We met Lindsay at a mall in New Orleans. My students were completing an assignment to interview people concerning their religious beliefs. Lindsay was a friendly, articulate female in her early twenties, who was eager to share her views on spiritual matters. She had traveled extensively as a daughter of a military family. In our taped interview of Lindsay we discovered some of her beliefs. Perhaps a portion of the conversation will help you understand her confusion . . .

"I believe in an individual absolute truth.

I believe God is everywhere and in everything.

I am smoking God.

To be straightened out with God it takes an extremely open mind and tolerance.

Jesus Christ was a leader. He may or may not be real. I am not sure it matters.

I believe in the so-called miracle. I believe resurrections can happen.

I grew up attending a Baptist church and most every other type of religious group.

I believe in the morals of the Bible."

Lindsay represents a group of people who are further from a biblical understanding of God than any other group in the history of the United States. Where do we begin with Lindsay? What do we say? Better yet, what are you to say to those around you who are confused and skeptical? How can we effectively share the good news of Jesus Christ with the Lindsays who live in our communities and maybe even occupy some of the pews in our local churches?

postmoderns place greater value on RELATIONSHIPS than on factual validation.

Multiple encounters vs. Single encounters
Personal evangelism in the past centered around one-time encounters with nonbelievers. Because people are further from God in their knowledge and acceptance of Jesus Christ and His church, evangelism has become more of a process than an event. With Lindsay it probably will take multiple encounters with the gospel message for her to surrender to Christ.

Listener centered vs. Witness centered
Much of the evangelism training in the last half of the 20th century centered on preparing the witness to talk. The witness would focus on what to say. This is in contrast to the postmodern method of training the witness to listen well to the lost. We should ask ourselves questions such as: How is the listener responding to the message and to me? Is the listener connecting with the message?

Dialogue vs. Monologue
Most people who process life through a postmodern grid will probably find an evangelistic monologue offensive. Its important that we talk with Lindsay, not to her as if we are trying to assault her with the gospel truth.

Gospel story vs. Gospel presentation
Christians need to communicate the gospel story to postmoderns, not just tell them gospel facts. When people dont grow up in a Judeo-Christian environment, they dont know the Christian story, symbols, doctrines or ethics. They need to hear the story of Gods relationship with man throughout history. One way to show this is to share your own story with your Lindsays.

Story then proposition vs. Proposition then story
In most evangelistic encounters propositional statements usually precede illustration. The witness communicates spiritual facts and then illustrates or explains the spiritual reality. However, in a postmodern context, the witness should communicate the gospel story and then draw out the appropriate spiritual truth. When people dont know or understand the biblical account of Gods plan of redemption, we need to present the context of the story so that specific truths can be brought to light.

Asking good questions vs. Giving lots of information
Lindsay needs information, but until the witness asks questions and listens well, the witness wont know what information to give her. When people have little background with the true gospel and also consider themselves spiritual, the witness needs to ask a series of good questions that are presented in an appropriate, inquiring tone. Questions demonstrate genuine interest.

Community integration vs. Individual isolation
Community is a high value for postmoderns. But often our evangelism has been separated from incorporation into a community of faith. For Lindsay to trust Christ, shell probably need to be introduced to a group of Christians who live out their faith in the midst of her confusion and questions.

Soft vs. Loud
Among highly trained skeptics and pluralistic thinking people, the volume of evangelism needs to be lowered. Soft, calm, thoughtful words will resonate more clearly than high-decibel words. A life lived in calm confidence in God is more likely to be noticed than words shouted by a red-faced, Bible-waving stranger.

Consideration vs. Argumentation
Tolerance has been taken to new heights as a value of our society. We can stand firmly on our positions and beliefs and come across with confidence, but in order to get a full hearing, we cannot be perceived as trying to force our beliefs on others. We can, however, skillfully ask Lindsay to consider our faith in light of her beliefs. After all, our beliefs are biblical, and our loving God wants to reveal Himself. The implications of the resurrection and Jesus claim to be God are important doctrines to bring up when sharing with a lost person.

Guided tours vs. Ticket sales
Personal evangelism usually involves a process. Its our job to provide a guided tour of what it means to be a follower of Christ while at the same time presenting the claims of Christ. The Christian cannot simply offer tickets into heaven. I recognize that no informed Christian would take such an approach, but we dont want a lost person to think were selling bus tickets to eternity. The spiritual seeker needs to see the Christian on a spiritual journey himself. The lost want us to walk beside them and provide answers to questions along the way.

More supernatural vs. Supersales (natural)
Evangelism is a frontal attack on the gates of hell. Therefore, we can expect to engage in battles that involve spiritual beingsfrom God or Satan. People will be drawn more by the supernatural movement of God than by the natural abilities of the witness. Its God who desires to draw Lindsay to Himself. Ill be surprised if we dont see an increase in the number of recognizable spiritual encounters.

Christians need to develop discernment as it relates to spirits, because not everything that's supernatural is from God. Satan is a masterful counterfeiter.

More earthly benefits vs. Eternal benefits
The wise witness needs to invest more time discussing the earthly benefits and costs of following God, than discussing the eternal benefits. In the scheme of things, the eternal benefits dramatically outweigh any earthly benefits. However, as we listen to people talk about their marriage or finances or disappointments, we need to recognize this offers opportunities to talk about how our relationship with Jesus has made a difference in those areas of our lives.

More relational validation vs. Validation through evidence
Lindsay perceives truth (reality) in different ways than people did in previous generations. I believe that postmoderns place greater value on relationships than on factual validation. Evidence is important, but there are still mysteries about God that empirical evidence cant address. Postmoderns are more likely to be affected by how their friends are responding or feeling about the message of Christ.

More time planting seeds vs. Harvesting
A lot can be learned from the laws of the harvest such as you reap what you sow, reap more than what you sow, and later than you sow. With Postmoderns, we will need to invest a large amount of time and resources in sowing seeds for the harvest. If we don't sow seeds, we wont harvest.

As Dr. Chuck Kelley says, Southern Baptists are a harvest-oriented denomination living in an unseeded generation. This doesnt mean that we can no longer harvest, because without the goal of harvesting, there would be no reason to plant. However, we must think of evangelism in terms and methods beyond that of just harvesting.

Your Lindsays can be led to Christ. Look to God for wisdom in sharing Him.

Dr. Will McRaney is associate professor of evangelism at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and author of books including The Art of Personal Evangelism. For more information about his teaching and conference ministry contact him at wmcraney@nobts.edu.

1 Thom Wolf in his oral presentation, Postmodernity and the Urban Church Agenda, at the American Society for Church Growth Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida, November 1997, made the case for asking the lost person to consider the possibility of the resurrection and then the implications for their life, if true.

C. Norman Kraus in An Intrusive Gospel? Christian Mission in the Postmodern World (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP), p. 19, wrote, By  implication, postmodern presuppositions challenge traditional evangelism as cultural arrogance. They throw suspicion on a service motivation as disguised self-serving....Thus whether we agree with these postmodern implications or not, they demand a change in attitudes, modes of communication and definitions of witness and service.

I believe we can and should communicate directly with postmodern people about the implications of a decision, but initially I recommend that we ask them to consider how Christ can transform them and then back off and allow the Holy Spirit to work.