Points of Contact

As apologists, it might be easy to think that our job is only to present reasonable arguments to non-believers and let reason lead the non-believer to Christ. In fact, however, it is usually not reason that is holding a non-believer back. Whatever is stopping them is more than an intellectual difficulty but something closer to home.

Apologetics can be more than just sound arguments. Alister McGrath (an apologist worth reading!) says that as apologists, we should find points of contact with the person, group, or audience that we are talking to. These might include their fear of death, the feeling that nothing ultimately satisfies, or the knowledge of our moral guilt. From that point of contact, we can show how Jesus is the answer to their particular problem and then expound on the Gospel. We can also talk about any intellectual problems this person/group/audience may have since we've now gained a hearing with them.

Here is an illustration of finding a point of contact with someone and using it to launch a discussion about God and Christianity. I have a friend who has a blog about fishing. In this blog, she will often write about the beauty of nature. In a recent post, she talked about how a lake can be a great equalizer. It doesn't care who you are, what you are, or what you have or don't have. Whether male or female, rich or poor, anyone of any race is welcomed with open arms by the lake which doesn't judge but only listens. At times, she says, nature can make you very aware of your insignificance as you realize that there is something much bigger than you out there. (I am using this as an illustration only. I am not implying that my friend does not believe in God - in fact she does. Her remarks are not meant to imply otherwise and in the context of her blog, these remarks about nature are perfectly appropriate, but I wanted to use this post because it is a great example of a point of contact.)

Do you see it? The need to be valued no matter who your are; the realization that there has to be something more; the desire for a friend who always welcomes with open arms, who isn't judgmental and who will listen. If these remarks had been made by someone whom you knew wasn't a Christian, you would have a perfect point of contact for talking about God, Jesus, and Christianity.

You could begin by making the person aware that all of the qualities that are celebrated about the lake are pointers to God. Romans 1:20 says, "From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse." You can talk about how God's creation is meant to show us something about Him and lead us to Him. John Calvin once said that the world reflects the attractiveness of its Creator. So it isn't nature that we should be worshipping as the "one" who offers us unconditional acceptance, it is God, who created it. You can also point out that nature and anything in it are not capable of loving, accepting, listening, or being nonjudgmental since these are impersonal, inantimate things. It is the Creator with all of his wonderful and holy attributes, not the creation, that is capable of these things. This is a good starting point that can lead to how God loves and values us all so much that He sent His Son to die on a cross so we no longer have to be alienated from Him

You can see how you can use something that is already relevant in the life of a non-believer to begin a discussion about God and Christianity. So start by listening to your non-Christian friends and acquaintances. If you're a speaker, do a little homework to find out about your audience and what issues are important to them. Then speak to how Jesus is the answer!