Knowing your audience is vital because it isn't just what we say but how we say it that can draw people closer or push them further away from the Lord. When we share our faith with others, the goal isn't to get them to church. The goal is to have them make a thoughtful decision to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. When we treat evangelism as a one-size-fits-all proposition, we not only limit our ability to reach an individual and bring him or her to a point of understanding, but we can actually push our listener further away from it.

Consider Fred. Fred is an atheist who has been badgered by relatives, tricked into going to church on the pretext of going out to breakfast, and had people knock on his door shouting "Sinner!" and "Repent now!" He thinks he is a good person because he is kind to others and respectful of their beliefs, but he doesn't feel that Christians are respectful of his.

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." 1 Corinthians 12:12

Enter Jane. Jane is a new believer and on fire for the Lord. She takes evangelism seriously and can often be found telling strangers on the bus about what Jesus did for her. She begins all of her attempts at "conversion" with "Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior?" If they answer no, she follows it up with, "Well, then you're going to hell!" As you can imagine, if Fred ever met Jane, it probably wouldn't be pretty!

Along comes Nelly. Nelly is a sweet patient lady who understands what it's like to wrestle with the decision to accept Christ. She knows that every encounter is a stepping stone leading the unsaved closer to that decision. She begins each evangelistic opportunity by getting to know this unique individual. She shows God's love in everything she does and everything she doesn't do. She is never pushy, but she never misses an opportunity to gently lead her willing student ever closer to Jesus by sharing what she knows and who she is. She sets the example and follows through, showing how much she cares for him. Eventually, perhaps a few years later, Fred is finally willing to discuss the possibility of learning more about the Bible. A few months later he agrees to go to church with her, just to see what Jesus is all about.

Fred may not ask Jesus into his life right then, but he has allowed a precious child of God into his life to minister to him. One day Fred just may go forward in church or get down on his knees and pray the sinner's prayer, asking Jesus to be the Lord of his life. One day, because of the gentle patience of one Christian, Fred may even lead someone else to Christ!

"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12:13

Each person is a unique individual with special qualities and unique talents who sees the world in his own way. He comes to his decisions and understanding of the world honestly, as do we. As Christians, it is our responsibility to share Jesus with others, but we must do it in a way that is respectful. This, in turn, is more likely to be effective. If we don't, not only is our message lost, but it is tainted so that the next Christian God sends along will be met with an even bigger challenge. He or she will not only have to share the gospel, but will have to get the gospel through all the filters that have been put up to defend against Christian attack.

With the knowledge of the Bible and effective communication skills, we can go out and make disciples to the glory of God. Amen!

"For the body is not one member, but many." 1 Corinthians 12:14

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JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication. Her Christian and humorous approach to communication skills has made her a sought-after speaker. She is the author of the Say What You Mean communication curricula, including Say What You Mean: Defending the Faith. Grace Talk Soup is her latest project. Each Thursday morning she boldly serves up God's Word with a side order of grace and humor. JoJo and her husband live in Southern California, where she homeschools their two children. For more information, please visit www.ArtofEloquence.com.

This article was originally published in the July/Aug '07 issue of Home School Enrichment Magazine. For more details, visit http://HomeSchoolEnrichment.com