Finding Common Ground: How to Communicate With Those Outside the Christian Community...While We Still Can [Paperback]

Tim Downs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 9, 1999

When it comes to reaching the new generation for Christ, are believers truly sowing for the future-or just reaping the benefits of past evangelistic efforts? Tim Downs suggests practical ways for today's Christians to cultivate fruitful relationships in our communities, and bring our troubled culture the healing it needs so much.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

In a world that’s growing more hostile to the gospel, what can Christians do?  How can we communicate with our unbelieving friends and coworkers in a way that won’t seem pushy, intolerant, or judgmental?  In a world that’s heard it all before and no longer seems to care, where do we begin? 

By sowing.

In Finding Common Ground, Tim Downs reminds us of the forgotten biblical art of sowing and shows us practical and effective ways to: 

Bring up spiritual subjects with busy and distracted people Use secular movies and book to talk about biblical ideas Overcome prejudice and stereotypes in our listeners Keep open doors of communication with even hostile opponents Move everyone we meet a step closer to the gospel

 

“In more than twenty-five years of ministry and communicating, I have never heard a more concise, graphic, and articulate communicator.  Tim is a man of integrity and a man committed to making an impact for Christ in his world.”  STU WEBER, PASTOR, AUTHOR

 

“Tim Downs is a very effective communicator with a witty sense of humor.  He challenges me to holiness.  His passion for Christ and devotion to family are evident and contagious.”  DENNIS RAINEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FAMILY LIFE

 

“Time Downs is to communication with Michael Jordan is to professional basketball: a high scoring team leader!  He is encouraging, bright and challenging.”  GARY ROSBERG, PRESIDENT, FAMILY LEGACY

 

“Tim Downs knows how to write, he practices what he preaches, and he has addressed a crying need in a skillful, unique way.  If you want to gain insight or communicating the gospel effectively to contemporary culture, this is the first book you should read.”  J.P. MORELAND, PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, TALBOT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

 

“In the pages of Finding Common Ground Time uses his gift in pouring out his passion for clearly communicating the life changing message of the gospel and preparing the hearts of those to receive it who are still ‘outside the camp’…be prepared to be stimulated and challenged.  CRAWFORD W. LORITTS, JR., AUTHOR, SPEAKER, ASSOCIATE US DIRECTOR, CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST 

 

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Moody Publishers (August 9, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802440967
• ISBN-13: 978-0802440969
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,269 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tim Downs is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University. After graduation in 1976 he created a daily comic strip, Downstown, which was syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate (Doonesbury, Calvin & Hobbes, The Far Side) from 1980 to 1986. His cartooning has appeared in newspapers and magazines worldwide. Tim has written eight novels in the mystery/suspense genre, beginning with Shoofly Pie (2003) and Chop Shop (2004). His third novel, PlagueMaker, was awarded the Christy award as the best CBA mystery/suspense novel of 2006. His fourth novel, Head Game, was released in January of 2007, followed by First the Dead (2008), Less than Dead (2008), Ends of the Earth (2009), and Wonders Never Cease (May 2010). His hobbies include woodworking, design, and writing about himself in the third person. Tim lives in Cary, North Carolina, with his beautiful wife Joy. They have three grown children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make an impact on your world, May 23, 2000

By 

Dave Carlson (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Finding Common Ground: How to Communicate With Those Outside the Christian Community...While We Still Can (Paperback)

I really like this book. I would consider myself a "harvester" but I see the importance of sowing the seeds of the gospel. Before I came to believe in Christ, there were many seeds planted in my life, from the campus pastor who came around our dorm to the little relgious things my girlfriend would write in her letters. We can plant seeds anytime we interact with people. This can be someone we are hoping to share the gospel with or someone you may talk with for 2 minutes in line at the grocery store and never see again. We are called to be ambassadors for Christ and planting seeds of the gospel is part of being an ambassador. Read this book and find out how to plant seeds AND to become a harvester of the spiritual fruit.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Evangelising that would make Jesus proud!, July 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Finding Common Ground: How to Communicate With Those Outside the Christian Community...While We Still Can (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for Christians who are too shy to share the gospel with friends, family or colleagues. Tim Downs manages to accurately capture the difficulties that Christians face when trying to communicate the gospel. He teaches us how to work around the barriers and to be 'shrewd' when communicating the gospel. This book is truly refreshing for those of us who are extremely frustrated by our failed attempts to speak to others about the truth of the Christian faith. All Christians should read this and apply it!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An evangelism must read, January 15, 2003

By 

Carla Jean Whitley (Sweet Home Alabama) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Finding Common Ground: How to Communicate With Those Outside the Christian Community...While We Still Can (Paperback)

If you are an evangelical Christian, this is a book that comes highly recommended.

I purchased this book at a conference after a friend of mine (who hadn't even read it!) suggested it to me. It is perhaps the best book on evangelism that I have read (with Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels a close second). Any Christian could share with you the importance of evangelism, and most could probably offer a suggestion of "how to". But this book breaks out of the box that so often limits our evangelism efforts.

As someone trained and practiced in the use of the Four Spiritual Laws (a gospel presentation frequently used by Campus Crusade for Christ, the organization of which Tim Downs is a part), I am relatively comfortable in "random" evangelism. But I have often struggled with reconciling such evangelistic attempts with being a "real" person. This book has helped me (and continues to, along with prayer and Scripture) to bridge that gap. Mr. Downs goes far beyond just a gospel presentation, but instead points readers in the direction of allowing their Christianity to spill over into every area of their life, thereby breaking the limits we so often place on our own evangelism efforts.

But beyond that, he also focuses on how to communicate with those who don't share the same worldview that we have become indoctrinated in. Many times, I've found that outreaches offered around me have been appealing to those who have grown up in the Bible belt and share this worldview, though don't actually consider themselves believers. But these often don't appeal to people who specifically disagree with elements of my worldview. How, then, do we reach out to these people?

This book is full of relevant, scriptural insight. It is worth every dollar you spend.