1. Strategies
Put a stone in their shoe, give them something to think about that bugs them as they walk away, realizing their worldview can't account for.
Step outside of the debate and narrate occasionally, you may need to point out they're interrupting or committing fallacies or substituting substance for scoffing, or stepping in and out of an internal critique, or changing subjects rapidly.
Ask questions. Put your statements into questions. Jesus did this a lot. You don't have to contradict someone this way and you don't have to state your views, it makes them consider their own. This portrays curiosity rather than aggression. They inform you to the person's view better and they even buy you time.
Find as much common ground as possible at least as somewhere to start from. People tend to react negatively when presented with facts that go against their worldview. The people who are most likely to change our minds are the ones we agree with on 98 percent of topics.
Try to make them concede on smaller points.
Be confident.
Self-deprecate. Welcome critique. Ask for clarification. Self-analysis afterward.
Be efficient, get the message out in as little words as possible. Use pauses instead of fillers. Find ways to conversation branch.
Begin powerful conversations by expressing sincere need with honest feeling. This signals seriousness.
Skillfully probe for their wants and needs. Make it clear you want to meet theirs. Ask if they got what they want at the end. Make them feel you’re on the same side and ask them questions that make them say yes.
Presuppositional apologetics. Don't let them steal from God in order to condemn and dismiss Him.
Prepare
Ø Get to know before engaging.
Ø Consult the more experienced.
Ø Have info at fingertips. Hard info and subtle arguments.
Ø Understand the other side well. Know faults in own thinking. Use logical arguments.
Ø Carefully planned opening.
Ø Focus on where agreement is.
Ø Rehearse. Practice controlling prosody. Sparring with people you know, people online, people who set up stalls in public.
2. Objections
Make sure the objection actually matters to them before you try to answer. They are often intellectual smokescreens. You can ask them if they heard a perfect answer that satisfies them, would they convert on the spot. This is the perfect thing to do if you don't immediately have an answer. Also, before a debate it is worth asking if God was proven to be real would you convert and become a Christian because some will say no and completely expose their bias without realizing. They just admitted it's not about the evidence. So don't bother presenting it!
Many objections involve hidden assumptions and unjustified claims. Make them spell out exactly what they mean. They say the bible has been corrupted but if you press them on how they go blank. Sometimes you don't need to disprove them, sometimes they need to prove it. "When you die, you're dead" and "God is your imaginary friend" these and many like them are CLAIMS that need to be defended. Make them defend them.
If they present something you've never heard, learn as much as possible from them and ask for their source so you can learn more.
The best explanation needs to be more plausible and probable to work.
If someone attacks the character of God, this is a good indication they have exposed a bias and incorrect view of God that is almost guaranteed to taint and contaminate their ability to reason towards his existence.
If they say something like "you're never going to convince me!" then they have just admitted their bias and dogmatism. They have just told you the evidence is irrelevant. One should not be trying to convince people like that but take away the excuses they use to convince themselves.
When the other sides argument is flawed, save it.
Answer loaded questions with another question or answer confidently and briefly or say to answer it later.
3. Opening Questions
If God was real, what would he be doing, how would he communicate, what message would he stress, how would the world be…? Same for Satan. What would need to be true? Take their ideas to their logical conclusion. God is real so there will be a dissonance between reality and what they say. Find it.
What stops you from becoming a Christian today?
If you could change one thing in the world?
Would you ever use a Ouija board? Ever experienced anything unexplainable?
Can I have a minute to convince you Christianity is true?
What’s your worldview how do you answer the big questions of life?
What facts about reality can we agree on and which worldview accounts for the most facts? What can't Christians explain? What can’t atheism explain?
What motivates you in life?
Do you think God is real?
What do you think the gospel is? May need to correct their understanding so they can accept or reject the actual Gospel. And why has it done so much good in the hearts of men throughout all nations and ages?
What do you think happens when you die?
What would/could Heaven look like if it were real? What would make it different to this world?
Ask people of different faiths what they think is superior about their faith? What they think the bible is missing.
4. Remember
Not your job to convert people. But you do have to present the gospel and you can take away their bad reasons and excuses for rejecting.
Self-control is king. You need wisdom and character. Expose bad thinking in a kind way. Ridicule is a technique intended to manipulate people into agreeing with you. Proverbs 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom but does not find it.
Really best not to be debating unless you have great rapport with the person or there is an audience you want to get off the fence.
Pay attention to whether their logic is fallacious, whether it truly can trace to the truth. Atheists say Christians only believe the bible because of where we were born. Doesn't make it any less true. Just makes us lucky. Also pay attention to whether their logic is self-refuting. They are only an atheist because of all the experiences that have led them to their conclusions! They often apply an extreme skepticism that cannot be held consistently. You could argue for solipsism depending on how far they will go.
Remember power of silence.
Don’t let them steer the convo or distract you.
5. Go to Topics
Talk about observable effects of sin and good deeds on humans.
Freewill/Soul, NDE's
Morality
Evil and suffering
Other religions
Universal supernatural claims
Science
Children born with predisposition to eternity, God and supernatural.
Universal longing for meaning and purpose.
Events surrounding Jesus' crucifixion.
Bible Unity
Prophecy
Miracles
Human nature/Politics
Common Objections
Gospel and it's enforcement mechanism.
6. Psychology
Two things are persuasive to young people in a mentor figure, the person knows a lot about the subject, and that they’re really committed to it.
Walk with the person as moving in sync with someone promotes agreeableness
Young people may be easier to talk to, they will listen, less disagreement, more open mind, more fertile ground, easier to disagree with.
Make big bold claims that people get excited because they think they can refute it, it grabs their attention.
Specific anecdotes for examples and arguments will have more power after building rapport.
To convince someone, you can’t let them know you’re trying to.
If anyone gets angry, you lose. Rationality cannot occur when emotions have taken over.
Be a nice person, make it easier for them to switch sides.
When taking in info, seeing is more powerful. What can you show them?
offer to pray for people
remember God is goes before you and is with you.
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