It's Christmas week, and Christmas celebration prep is in full tilt, and today we have

an urgent planning question from a woman named Lonnie.

Their pastor John, I'm so grateful to God for your ministry, and the work he has done

for his kingdom through you.

My question came to mind as I was sitting with my husband's family last Christmas at the

dinner table.

It's a time for the family to gather, but many family members don't understand Christmas.

How do I evangelize at Christmas dinner with my unbelieving family?

Is it the wrong time and place to try to proselytize people who I only see a few times a year?

Where's the line of not shoving the Bible down their throat, but sharing my love for Jesus

with people who could be going to hell when it's socially unacceptable to bring up something

potentially controversial at a special time like Christmas dinner?

And if you were to take this opportunity, what points would you stress, Pastor John?

What would you have to say?

I think one of the biggest mistakes that most of us make in personal evangelism or one

of the biggest opportunities we miss is that we are constantly hoping for some unusual

circumstantial turn of events or changes in situation or mood that will open everyone

to a gospel conversation, naturally, instead of simply asking for permission to a person

or a group to share something that means a great deal to us or asking if we could share

what we see as the best news in all the world.

For example, in totally cold turkey stranger situations, I might say, and I've done this

many times, I mean my jogging evangelism, for example.

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