"I have no idea how to talk to people about Jesus or answer their questions in a way that is appealing or convincing."

We all struggle with talking to people about Jesus - especially if those people are people in our family or friends circle and if they are not a follower or Jesus and maybe even antagonistic towards Jesus.

And the stakes are high! Eternal destiny is on the line. We are commanded to, "go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone." (Mark 16:15 NLT) That word, "preach" can also be translated as "proclaim." But no matter how that word is translated, it carries a lot of cultural baggage in today's post-modern society where everything, including morals and truth are relative.

While it is true that no one is "argued" into the Kingdom of God, it is also true that saving faith in God is based on actual evidence. We do not have a blind faith. Our convictions rest in evidence, reason and logic, and even scientific data. 

But how do we talk about it without a fight?

Enter our January reading:

"Tactics" by Gregory Koukl

"Tactics" is a 267-page book that is easy and engaging from beginning to end. It's also a total game changer.

Total. Complete. Life-changing.

This should be mandatory reading for every single Christian, especially today. And so it is no wonder why we would include it as our first book of 2021.

What is a tactic? Think of it as a set of tools. 

Why do we use tools? To complete a task. 

What should we do with our tools? Have them ready-to-go and on-hand. We need them sharpened and cleaned if we are to be prepared for whatever task we might need these tools for. 

For the Christian, what is the task? Well, in this circumstance 1 Peter 3:15 says, "if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it." (NLT)

Let me ask you a real question: how many times as someone explicitly asked you about your Christian view?

If you're anything like me, not often.

But let's follow-up with this question: how many times as someone shared their view?

Probably a lot. 

It's human nature.

And as a follower of Jesus, sometimes the most powerful way to share the hope we have as a believer is to first ask the other person when they are making a claim or sharing their view, "What do you mean by that?"

You see, "Tactics" is less about arguing and more about listening and thinking critically. 

When Jesus sends us out to "go into all the world," He says in Matthew 10:16 to "be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."

Being wise requires using sound reasoning based on the Truth. Being wise requires us to use the tools, the tactics, God has given us. This book will help you do just that.

Be prepared. Be vigilant. Keep it simple.

Read the book? Tell us what you thought below!