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Tactics A GAME PLAN FOR DISCUSSING YOUR CHRISTIAN CONVICTIONS

Tactics A GAME PLAN FOR DISCUSSING YOUR CHRISTIAN CONVICTIONS. Paperback:  208 pages Publisher: Zondervan; 2009 Language:  English ISBN-10: 0310282926.

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Tactics A GAME PLAN FOR DISCUSSING YOUR CHRISTIAN CONVICTIONS

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  1. TacticsA GAME PLAN FOR DISCUSSING YOUR CHRISTIAN CONVICTIONS Paperback: 208 pages Publisher:Zondervan; 2009 Language: English ISBN-10:0310282926 …but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:15

  2. Road Map • Part One: The Game Plan • Diplomacy or D-Day? • Reservations • The Columbo Tactic • First: Getting in the Driver’s Seat • Second: The Burden of Proof • Third: Using Columbo to Lead • Last: Perfecting Columbo • Part Two: Finding the Flaws • Suicide: Views that Self-Destruct • Practical Suicide • Sibling Rivalry & Infanticide • Taking the Roof Off • Steamroller • Rhodes Scholar • Just the Facts, Ma’am • More Sweat, Less Blood

  3. Apologetics • Miriam-Webster: • a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity

  4. Diplomacy or D-Day? • Matthew 10:16 • I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents andinnocent as doves • Ambassador Model • More friendly curiosity & relaxed diplomacy • Less confrontation • The witch in Wisconsin • Pg 20-23

  5. The Witch in Wisconsin • Two Things • Thing One: No anxiety, no awekwardness, no confrontation, no defensiveness, and no discomfort. • Thing Two: He was in complete control of the conversation • Seven Questions: • Does that star have religious significance or is it just jewelry? • So you’re Wiccan? • If you respect all life, then I suppose you’re pro-life on the abortion issue? • Do you mean women should have the choice to kill their own babies? • Shouldn’t we stop others from killing their babies? • Do you mean that women should have the choice to kill their own babies? • What kind of considerations would make it all right to kill a baby? • In your view, it seems, I should have the liberty to kill a child conceived as a result of incest. Is that right?

  6. Pg28: • You don’t have to be frightened of the truth or of the adversaries. Take your time, do your homework, think through the iddues. If Christianity is the truth, no matter how convincing the other sidee sounds at first, there will always be a fly in the ointment somewhere – a mistake in thinking, a wayward ‘fact,’ an unjustified conclusion. Koop looking for it. Sooner or later it will show up. Many times the right tactic will help you discover that flaw and show it for the error it is.

  7. Reservations • If anyone in the discussion gets angry, you lose. • II Timothy 2:24-25: • . . .the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents, with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.

  8. Pg 37: • We can be confident that every time we engage, we have an ally. Our job is to communicate the gospel as clearly, graciously and persuasively as possible. God’s job is to take it from there. We may plant the seeds or water the saplings, but God causes whatever increase comes from our efforts. • We are not in this alone. Yes, each of us has an important role to play, but all the pressure is on the Lord. Sharing the gospel is our task, but it’s God’s problem. • Some will respond, and some will not. The results are his concern, not mine.

  9. Pg 38: • It may surprise you to hear this, but I never set out to convert anyone. My aim is never to win someone to Christ. I have a more modest goal, one you might consider adopting as your own. All I want to do is put a stone in someone’s shoe. I want to give him something worth thinking about, something he can’t ignore because it continues to poke at him in a good way.

  10. 7 Great Witnessing Verses • All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Rom 3:23) • For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 6:23) • I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3) • I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) • If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9) • And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again. (II Cor 5:15) • Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20)

  11. Getting in the Driver’s SeatThe Columbo Tactic • You’re sitting at the car dealer, watching TV, and waiting with other customers for your car to be serviced. A TV news program highlights religious groups trying to influence important moral legislation. The person sitting next to you says, ‘Haven’t these people ever heard of separation of church and state? Those Christians are always trying to force their views on everyone else. You can’t legislate morality. Why don’t they just leave the rest of us alone?’ Other people are listening, and you don’t want to create a scene, but you feel you must say something. What’s your next move?

  12. Getting in the Driver’s SeatThe Columbo Tactic • 10-second window • First: Say something within the next ten seconds • Second: Be sensitive, keeping the peace, preserving friendships

  13. Getting in the Driver’s SeatThe Columbo Tactic • Read top of pg 45 for his response to the service station guy • First: Ask questions • Draw them out, invite them to talk more about what they think • Second: Invite (through questions) thoughtful dialogue • Tone is relaxed, but questions are pointed enough to challenge the person to give thought to what he/she said • Third: Have a purpose for each question • Some questions gather information • ‘do you vote?’ • Some are subtly leading • ‘when you vote for someone, are you expecting them to pass laws reflecting your own point of view? • ‘wouldn’t that be essentially forcing your views on others?’

  14. Getting in the Driver’s SeatThe Columbo Tactic • Three Questions • 1. What do you mean by that? • WHAT • 2. How did you come to that conclusion? • WHY • 3. Just one more thing. . .have you considered. . .? • Or: Can you clear this up for me. . .? • Or: Can you help me understand this. . .? • (read pg 84) • For me, Friday, when talking evolution, • ‘if you follow evolution to it’s logical conclusion, then why would I run out in the street to save a stranger? It seems to defy survival of the fittest? And our hard wired views of right & wrong?’ • This is the first tactic that requires knowledge & skill

  15. The Columbo Tactic • Sheepish in Seattle • Pg 99

  16. How would you respond? • I’ve been having these strange dreams. . .

  17. How would you respond? • I’ve been having these strange dreams. . . • I SHOULD have said: • Do you have any spiritual beliefs?

  18. Finding the FlawsSuicide: Views that self-destruct • When statements fail to meet their own criteria of validity, they are self-refuting: • There is no truth. • Is this statement true? • There are no absolutes • Is this an absolute? • No one can know any truth about religion • And you, exactly, did you come to know that truth about religion? • You can’t know anything for sure • Are you sure about that? • You can only know truth through experience? • What experience has taught you that truth? • Never take anyone’s advice on that issue. • Should I take your advice on that?

  19. Finding the FlawsSuicide: Views that self-destruct • Religious Plularism is self-destructing • Pg 118

  20. Finding the Flaws • Practical Suicide • Simply can’t work in real0life application • Sibling Rivalry & Infanticide • When two objections are at odds with each other • When a concept turns out to disqualify the view itself • Taking the roof off • Three steps • Reduce the point of view to its basic argument • Give the idea a test drive to see if any absurd consequences result • Invite the person to consider the unusual implications of her view • Pg 146 • Trotting out the Toddler • Pg 151 & 154

  21. Why arguments don’t work • Why do people ignore arguments? • Emotional reasons • Prejudice • Cultural influences • Just plain pigheaded

  22. Steamroller • Because steamroller are so aggressive, you must manage them aggressively • Step One: Stop Him • That’s not a simple issue. I need a moment to explain myself. Is that okay? • Step Two: Shame Him • Can I ask you a favor? I’d love to respond to your concern, but you keep breaking in. Could I have a few moments without being cut off to develop my point? Then you can tell me what you think. Is that okay with you? (wait for a response) • Step Three: Leave Him • When facing an aggressive challenger, I often give him the last word. Not only is this gracious, it’s also powerful, conveying a deep sense of confidence in one’s own view. Simply say: ‘I’ll let you have the last word.’ Don’t break this promise. Grant him his parting shot, and then let it rest.

  23. Rhodes Scholar • Popular articles always inform, but almost never educate • When an article tells you WHAT a scholar believes, you have been INFORMED • When an article tells you WHY he holds his view, you have been EDUCATED

  24. Just the Facts, Ma’am • 1. Be aware that many challenges to Christianity are based on bad information. These objections can be overcome by a simple appeal to the facts. • 2. You need to know the facts

  25. Just the Facts, Ma’am • More wars have been fought and more blood has been shed in the name of God than any other cause. Religion is the greatest source of evil in the world. • True or false? Pg 117 • Our Founding Fathers were not Christians, but deists. • True or false? Pg 178 • Two Questions: • What’s the claim? • Is the claim accurate?

  26. More Sweat, Less BloodEight Quick Tips • Be ready • Keep it simple • Avoid religious language and spiritual pretense • Focus on the truth of Christianity, not merely its personal benefits • Give reasons • Stay calm • If they want to go, let them leave • But don’t let them leave empty handed

  27. The Ambassador’s Creed • An ambassador is. . . • Ready • Patient • Reasonable • Tactical • Clear • Fair • Honest • Humble • Attractive • Dependent

  28. Evolution. . .’just one more thing. . .’ • If you follow pure evolution to it’s logical conclusion • We’re just a bucket a bucket of reacting chemicals • Survival of the fittest is necessitated for gene propagation • One thing that doesn’t sit right about that to me is: • Why would I save a 3 yr old who runs out into the street, even if it risks my own life? • And, why is there such thing as a gut level ‘right’ and a ‘wrong’? • Sometimes God allows us to hold a converts hand. . .sometimes we’re just dropping pebbles

  29. That’s all, folks!

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