Welcome to Truth For Life, where we are continuing a study on evangelism titled Crossing

the Barriers. A common barrier many of us face in sharing our faith is the fear that we won't

have all the answers to questions we may be asked. So today, Alistair Begg provides some

tips to help us overcome that fear. Here's Alistair.

I want to spend some time saying a number of things about the way in which we approach

the difficulties and the concerns that people voice to us. And I've made a number of statements

here in my notes. I'm just going to go through them briefly. In seeking to answer the difficult

questions which people raise, number one, don't get off sides. Now, in seeking to deal with

difficult questions, it is important that an observer would not throw a yellow flag on the way

we go about it, namely that we launch into somebody's face, providing the answer before

they even fully ask the question. If we're going to be sensitive in dealing with people raising

difficult questions, we've got to have the patience and courtesy to allow them to complete the question.

If we begin to launch in and are drawn off sides either by our eagerness or whatever else it is,

we may encroach upon their space to the degree that they just back off. They're saying to themselves,

this individual is only hammering it out of a manual or something. He's not really listening or

she's not really listening to what I'm saying. So first of all, then don't get drawn off side.

Secondly, don't drown people in details. It is more than possible to smother an inquirer with

a vast array of information, just absolutely, just drowning them with all the stuff we've managed to

learn. We think it's good and it's important and we're thrilled with what we've learned, but

that we're just waiting for the first chance to just descend upon them. Don't do that.

I was interviewing a group of people in my office a few weeks ago and I think I asked a question,

like when did your mother leave Missouri or Missouri? And the lady started something like this.

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