When the apostle Paul traveled throughout the Roman world, he always knew his audience. When he was in a synagogue, for instance—and he was in plenty of those—he took out the Old Testament Scriptures and used these to explain his point. After all, Jews held to the veracity of the Scripture. However, if he were with Gentiles, he cited pagan poets to make a case for the Christian God against the pagan deities. See how he spoke to the scholars on Mars Hill in Athens, as recorded in Acts 17:16-34. To Paul, his audience mattered. As he stated in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”
Understanding our audience will help us choose the right approach. In chapter 9, Carl Wimmer—a former Utah state legislator—explains the repercussions he received after he and his family left the LDS Church. However, through patience and kindness the family was able to love their Mormon family members and reconnect their relationship, despite their differences in belief. Next, though some Christians might get scared or tongue-tied when Mormon missionaries come to their doors—some may even want to pull the curtains and hide behind the couch—Sandra Tanner explains in chapter 10 how it is possible to turn a missionary visit into a positive encounter, with the chance to share biblical Christianity with two young people who are usually very interested in spiritual things. By understanding a little bit about Mormonism and having a pleasant attitude, it’s possible to reach out to the young men and women who ring your doorbell.
Because men and women are different, there are some tactics that might work for men but not for women. Thus in chapter 11, Becky Walker explains ways to approach LDS females and some approaches she has used to reach out to Mormon women. Then in chapter 12, Fred Anson takes a look at the Internet, which has become a twenty-first-century mission field, and provides ways to be a virtual missionary in chat room and social media formats without having to get out of the office chair.
Which individuals do you have in your life who require specialized approaches such as these?