of the change in your own heart, is the gospel lived out loud.
That is how you share with a church person, an atheist, or anyone else. You have to love on them with a love that the world does not give. The Holy Spirit will do the heavy lifting. My thoughts.
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