Dealing with challenging conversations on Christianity on MN and elsewhere

[GentleSheep]

I am very sure some of you will know exactly what I mean! I have been trying to get into spreading the gospel online (since I don't get out due to being housebound) and am finding it challenging, although every day I learn something new about how to handle situations.

If you have been involved in this in some way, do you have any tips or strategies? I don't want to avoid talking about the gospel or Christ on this site, there are so many people in need of salvation, but it's hard when coming up against quite militant opposing views. I'm aware there may be people reading threads and lurking who never post when Christianity's being discussed so I do think it's important to witness so they can have something to mull over.

Hi @GentleSheep I've seen you around and I've seen your attempts and God bless you for them!

It's lovely to see someone else so passionate about our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!

You may recall the hardships Moses and our Lord, Himself, experienced when trying to spread the truth. It has never been easy, nor well received, because the world, by virtue of being the world, is sinful. There are not many who are willing to admit that they are sinful and need to repent for salvation. This has been true since the beginning of time.

What I would suggest is that you continue to read the bible to see how the prophets and Jesus navigated resistance and pray so that you are not led to sin when trying to lead others to the truth.

Some will goad you through 'the spirit of debate' with no intent on truly listening or learning.

My advice would be not to engage with these people, further, because you will be left frustrated and drawn into argument instead of leading them to the truth.

These discussions ultimately lead us away from God because they then become a battle between our ego and the desire to be 'right' against those who have no desire to know God.

Walk off and pray for these people. Leave them to God and His will.

Thank you for such wise advice! Fortunately I am rubbish at debating (couldn't argue my way out of a paper bag) - maybe a good thing in this instance! I did just leave the current 'battle' thread, lol.

Yes you are right, and the phrase 'casting pearls before swine' came to mind the other day from Matthew 7:6

"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."

Seems to be pretty accurate from my experiences so far!

I think people who are aggressively anti christian are like the seeds who fell on the hard ground. They arent going to grow because they arent ready yet so anything you say will just be food for their internal turmoil and anger. Save you energy for those who are ready to listen and genuinely want to hear what you say to them.

This, in spades ⬆️ Thank you @JustSmiling

@GentleSheep I have read your recent engagements and quietly supporting you from the sidelines… a large part of me wanting to say to stop casting pearls to people who are continuously giving the same responses to Godly people like yourself. The bottom line is it is between them and our Lord. It is their choice to rail against the Truth, and as @JustSmiling has said, there is a danger of being drawn in to something that is less than holy. The Enemy will be laughing!

We do not need to defend, justify, nor argue the case for the Lord. He is the Lord God Almighty and already revealed (or is slowly revealing) Himself to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, in His Word. All we can do is use our own testimony and our understanding of the application of Scripture for our own lives. This is Spiritual warfare, make no mistake.

Wilfully blind and deaf: isaiah 6; Jeremiah 5; Ezekiel 12; Matthew 13; Acts 28; Romans 11

Knowing when it is a waste of your time and effort: Matthew 7

Walking away: Matthew 10

Finally: Hebrews 12:3

i understand your heart @GentleSheep . Your words will remain for those who are not bad actors and who are genuinely seeking. God bless you.

Thanks so much for this, will go read those chapters you've suggested. 💖

I can't help but feel convicted sitting at home and often reading/seeing people say 'we have to spread the good news!' Yep, and I feel bad because I was doing nothing at all! However I have at least realised that prayer is another contribution, we don't have to say anything at all to pray for a person.

I agree, spiritual warfare. Very real.

Smiling here @GentleSheep and sending you a hug. Been there, got the T-shirt, got the battle scars and retain the growth and learning over many years. Especially as a new Christian, I was so earnest to spread the Word.

The Bible references are merely the ‘official text’ to back up the support given to you on this thread. ❤️

Awww thank you! 💕

GentleSheep, I have been reading the thread you may mean off and on.
In terms trying to reach new Christians and encourage others to the faith it didn’t seem so much like the thread for it, but for correcting wrong information. For example, I read that Jesus kills peoples children yesterday in it and was concerned some may take this literally and responded. I knew you could do a better job on it on that subject, but didn’t know if you would see it so responded.

I think it was good to see you posting and you have had some good things to share. Try and be patient as much as you can and then Jesus said if you are not welcome dust yourself off and move on.

I had my own topic to try and witness on and it was not really on this forum and I took out a blog for that. I picked some communities with a religious section and posted on my subject of interest I wanted to try and reach others on.

You could may be do the same-getting a wordpress is pretty easy and blogger is even easier. Somebody could be divorced and use that as their slant of topic to highlight. You have good knowledge so would probably do well at a blog. There are so many ways to help. You could even write a Kindle Ebook on Amazon.

There are courses that come up to about online evangelising.

People can put online zooms to as I did one a few years ago on neurodiversity and it was interesting. Bible Tale’s could be looking for more people to take on classes.

Consider may be less typical places which have religious sections.

Now I don’t tend to start thread any more on this forum unless I want to for myself or for a reason. In terms of others it can better to support those who are looking for help.

(Matthew 10:14)
"And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet."

Thank you there's some really good advice in there. You've been doing a great job, there are some posters who are relentless and will literally twist anything one writes.

I'm still very much learning, especially re theology, so don't feel ready for launching myself into teaching. I'll look into the evangelism courses. 💕

@GentleSheep ... so don't feel ready for launching myself into teaching

A word of caution - do you feel that teaching is your calling? It is within the calling of us all to willingly share the Word, but there is a discrete difference. Preachers and teachers are held to higher account. It is one thing sharing your testimony and how Scripture is applied to your own life, or how you grapple with its mysteries (ie, evangelism), but it quite another to actively teach. 💐

No, I don't feel teaching is my calling. Healing is what it is, and I've come to realise that includes just ministering to people who need someone to talk to or giving words of comfort.

God bless you in your calling to minister to the hurting and the lonely. 🙏

There are courses for spiritual companionship. This seems like it may be working from home answering emails or doing zoom/phone perhaps. They do train you usually. I think that the Church of England may be running some courses soon. I don't know if denominations are important.

This is blog is not mine-it is by an autistic Christian who I do not know. Yes, they have a theme of interest their autism and the church. They do not appear though to be a teacher-it is a personal blog and just to having it there can be helpful and on different themes. I did start a thread about blogs which may be on page 2 or 3 on this forum.
thoughtsofanautisticchristian.wordpress.com/

I remember looking at your blog when you posted about it. It is helpful reading what other Christians ruminate on.

I think one of the most important things to remember when evangelising online is that we aren't responsible for changing someone's heart — that's the work of the Holy Spirit. Our role is simply to witness faithfully to Christ and to speak the truth with charity.

Jesus didn't tell us that everyone would accept the Gospel. He said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18). So encountering hostile or militant responses shouldn't necessarily discourage us.

At the same time, I think there's a danger in getting drawn into endless online arguments. We can become so focused on proving someone wrong that we lose sight of the person we're actually trying to reach. St Peter tells us to “always be ready to give an answer” for the hope within us, but to do so with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).

Sometimes the person arguing with you isn't the person you're actually reaching. As you say, there may be others quietly reading who have never really considered Christianity. A calm, charitable explanation of the faith may stay with them long after the argument itself has disappeared.

I'd also say don't underestimate the power of simply sharing why you believe. Personal testimony can sometimes reach someone where theological arguments don't. And don't feel that you have to respond to everything. Even Jesus sometimes simply walked away when people were unwilling to listen.

Ultimately, we plant the seed; God gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). We should proclaim Christ boldly, but without becoming combative. Truth without charity can push people away, while charity without truth isn't really evangelisation.

And perhaps most importantly, pray for the people you're speaking to. The aim shouldn't be to win internet debates but to help people encounter Jesus 🙏✝️

All very good and wise advice, thank you. It does help to keep those aims in mind. 😊

I feel my responsibility is to live like a Christian, so that people want to find out more about my faith.
And i'm a pretty poor example of that.

We all struggle with this @Sausagenbacon

Paul even struggled:

“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me” (Romans 7:18-20)

This site has more context around this for you: https://www.gotquestions.org/struggling-with-sin.html

I pray, daily, to be the light Jesus Christ instructed us to be (Ephesians 5:8).

John 15:5 (ESV): I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus knows we are human. Despite this, He said that we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

I'm sure you know these passages but maybe it helps to be reminded that we all struggle and that's why we got to Jesus Christ so that we can overcome who we are, so that we live for Him and not ourselves. When we struggle, it's human. The world is full of sin and it's not something we can navigate on our own. It's okay. Just go back to Him. Keep praying.❤

I feel like I fall short almost every day. I do believe God knows my heart, He knows your heart too, and this brings me comfort.

Amen!

@Sausagenbacon I am pretty certain that most people who love the Lord Jesus are aware of our daily ‘falling short’. As @Ipsevenenabibas says, He knows our heart and our desire to do/be better. 🙏

Sadly, ‘the World’ has a skewed view of Christians in that they think Christians should be paragons of virtue, Perfectly perfect at all times! They judge and become sneery about the Faith when they see us being, simply, human.

So, true. They weaponise the bible, having never even read it or relied on someone to read it for them or summarise it for them in an interpretation of their choosing, and some Christians take this to heart! Do not! Jesus knows we are not perfect which is why He died for us, so that we are forgiven and can move forward with Him. We can do nothing without Him.

I pray every day that I do not do or say anything, even on this site, that takes away from the glory of God. No one knows who I am here. But, I know that God knows. I am mindful of every post I make. When I'm aggravated, feeling snarky or just influenced by behaviour here (or anywhere) that doesn't glorify God, I step back and pray.

Sometimes, I don't pray quickly enough. Sometimes, my sarcasm and exasperation with humanity comes through. I ask God to help me with this if it means that my behaviour could reflect wrongly on Christianity. I am not a passive person. That is okay as long as I use this passion in a positive way.

We are not doormats. We are not called to accept bullying, misinformation etc. We mix with people who mock God, mock us for believing in Him and living for Him. The constant hate can grind! Keep praying!

Thank you @JustSmiling My thoughts too. I could have written exactly the same. 💖

I just wanted to add that there is about 7 pages left of the thread in question I think. If since stepping back on that thread and you have reflected on any thoughts now is the time to may be to have your say before it closes.

I also agree that the spirit does the final work of converting.

Hi OP, have you ever done a 5 folds ministry quiz - based round the idea that each of us has one particular ministry either apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher - once you discover yours, it typically helps you to refine what God is asking you to do. For example, put me on a street corner with a megaphone and I’d be a toe curlingly awful evangelist but my heart definitely is pulled toward teaching and pastoral. If you’re interested in helping others, your gift could be pastoral too.

That doesn’t mean to say that we shouldn’t share our faith but for some people, it comes much more naturally and for others, they’re happiest being the support team, helping with the pastoral side once the evangelists have brought them in. Very interesting subject and you can do quizzes here: https://fivefoldministry.com/

I have done it previously. I did not agree with the result. 😂

@Justmerach a gentle reminder that it is against MN guidelines to talk about another thread. 💐 This particular topic on this board is (deliberately) generic.

As already alluded to in previous posts, there comes a time when we have to leave our ego behind, allow God’s Word to speak for itself.