Throughout history, there have been notable Christians gifted in the art of persuasion — from Chesterton, to C.S. Lewis, to Malcolm Muggeridge. Yet many of us still use methods that are no longer effective in communicating spiritual truth to a disinterested world.

Social commentator Os Guinness has developed fresh insights from years of critical conversations with leading thinkers. He offers hope in his book .

Many of us don’t consider ourselves masters of the art of apologetics by any means, yet Peter’s call in the New Testament is that we be ready to give a reason for our beliefs. How can we employ persuasion in our conversations about faith?

Persuasion is a bit different than proclamation – when we share the message of Jesus in a straightforward manner to people that often have an open mind. When we seek to persuade, it’s often in a scenario where some doubts are in play in the hearts of those with whom we’re engaging in discussion. Persuasion is thoroughly liberal, rational, and free. You’re asking someone to listen to your reasoning and also – in a sense – giving them the questions which they can pursue and then answer on their own.

Os gives us three kinds of fools, as detailed in the Bible:

● The Fool Proper – They’re fools because the Lord wills them to be.

● The Fool Bearer – The person who is no fool at all, but who is willing to be seen and treated as one in the name of Christ.

● The Fool Maker – A person who is ready to be called a fool and treated like a fool, and then speaks the truth.

We step back and ask an important question. Is it up to us to defend God’s honor and truth?

Highlight: Considering fools

The art of Christian persuasion