Got Questions?
We all do. That’s why, for the next several weeks on Wednesday nights
at the Vineyard, we will be addressing many of the most common asked
questions people have when it comes to life and God issues.
Jesus says to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you hold to my
teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth
and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32.
Aren’t we all looking for the truth? Jesus says the truth will set us
free. Truth is freedom.
Our desire as believers of Christ is to share that good news (gospel)
with others….to bring them with us in discovering freedom. I think as
Christians, we sometimes struggle with how best to share the gospel.
Of course, our lives are the best example. To “live out” the life
Christ has called us to means to love the Lord God above all, and then
to love our neighbor as ourselves.
But how do we PRO-actively share Christ? How do we engage in
lifestyle evangelism? How do we move beyond barriers that keep us to
ourselves? Can we push away from the intimidation that says we
“should know everything” in order to share the gospel?
YES, we can!
That’s what Wednesday nights are all about from now through the end of
March.
Jon Strain, Area
Director for Search Ministries, is helping us find answers to the
“Most Commonly Asked Questions.” As a Search staff member, Jon helps
people engage in lifestyle evangelism and discipleship through
modeling, equipping and mobilizing them in their natural spheres of
influence – such as homes, work, and places of recreation. The
highest return is from leading “Open Forums,” where he mobilizes
believers to create and host a safe place for people of all beliefs to
have friendly discussion about significant life and God issues.
I spent some time with Jon this week
and asked him to fill us in on his passion for truth, and how best to
share it.
(Tempe McFarlane) First of all Jon, tell
us a little bit about yourself.
(Jon Strain) I’ll
answer that with reference to the topics I’m covering on Wednesday
nights. To start, you must know that I was dropped off a table when I
was an infant and didn’t speak at all until I was two years old. Family
members were convinced that there was something wrong with me. After a
rocky start, I was just an average student through high school, doing
just enough to be respectable. Then I met Christ.
When I became a
Christian the summer between high school and college, I found a new
motivation for life and hunger for truth. I began to devour the Bible
and desired very much to be able to share the message that was changing
my life forever. Sharing was awkward and difficult. However, the
Campus Crusade staff modeled relevant and effective evangelism on
campus, equipped me to do likewise, and pointed me to helpful resources
for defending my faith in a fairly hostile environment.
I have never been a
candidate to be a rocket scientist, but I began to cultivate the skills
of thinking, listening, writing, and speaking. I began to wrestle with
hard questions people were asking on campus. As you know, Idaho State
University is the “Harvard of the intermountain region” (Tempe, why are
you laughing?) and I had to learn to stand on my own feet with reference
to my faith. Though intimidated at times, I observed people in the
halls of academia playing fast and loose with things I found to be
credible by any reasonable standard.
For example…
For example, one day
a professor blew up in front of the class about a paper I wrote on the
uniqueness of Jesus and His claim to be God. Strangely, he emotionally
reacted to the paper without specific rebuttal of the evidence. “Why so
emotional?” I thought. A personal conversation after class left me with
the impression that it was easier to just intimidate the freshman.
Writing a similar
paper for another class, another English instructor commented to me that
C.S. Lewis wouldn’t say what I directly quoted him saying - that
Jesus claimed to be God. Though there was a footnote for her to verify
it for herself, I offered to bring my copy of Mere Christianity
to show her in person, the statement in context. I must admit that I
was staggered by the ignorance of this English instructor about a
literary giant like C.S. Lewis, and her unwillingness to verify
the footnote. (Actually she had nothing to gain and probably didn’t
want to lose face to a college freshman.) I was not only introduced to
the intellectual barrier, but the emotional and volitional barriers that
keep people from credible faith.
From campus ministry, pastoring a church,
and simply sharing the gospel in everyday life, you’ve learned some
things over the years about preparing people for sharing their faith.
How would you summarize what you’ve learned?
I would summarize it
as the “1-2-3’s” of evangelism. Begin with one because every “one”
matters to God. There are two underlying principles: Evangelism is a
process (be patient) and God is responsible for the results (relax!).
I mentioned three barriers. The emotional barrier is overcome through
loving, trusting relationships; the intellectual barrier is overcome by
being prepared to give honest answers to honest questions; and the
volitional (will) barrier is overcome by prayer. I can love people,
prepare to answer their questions, and pray for them. YOU can too.
There must be many questions that we
should prepare to answer. How can the average person possibly be
prepared to answer them all?
Actually, there are
only about twelve that come up again and again. I’m not kidding.
Recently, I was on a flight from Dallas, engaged in a discussion with a
man about spiritual things. I was telling him that in our Open Forums,
we typically hear about a dozen questions come up, 90% of the time.
Less than two hours later, I realized that our discussion (at his
prompting) had explored 9 of 12. I pulled a resource book out and
showed him the table of contents, checking off the questions he had
brought up. We both were amazed, but he more than I. I find that it’s
reasonable for believers to “auger in” on these twelve questions. This
is very helpful to their faith, plus prepares them to dialogue with
those who are seeking or skeptical. Wednesday evenings will explore
these in a very logical order.
Do you have a list of the subject titles
and their dates?
Yes I do.
