How To Reach People Who Don't Think They Need God
👉A growing number of people are learning to live comfortably without God.
On the flip side🩴
👉A growing number of people are learning to live comfortably, not sharing God.
🙏 Pray For Them
If you are serious about introducing people to God, you must prioritize praying for them. Unfortunately, this is the step many of us move more quickly through.
I am guilty of this 😔
I'll say a quick prayer and then begin brainstorming 🧠 all the church events I will invite them to and how I will address all their objections.
Sharing the gospel compellingly helps, but committing to consistent prayer for the people you want to reach will have the biggest impact.
- Ask God to soften their hearts and overcome their defenses.
- Pray that God will make you aware when the time is right.
- Step boldly forward when the opportunity arrives.
🔎 Focus On Relationship
Jesus was profoundly relational and seemed to enjoy hanging out 🤙 with people outside the "church" more than he did those inside the "church."
The old saying is true, People don't care what you know until they know you care. This begins with a genuine relationship with people who do not want a relationship with God.
I say genuine because these cannot be string-attached relationships. People know when we are being authentic or not (see more👇). Therefore, we must form genuine relationships centered outside of God.
Pay attention to the value of influence. Your relationship allows you to demonstrate the difference God has made in your life.
👂Pay Attention To Them
Have you ever asked yourself why this person does not think they need God?
- Maybe they lack adequate knowledge about God 🧠
- Perhaps they had a bad experience with a church or a Christian ⛪️
- Perhaps they don't reject God but instead, reject the lifestyle of a Christian 🙅♂️
- Maybe they are just apathetic; they don't see the value believing in God adds to their life ✌
When we pay attention to why people don't think they need God, we can have a plan for addressing their concerns.
For example, suppose my friend has adequate knowledge about who God is but doesn't want to change his life. In that case, he does not need to know more about God. If I dump some information on him, he may say, "Cool. Now, stop preaching to me."
He needs to identify pain points in his life, the pain of sin, and the blessing of following Christ. Now, my life and testimony have become a vital part of the plan, not my knowledge of Scripture.
Think about those in your life who don't know God. Why are they still not believing? Are you paying attention and asking questions? What is your plan for addressing their unique concerns?
💎 Be Authentic
Don't hide behind a fake, "holy" veneer that disconnects you from the people you are trying to reach. People will listen to you when they know you are just like them.
All of us are sinners.
All of us come up short.
All of us are not good enough.
People will connect with your story/testimony long before they connect with your beliefs. This is good news because you can skip the conversation with all the answers. Lead with authenticity and follow up later with solutions to their concerns.
👀 Acknowledge The Good You See
Just because something is secular does not mean it is evil. This is a challenging but necessary pill for many of us to swallow.
The majority of people are doing the best they can with the cards they have been dealt. Be the first to acknowledge the good you see in people, not the first to 👉point👈 out the bad.
Jesus never began a conversation with an outsider by condemning them. Instead, he welcomed them, recognized their worth, and led them to a higher value of love, purpose, and meaning.
