One of the reasons I love Jesus’ parables is that He makes people work for it. He could easily set out vast truths in a few short sentences. He could just as easily berate people into submission. But the gospel is not meant to be easily mastered. It runs counter to our self-righteousness.

We had an unbelieving friend a few years ago who explained why she resented being pressured to pray the “Sinner’s Prayer.” She had grown up Catholic and didn’t like the idea of saying a few “magic words” to be saved. She made a good point. After a significant struggle, she came to wholeheartedly believe in Jesus as her Savior.

Evangelism is like good baseball—you don’t always swing for the fences. Sometimes, you just want to get on base. There’ll be more at-bats, but you must step up to the plate! When engaging others for Christ, explore the basics of their lives, learn their backgrounds, and make your way to their beliefs. Using the three “B’s” in that order will force you to be patient and thoughtful in sharing the gospel.