Have you ever struggled in a conversation to make your Christian views known? Have you ever been tongue-tied when someone objects to belief in God because of the problem of evil or the exclusive claims of Christianity? Don’t be too hard on yourself. It can be difficult getting across all the aspects of a worldview as rich as Christianity, especially when you may not have had much training or practice.
However, there is a great book that can help you be an effective communicator when those providential opportunities to discuss your faith arise. The God Conversation, written by J.P. Moreland and Tim Muehlhoff, is a compact, easy to read collection of illustrations and stories that you can use to communicate the reasons for your faith in an effective way.
The authors note that illustrations are one of the prime ways important concepts have been passed on throughout history. It is the main method Jesus used in His teaching. And these stories remain memorable to both the sharer and the hearer.
The book has eleven chapters covering five major themes: the problem of evil, competing religious claims, the fact of the resurrection, morality and ethics, and the creation/evolution question. Each area looks at many of the common objections offered today and provides an illustration of why the Christian view makes sense. By using clear examples where most people would agree, the effectiveness of the stories is easily seen. But Moreland and Muhlhoff go beyond just the illustration as they provide the reader with extended discussion ideas and further develop the arguments.
I highly recommend The God Conversation, but not just for the evangelist or apologist. Facebook and social media today have made these kinds of interactions almost inevitable for every Christian who takes his or her faith seriously. By using stories such as these, you will find such engagements to be less contentious and more productive. And you may even learn a little bit more about your own faith in the process.
Related posts:
In Online Dialogs, Asking Questions is Crucial!
Top Ten Neglected books for Apologist
No comments:
Post a Comment