The High Pressure Sales Pitch

I know that on my commute, I see a lot of people. And while that means that I have a good opportunity to share God with others. But which is the more effective way to communicate His message - a high pressure sales pitch or a peaceful example?

I could sit next to you on the bus, loudly and adamantly informing you that you need God in your life today, that you need to be in a pew on Sunday morning, and that you must join a Bible study immediately. I could keep you cornered and tell you "Turn or burn!" It's possible that I could even take out my Bible and begin quoting scripture at you. But are you going to want anything to do with that crazy lady on the bus? Probably not. At best, you're a little annoyed and have a good rant about crazy bus people for your friends. At worst, you're no longer interested in anything to do with God or His crazy people.

The philosophy that I am more comfortable with applying is that of Francis of Assisi: "Preach the gospel often, and if necessary, use words. " I know that I'm more likely to be able to explain what I believe and why in a less threatening way if you ask me a question first. Another benefit of this approach is that you are left with more questions than when you asked me the first one. This opens the door to deeper exploration and explanation.

So why should I make you feel threatened by Christianity when God wants to show you His love through me? I didn't learn everything I know about God in a single, isolated conversation - the knowledge I possess has been gleaned over the course of my life. To pack that much information into a half hour conversation would put anyone new to faith on overload. I'm not saying that we should sugarcoat our beliefs or mislead people. I'm not saying that we don't need to teach new believers anything about the Bible or what it says, but we also need to share what God has done in our lives.

I encourage you to take that next step toward living your life the way that God wants us to live. And remember, your life may be someone else's first encounter with God.