A Stone In the Shoe

Contributed by:
Natalie Ward
care ministries director

“A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”- Author Unknown

Be bold. Stand up. Be fearless. Be passionate. Speak truth. These are often terms that are taught as foundational when sharing the gospel with a non believer. Unfortunately, terms like aggressive, argumentative, pushy and persistent, though, are also associated with these kind of interactions. Many times Christians will engage in what ends up being a debate of theological positions, and then after silencing the non believer with a “blow to their position,” will wave the flag of victory after perceived or assumed defeat of their “opponent.” On the contrary, there has been no victory. Few, if any, individuals come to recognize the Lord as their Savior through an aggressive exchange of terminology and heated debate.

What if the Christian’s goal wasn’t to “win” the argument or debate but rather was just to engage in a conversation? What if the Christian’s goal wasn’t even to lead to the conversation about salvation or the work at the cross? What if the intent was just to get the opportunity that allowed the Christian to be on the offense in an inoffensive way with carefully selected questions that productively advanced the conversation?

This week Greg Koukl from Stand to Reason presented us with an approach that’s intent was to create ambassadors of Christ who take advantage of God given circumstances that allow us to enter into thoughtful and non threatening conversations. Instead of evangelists who intend to seal the deal and share the gospel in every situation, Koukl’s approach is to give the non believer something to think about...to walk away a little uncomfortable...to put a stone in their shoe.

Greg led us through what he referred to as the Columbo method. The first use of the Columbo method is to Gather Info. The intent behind this step is to find out the spiritual topography of the individual - what the person thinks - and to gain clarity regarding their claims. The key question to accomplish this would be “What do you mean by that?”. The second use of the Columbo method is to Reverse the Burden of Proof. The intent behind this step is to listen carefully - clarify the reasons for the person’s views - and ask questions, not with the desire to refute the individual’s position, but to make them defend their position. The question that could be asked for this use would be “How did you come to that conclusion?”.

During high school I was a passionate, bold and committed believer who desired the salvation of people around me. This excitement and passion often led to conversations that although had the right motivation and heart behind it - often became nothing more than a war of words and perspectives leaving me looking like I cared more about making the point than I did about the person. After maturing in my faith and experiencing more opportunities to engage in conversations with non believers - I have found that an approach such as the Columbo method resonates and aligns more with how God has called us to interact with one another. It also leads us into an engaging conversation that attempts to facilitate critical thinking in a productive and loving manner - while also preserving the relationship. Perhaps after considering what Koukl shared this last weekend during our Q series, regarding tactics for sharing your faith, you too will walk away with a stone in your shoe.

Questions:

1. Is there someone that you feel God has been leading you to discuss your faith with? What are the barriers that are holding you back?
2. What have been your tactics for sharing your faith with people around you in the past? What things could you or should you change in order to make a greater and more loving impact in their life?
3. What conversations have you engaged in or could you engage in where the Columbo method could have been/be useful?