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Questioning Evangelism

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How do you respond to a question? The quick response is probably an answer. Sometimes answers and defenses to our positions are too much though. They can shut people down and often show lack of compassion. We want to spread the hope of the gospel message but preaching turns people off. Those of us who confess Jesus as the answer often ignore the fact that he left many the questions asked him unanswered.

Author Randy Newman suggests that we engage people around us in the way Jesus often did- by asking questions, even answering questions with questions. By using dialogue in this rabbinic style, we can engage people in such a way as to get them to think about their beliefs. Furthermore, and maybe more importantly, by doing so we can engage their hearts because a person's acceptance of the gospel is not solely based on their ability to reason. Questions can get people who have never considered why they believe some things to be true to honestly think about them. Asking questioning can tear down strongholds of false views and build plausibility for the gospel. Examples of this kind of questioning dialogue, often from real conversations, are sprinkled throughout this book.

Of course, not all questions are genuine, or even questions at all, but rather attacks. Newman is aware this. Sometimes the best response is not to answer the attack but to ask a question. Even simple questions like "really?" and "so?" can turn a conversation around. It levels the playing field and opens the path for further serious discussion.

While remaining accessible, the book gives insight on how to respond to weighty questions such as "Why does God allow evil?", "Why are Christians so homophobic?", and "If Jesus is so great, why are some of his followers such jerks?" There aren't easy answers to all the questions. Sometimes there are no answers but the point of this book is not to tell you what to think, but rather to give perspective on how to think about various issues and how to relate to people. We don't have all the answers and shouldn't pretend like we do. Rather, it is more important that we honestly and wisely interact with people while pointing to the hope we have.

The intended audience is those who have a strong grasp of the gospel and a desire to declare it to others. Unlike declaring and defending the gospel that serve as a foundation, questioning evangelism doesn't always strive to give solid answers. Sometimes were not after answers; sometimes were after compassion. Questioning Evangelism is a book on evangelism that isn't wooden and recognizes that we are mind, body, heart, and soul-questions and all. Not only that, but it is also quite enjoyable to read with plentiful anecdotes and points to ponder. Who would have thought?

QUESTIONING EVANGELISM is a somewhat humorous collection of questions and answers to engage people in the discussion of how to follow the teachings of Jesus.

Important lessons are scattered throughout this text, such as immorality prevents us from turning to Christ. Real tools to open a dialogue with others are included, instead of situations that would turn away people from learning about Jesus. For instance the text includes guides about when and who to engage, as well as who to leave alone ( fools). It also includes information about how to know the difference. Are they interested in the truth?

QUESTIONING EVANGELISM is not just a guide it has many roles to play and offers many useable answers to common questions.

Those of us eager to witness to other people, but unsure of how to do it, will find answers to how to address issues such as homosexuality, adultery, idolatry, abortion and other combustible issues.

QUESTIONING EVANGELISM points out that using a question, instead of an answer, to a question, follows the teachings of Jesus. And we all know Jesus did this very well. By questioning someone's question, we can then open a dialog that is neither threatening nor invasive.

Instead we can then began to chat with others about the true meaning of Christ and His teachings, and we can come to deeper understandings within ourselves as we also offer others a way to find deeper understanding.

Newman addresses questions such as:
* Why are Christians so intolerant?
* To why does a good God allow evil and suffering?
* Why should anyone worship a God who allowed 9/11?
* Why should we believe an ancient book written by dead Jewish males?
* If Jesus is so great, why are some of his followers such jerks?

Additionally, Newman answers questions Christians have, too:
* What if I don't care that my neighbor is going to hell?
* What if I really want my neighbor to go to hell?
* When is it time to shut up?

Audience: Evangelistic and witnessing groups, youth groups, and adults, both collectively and individually. This book is especially helpful by providing hypothetical questions and gives the reader(s) a guide, which can be used to role-play such a situations. These are real tools to address real situations.

Ages: Sixteen to Adult.

Randy: How's the weather down there?
Grandma Belle: How could the weather be in Florida in the middle of July?

Randy: How's your family?
Aunt Vivian: Compared to whom?

In this way Randy Newman starts off his book on evangelism. Responding to a question with a question was the daily routine for Newman as he grew up in a Jewish home. Yet he points to Jesus, the master evangelist, as the supreme example in this. For Jesus answering a question with a question was the norm; a clear concise direct answer was a rarity. Take the rich young ruler for example - if ever there was a great opportunity to demonstrate how to explain the gospel this was it. Yet when asked, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?", Jesus responds, "Why do you call me good?"

Newman argues that so often we are too quick to answer, and that as we answer with our perfectly accurate answer, they aren't listening anyway. His point is that we need to engage their minds as well as simply present the truth. He says, "Answering a question with a question... brings to the surface the questioner's assumptions. It also takes the pressure off you... this is important because as long as we're on the defensive, the questioners are not really wrestling with the issues. They're just watching us squirm."

Throughout the book Newman illustrates with excerpts from his own work as a college evangelist over the last 20 years. With great openness he shows, not only the times he got it right, but also the times he got it wrong, and the lessons he learned from each occasion. He also gives practical suggestions throughout for questions you could ask, as well as giving dialogues to show how a conversation might go. These illustrations go along way to making the book practical, applicable, and easy to read. There is also a gentleness throughout the book that is extremely winsome. His way is not a triumphalist approach to evangelism, seeking to display wisdom and crush the opposition with knowledge, but a gentle way, seeking to understand the questioner, and seeking to provide real answers.

The book is divided into three sections, each full of useful content:

Part 1 - "Why ask questions?" - deals with the rationale and principles behind asking questions.
In Part 2 - "What questions are people asking?" - Newman shows how to, and how not to, answer questions like, `Why are Christians so intolerant?' `Why are Christians homophobic?' `Why does a good God allow suffering?'. There is a lot of practical wisdom packed into these chapters.
The third part - "Why aren't questions and answers enough?" - he turns the focus towards ourselves and deals with our lack of compassion for the lost, the problem of when our disgust at sin becomes disgust at the sinner, and how we can fail to listen.

Newman speaks about recognising the `fool' of Proverbs who shouldn't be answered, of how and when to ignore questions, he speaks of asking questions to discover what really lies behind the original question, of grasping the hurt that someone has been through that may be disguised in a casual question.

As well as providing a useful method for evangelism Newman also conveys a lot of useful facts on a variety of topics that will strengthen the believer in their faith. This is a great book that will equip you for evangelism, and give you a way of thinking that will be much more useful than simply learning a set of rules or facts.

Buy it and implement it

Mr. Newman's book does a wonderful job of sensitivly expressing what many in the church have probably felt for a long time...we many times in our relationships talk TOO much and listen very little. His suggestion that we not learn a new tool but carry a mindset of the use of questions in our relationships is insighful (something used for thousands of years by Rabbi all over the world). He really does expound on the Scripture of being quick to listen and slow to speak.

His chapters on the problem of evil and homosexuality are compelling making one anxious for the next conversation with a friend. And I have to say this book contains one of the best chapters I have ever read on the issue of evangelism..."when is it time to shut up?" A question I don't think I have ever heard in the Church.

Be prepared to be challenged by the insight's Mr Newman makes in "Questioning Evangelism".

I have read quite a few evangelism books and many were good, but none of them connected with me and made complete sense the way this book did. I could not set it down. Newman's approach is loving yet can lead people to the truth. His approach is also the first I have read that adequately describes how to respond to those more hostile to the Gospel. I plan on recommending it for our small group study.

I read this book over vacation, and I ended up highlighting and underlining the heck out of it! Not only does it aid you in answering the questions that some use to stump Christians and shut them up, it helps you discover different ways of relating the Gospel to the unchurched who are genuinely interested, but lacking the most basic understanding of what Christianity is about. It has example conversations and other ways to get the Gospel across, but most importantly, it stresses the need for genuine caring for the unsaved, and the need to be "transformed" youself, so that you approach the unsaved not as potential notches in your "belt", but out of love for them as persons and recognition of their need (like your own) for God's Grace.

I can't recommend this book too much!

Randy Newmans philosophy of encouraging people to stop and think about their views, by asking pertinent questions, opens the door for some good relevant communication. When someone is asked to explain why they think the way they do about a topic, it often reveals to them that maybe they haven't thought it totally through. The book has given me another way to look at evangelism and some very good strategies to open discussion on the hard questions. If you're serious about sharing your faith buy it.

There are a lot of very compelling reviews about this book, so I won't say a lot here. But I appreciate Newman's ability to offer his method and apologetic without trashing the other methods. His history in Campus Crusade has obviously given him a passion for sharing the Gospel message, and that passion comes through loud and clear in this book.

On the otherhand, Newman frees the reader/evangelist/disciple to listen and ask thought provoking questions rather than always filling in the blanks for people. So much teaching/learning in modern Christianity is done by filling in blanks...it's a shame we don't think more. This book encourages thinking.

I particularly appreciate the author's personal Jewish history shared throughout the book, those facts and stories are enlightening, helpful and at times humorous. I'm really enjoying this book.

I've read many books on evangelism. This one is one of the best.

This isn't just about asking questions. This book answers many questions asked in heavy detail and clear explanation - not from a pure knowledge point of view, but from a viewpoint that is balanced and leads to a clear presentatin of the gospel.

Mark Cahill's "One Thing you Can't do In Heaven"
thewayofthemaster.com
Master's Plan of Evangelism
Questioning Evangelism

These are the best books you could ever read on evangelism.

(For the full review, please visit: (...))

Something has gone wrong in the world of evangelism. The proven methods once utilized by thousands in communicating the Gospel message have drastically declined in effectiveness. Fewer and fewer lost people are responding to the traditional styles of evangelism; and we could be to blame. By reducing the Gospel to a set of formulas, we could be unintentionally stripping the Gospel of its beauty and power. In contrast to the traditional evangelistic methods we often use, the postmodern climate we find ourselves in stresses a conversational approach to truth. Many people are more concerned with the journey toward truth than they are in actually finding truth. They are less interested in propositions of truth than they are in the conversations about truth. This is the evangelistic situation Randy Newman sets out to address in his book Questioning Evangelism.

In his book, Newman argues we must rediscover the evangelistic approach of Jesus himself. Jesus often engaged people in a rabbinic-style dialogue characterized by back-and-forth, interactive conversations rather than point-by-point, methodical presentations. Instead of reducing evangelism to a single style, we must learn how our Rabbi-Teacher went about sharing the Good News: "If Jesus teaches us anything about evangelism, it's that He used a variety of methods with a variety of people."[1] As a Jew himself, Newman suggests this one approach, characterized by the rabbinic-style of asking questions, is more in line with how Jesus would have conversed with the lost. Newman states this "often neglected, difficult to master, but absolutely essential ... skill of giving and taking - asking questions and bouncing ideas back and forth - might be just what our postmodern audience needs."[2]
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[1] Randy Newman, Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People's Hearts the Way Jesus Did. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2004. 13.

[2] Ibid., 15.