When we direct our witness to the public or to an individual, we must use discernment when speaking the faith to others.   Who they are and the conduct of their lives are things we must heed. We are not addressing an abstraction, concept or idea.  We are speaking to a person/persons.  People have personal histories, families, burdens, prejudices, fears, loves, likes, dislikes, opinions, and so on. Most particularly, we must come to know why they are not Christians.   To learn about the other, we listen to them.  If we only worry about what we will say, we have failed in our witness.

Apologetics on a public level is somewhat different.  We must address our Christian faith to a larger group; but, we need to know something about the community we address. Apologetics may also happen on a personal level.  We draw from the same treasure of arguments as in public apologetics.

How do we appeal to folks outside the Church?  We receive a clue when they speak of their own concerns, questions, and objections.  We describe the faith to them in a way that deals with the issues they may have.  If the conversation gets far enough and they are readers, we recommend books to them.  We may discover personal and particular reasons why they are not believers–a difficult childhood, a divorce, loss of a family member or friend, little contact with the Christian Church,  skepticism, bitterness about life, misapprehension of the message of the Gospel, suffering in the world, the influence of natural and social science,  disagreement with Christian ethics, ignorance of the faith and its history, tension with one’s political views, pre-occupation with life concerns, busy-ness, reluctance to commit to being part of a community, bad behavior of a pastor during a person’s childhood and youth,  sheer laziness, and protectiveness of one’s time for personal pursuits, etc.

We must discern the circumstances of the person to whom we witness before and when we make our case.  We must ask, what is going on here?  Why disbelief and skepticism?  We need to show a loving concern to those we meet.  They are not simply challenges for us to overcome or points on a score card.

And, we must watch our anger.  It is easy to become angry with someone who differs with us on the most basic questions of life–does life have meaning? does God give the meaning for which we yearn?, and is Christian faith the best answer to the questions that are asked?  We must show the love of God.  We must show gentleness and respect.

 

Michael G. Tavella

October 8, 2024