Download John 4: 35-38 – “35 […] Do you not say, `There are yet four months

From Alpha to God
Preaching while discussing religion
Preaching while discussing religion
The how and why of discussing religion with non -believers
Some time ago I talked to a guy at a party about religion (let’s call him John for the sake of the example).
It was good to hear he was very interested in Christianity and religion in general, but he ‘just didn’t
believe in God.’ I think it is important to be aware of how you interact with people like John that are
interested in religion and are willing to listen to you arguments. They might drop out of interest when
you are too much like: “I’m a Christian and you should be one as well, so I’m going to try as hard as
possible to convert you.” Since being a light of the world is one of the reasons you are walking around
here I’d like to share with you how I think we should discuss and interact with non-believers.
There are lots and lots of ways to preach to people who are willing to listen. One way is shoving the
Gospel down peoples throat by knocking on every door in your street and use the language of the Bible
to tell people they are sinful and they need to repent, but as you may imagine that’s not the best way.
In my opinion it is way better as a Christian to think about your reasons to believe so that you can
defend your believe while arguing with people like John, rather than constantly having to say: ‘that’s
just what I believe’. This way you show that you are knowledgable about your own faith and that you
are not ignorant about the world around you, like many agnostics or atheists believe. That doesn’t
mean you should have an answer to everything, because people might want to try to set you up in
some way. And honestly it can give your mind peace when you sometimes admit that God is too big to
fit in your head. Another important aspect of preaching is (and this might sound counter-intuitive)
listening. Before you start to talk about the Gospel you might want to listen to them first. What are
their objections? Are they doubting, or are they sure about Gods non-existence? What is their story
and what did they go through that made them sceptical about God. These are all things you might
want to know about so you can make the conversation personal instead of rewinding a standardized
preaching tape.
You shouldn’t give them the impression that you are trying to convert them, but rather you are eager
to learn about their world view, objections, personal stories and so on and that you want to discuss
these matters in an open-minded manner. When you show that you are in discussion with the person
in front of you, you can really make it meaningful and mutually willing to understand each other.
Take a look at Paul, who visited Athens to preach to the Greek and other philosophers while he was
arguing with them.
Acts 17: 16-32 – 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the
devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to
be there. 18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with
him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He
seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus
and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus,
saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20
For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore
what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who
lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing
something new. (…) 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom
also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others
with them.
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From Alpha to God
Preaching while discussing religion
Notice how he knows about local poets and philosophers and quotes them. I really think that’s the way
to go, because then you show that you are not ignorant at all, but instead you are showing interest in
their poetry and philosophy as well. In our modern case this might include the big bang, micro- and
macroevolution, carbon dating, philosophy, psychology, but also Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and
everything else that may or may not belong to your personal world view. When you do that you can
argue with them because you can think of ways to refute their arguments, but you can also explain
why you are a Christian and not a Muslim, Jew or an ietsist.
Notice how the end of the chapters tells that some people (even Areopagites1) started following Paul.
He didn’t go from door to door and sticked his foot between the door when people slammed it shut.
He argued with them, showed them he knew about their culture and world view and testified telling
what he believed.
And don’t be bummed out by the fact that no-one seems to listen or that God doesn’t seem to work
in their hearts. Take a look at John 4, where Jesus talks about the ones who sow and the ones who
reap. We sow little seeds in people’s hearts when we talk about the Bible and Jesus. Some people
might not listen at all and the crows are ready to pick up the seeds and take them away. Others might
listen but don’t seem to do anything with it. You don’t know what God might do with those people
when they move on with their lives. Maybe He sends other people so they can tell about Jesus as well
and that way give some water to the young seeds. Maybe you are ‘lucky’ so to say and the one you are
talking to gets excited and starts to adapt Jesus in front of your eyes. In that case you are the one that
reaps, but who knows what was necessary to really turn that seed into a crop that was ready to reap.
Whatever stage the person is at it is always the Lord who makes plants grow.
John 4: 35-38 – “35 […] Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes
the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white
for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering
fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here
the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap
that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have
entered into their labor.””
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a member of the Areopagus, which was the council of elders of the city, like the Roman Senate.
(http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/athens-areopagus-mars-hill).
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