Evangelizing Those Who Have Heard it a Hundred Times

If you’ve spent any time sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, you’ve likely met people who have heard the message countless times yet remain unmoved by it. Some grew up attending church. Others have Christian family members or friends who have faithfully shared the good news with them over the years. Despite repeated exposure to the gospel, they have not yet responded to Christ in repentance and faith.

Knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him. Jesus encountered this when He said, “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.” (Matthew 13:15). This challenge is not a lack of information, but spiritual blindness or hardness of heart.

Now, we will explore potential scenarios and reasons the individual who has heard the gospel a hundred times has not bent the knee just yet.

The Enemies of Faith

The Bible paints an accurate picture of the many obstacles that a person may come against, preventing them from hearing the glorious gospel. The parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1-23 shows three obstacles people face based upon where the seed falls.

There are those who hear the gospel, and it doesn’t sink into the heart as the devil comes and snatches it away before it can even grow. These are most definitely intellectuals who think that God and science could never mix and feel that in order to believe in God, you have to “check your brain at the door.” The serpent of old, causing doubt in the mind, whispering, ‘Did God really say?’

In others, the gospel grows in the heart only for a short time; it doesn’t take root because tribulation, persecution, and suffering cause him to stumble. It’s those times of suffering that should lead us to cling to the Father. 1 Peter 1:6-7 declares that trials prove the genuineness of our faith as though gold purified by fire. They signed up to follow a different Jesus, one that provides a comfortable and pain-free life. Instead, found out the hard way that following the real Christ involves enduring trials. (Philippians 1:29;  2 Timothy 3:12; and 1 Peter 3:14)

Some love the things of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches chokes out the word, and it bears no fruit. People focus too much on themselves and not enough on God’s kingdom. 1 John 2:15-17 says that all the world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life are passing away, but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Pray Persistently

We must ask God to open the eyes, ears, and hearts of those who do not believe, as only the Holy Spirit can help them see the truth and grant them repentance (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 1:18;  2 Timothy 2:25).

This means that evangelism must begin with prayer — asking God to do what only He can do: soften hearts, remove blindness, and convict of sin and need (John 16:8-11). One plants, one waters, but it is God who makes the seed of the gospel grow (1 Corinthians 3:6-8).

Therefore, we “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), persevering in hope and refusing to give up on those we love, trusting that God will one day open their eyes to the truth and set them free.

Engage Them With the Right Questions

We can ask questions like Jesus did to expose what’s keeping them from responding — pride, fear, disappointment, misunderstanding, etc. (Luke 10:25-37; John 4:7-26).

Therefore, in order to understand which camp our unbeliever belongs in and where the conversation needs to go. We must ask the right questions to gain information and move away from presenting facts and into engaging them on a personal level.

Questions have powerful side effects: they cause curiosity, and cause us to listen more than speak, they help us to avoid becoming defensive, and show gentleness and respect. They also facilitate our conversations and keep us in the driver’s seat, steering the conversation without getting off track.

“Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions” is a well-known apologetics book by Greg Koukl. Rather than focusing on memorizing answers to every objection against Christianity, the book teaches Christians how to have gracious and productive conversations about their faith.

The three most powerful questions are:

1. What do you mean by that? Clarifies what the person is actually saying and prevents arguing against misunderstanding.
2. How did you come to that conclusion? Encourages the other person to explain their reasoning and reveals their assumptions or weak foundations.
3. Have you considered…? Gently introduces another perspective without being confrontational and allows the conversation to continue, respectively.

Asking questions like these are not “manipulation tactics” but help us understand the other person’s worldview; shaking hands rather than pointing fingers.

If the previous questions don’t specifically get to the root of the issue, consider these more probing questions:

• “If Christianity were true, would you accept it? Why or why not?”
• “What role does forgiveness play in your belief system?”
• “How do your beliefs cope with suffering and evil?”
• “How do you define right and wrong?”
• “What do you think is the ultimate source of truth?”
• “You’ve heard this before; why have you rejected Christianity?”

Listen more than speak

Whatever has happened to the person in front of you, whether as a result of external actions or their own choices, is undeniably real. We need to be cautious and take the advice in the Bible and listen to what they have to say. Maybe the person you are talking to needs a sounding board. It’s possible their objections, doubts, experiences, or disappointments with Christianity have not been truly heard, and in discussing them, they might conclude they overreacted. Maybe they realize that even though God was there through it all that He saw their pain and wants to heal it.

We need to be sympathetic to the perspective of the heathen and not jump to conclusions. Sometimes it’s not what you say, but speaking their objections outloud brings some level of healing. People listen more intently when we speak with gentleness and respect, showing genuine love and patience for them. This is why prideful people make the worst evangelists. A rule of thumb is to talk no more than a minute then give the other person a chance to speak. It is very reasonable to share the gospel in a minute.

Be Authentic

Like the old saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” This holds true in countless situations. While it may not explicitly convey the gospel, it undeniably demonstrates its authenticity as we embody it in our lives.

Let your life reveal the transforming power of Christ — humility, forgiveness, joy, patience, and peace that come from Him alone (Matthew 5:16). When you make a mistake or sin in the presence of an unbeliever, embrace the opportunity to say you’re sorry and ask for forgiveness, knowing that it can lead to stronger connections.

Trust God with the Results

One of the most difficult things for a Christian to do is to trust that the Lord has it under control. In our flesh we worry, complain, and keep pressing the issue. Men especially are doers and have “git-’er-done” attitudes. Sometimes we don’t think God is working fast enough because we see problems and have the innate desire to fix them sooner than later. God works on His timing, not ours.

God “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that they would turn from their ways and live…” (Ezekiel 33:11). He desires that your loved ones, your friends, and even strangers repent, turn to Him, and receive the only pardon He grants through the blood of His one and only Son. He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love (Psalm 103:8-12).

Instead of presenting facts to the individual, pray, ask questions, and listen but “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15). Walk an authentic Christian life, knowing it doesn’t have to be perfect, and trust God with the results.

Remember, there is no human solution to a spiritual problem. It’s not about persuasion, but faithfulness. The gospel is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Your task is to keep sowing seed, watering it in love, and trusting God will bring life in His time.