Many people ask how they can convert friends and family members to God, with the traditional Sunday school answer being that it is all down to the work of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer is integral to faith; therefore it should not be underestimated as a vital way of communicating with God. This makes prayer essential.
Table of Contents
1. Listen to them.
First step to encouraging someone else to believe in God: listen. Not simply passively listen but actively search out what they have to say and prepare yourself for what may come. Also believe God desires communication between both of you – something many Christians struggle with – Bible references often mention “hearkening” which calls both people and God together for dialogue.
While talking with them, try to understand why they’re where they are today. While this can be challenging to do, understanding what’s going through their minds will enable you to show how Jesus can provide peace and life to their situation.
Conversations about faith often start by finding common ground such as sports fandom, shared experiences or an event that brought you close together. This helps build rapport and makes it easier to discuss more serious topics like faith and belief. Furthermore, giving something that will assist them on their spiritual journey like a Bible or solar-powered audio bible would also be appreciated as it will come in handy at various points during life’s journey.
2. Be patient.
Be patient when discussing religion with anyone. Religion can be an emotional subject to broach, so take your time when broaching the subject with anyone and remember everyone has different views and beliefs – you cannot force people into believing, so let them make their own decision about faith on their own terms.
People who do not believe in god often claim they need proof or evidence before accepting something as true. This is a legitimate request, as evidence can provide incredible advances. Particularly in scientific fields this type of proof has allowed scientists to make remarkable advancements.
Faith goes beyond evidence: faith requires trusting in God even when we don’t fully comprehend him or the world around us, forming relationships with Him that manifest themselves through actions and words we take every day.
Example: Psalmist often lamented his suffering before turning back to God with pleas for relief, yet did not allow this to cause impatience or anger to arise. Instead, he displayed patience as he knew He would deliver what He promised.
3. Be honest.
For someone to fully believe in God, they must be honest about their sin, struggles and questions; in addition to this being applied to how they treat others and themselves – for instance if they lie to friends or coworkers, manipulate others or avoid responsibility this would not qualify as being truthful.
Being honest is vitally important for believers, as well as being an essential aspect of God’s relationship with us. He longs for an intimate and close bond with His people – something only possible through honesty on our part. Therefore, sharing struggles or doubts with other Christians can help keep us on the right path and keep faith alive and well.
As with atheists and non-believers, it’s essential to remain honest when speaking to atheists or non-believers; but be careful not to attack or persuade them that their beliefs are incorrect. Painting them as sinners who deserve eternal punishment would not be fair; instead it may be more beneficial to focus on God’s love for all people as an emphasis for discussing gospel truths that could prompt greater openness from them and ultimately result in increased listening and discussion between you two.
4. Be humble.
Advocating for God among atheists can be challenging. Listening and understanding their perspectives will allow you to better convince them there is an omniscient being out there who exists as part of a higher power hierarchy.
Humility can be difficult for some. People who act arrogant or boastful tend to do it to make themselves look better; humility means giving others credit while looking down upon oneself – as the Bible puts it, “God resists those who boast, yet gives grace to those who humble themselves”.
One way to be more humble is to volunteer for low-paying positions within your church. Pastors often hear of people coming in complaining they can contribute more if given more power; yet often those serving behind the scenes make more of an impact than those sitting in pews.
Be mindful not to insult your friends. If they appear to be making efforts toward humility, try not to say anything that might offend or offend them; rather offer support and encouragement instead; this will show them that you’re not judgmental of their efforts.
5. Be positive.
People who believe in God sometimes struggle with believing He cares for them. While they may talk about praying for a specific situation and not seeing an improvement or answers to their prayers, this can be discouraging and can leave people questioning why nothing has changed. But remember: God works in mysterious ways and doesn’t always answer prayers in ways we expect him to.
Many believers of God use positive thinking techniques to convince others of their belief system, yet this practice isn’t encouraged in Scripture; instead it stems from New Thought spirituality which often criticizes its use for misusing scripture, dishonoring God and engaging in witchcraft practices.
Christians shouldn’t attempt to convert atheists by employing positive thinking techniques; rather they can seek to persuade them by emphasizing the Bible’s historical accuracy, moral teachings, or personal testimonies about how it has changed their lives. Christians could also invite atheists to church services – being sure that invitation is clearly marked as religious function and not simply social event.
6. Be consistent.
There’s no single path to convincing someone of God’s existence; however, some techniques for being consistent include emphasizing biblical history, emphasizing moral teachings, and sharing personal testimonies. Avoid condemnations or threats of hellfire as these may push away faith altogether.
Some individuals are unconvinced by arguments based on faith; instead they need tangible proof in order to be persuaded. This may be due to past experiences with religion or witnessing churches cover up sexual abuse, bully LGBT+ people or cover it up entirely. Others may feel anger towards God for allowing bad things to happen to them; some remain atheist while others return or break from religion altogether.
If you want them to believe, demonstrate it by living like a Christian. Be kind and helpful, showing love for everyone – even your atheist friends and family members. When given the chance, tell them about God and that through His grace they have been forgiven and saved. Make time for God every day rather than only when happy or sad emotions arise.
7. Be consistent.
Many people believe in God due to being raised in religious families or having had an eye-opening religious experience, while others find it hard to believe there’s such a being as God. Even those without such experience find it hard to believe there exists such an entity, though even they could benefit from cultivating religious practices that adhere to biblical principles and creating religious environments in their lives.
To do this, this could involve reading and praying on a regular basis, being an example for others and helping those in need, being patient when someone challenges your faith, being consistent may initially be challenging but is worth the effort in the end.
If your cousin tries to convince you that studies show prayer doesn’t heal sick people or that the Bible says elephants run faster than cheetahs, don’t allow her to turn you into a wavering Christian. While she might convince you it is just her rebellious heart speaking up and trying to prove them wrong will likely only end up hurting both parties involved, rather focus on creating consistency in your own life and not worrying so much about theirs.
