How to Share with Atheists

The following is taken from a conversation between Herb Larsen, Jr. of Canada and an atheist he met on a plane (used with permission). Hopefully it will give us all a better idea of how to save a lost soul for Jesus. We must look at people as God sees them, as a weary soul, without peace.

The first thing is to take the question of “Is there a God?” off of the table. Rather than arguing, yes there is, no there isn’t, bypass that and talk about the difference in belief systems between Christians and atheists. You can start with the assertion that, “It is irrelevant if there is a God or not.” Then continue by explaining that what is important is the effect our underlying beliefs have on our lives.

We as Christians believe that we are created. What that does for me, whether God is real or not, it gives me a psychological advantage because I believe that maybe there is a reason or purpose for my life. There is someone bigger than me in control. That gives me confidence and power, so I go through life with a purpose and conviction. It gives me peace to know there is someone besides myself to carry my burdens. Furthermore, at the end of my life, I look forward to eternal life. I’ve got light at the end of my tunnel, a hope for the future. This positive effect is true whether or not there really is a God.

Atheists, on the other hand, believe they are evolved from a lower form of animal life. What that does to you is that it slams the door on any reason for life. You’ve got no purpose other than what you can garner out of life right now. You are living a “survival of the fittest” rat race, going through life trying to accomplish all you can with no real purpose beyond the sake of that accomplishment. You have the load of the world on your own shoulders, with no one to help carry that load. When you die, you rot in the ground and somebody else gets the advantage of your hard work. Of all of the beliefs people could have, whether or not God is real, I’d rather have a belief that gives me confidence and power through having purpose and hope for the future.

At this point, Herb shared his testimony on how his life changed after he found Jesus, and he then offered a challenge. He asked the gentleman to whom he was speaking to spend one hour a day every day for the next two months reading the Bible, making the assumption that maybe God is real, and praying, asking God to change his life. So he knew “what’s in it for me?” Herb suggested he start with Deuteronomy 28, which details the blessings and curses God pronounces for those who follow or don’t follow His law. Herb then made an offer most of us probably couldn’t back up. He told the man to log his time, and that after doing this every day for two full months, if his life hadn’t changed, he should send Herb a bill for his time, so the guy had nothing to lose by accepting the challenge. Within ten days, Herb got an email from the man, telling how his life was already changing.

Do you have a burning desire to save people? If not, you don’t really know Jesus. Do you think you have nothing to say? If not, again, you don’t really know Jesus. Do you spend more time watching TV, or playing computer games, or other mindless activities than you spend with God? If so, you can’t possibly know Jesus. I can’t promise to pay you for sixty hours of your time, but I would still like to challenge you to spend an hour every morning for the next 60 days (even if you are already a Christian), reading God’s word with fresh eyes, making the assumption it is true, and I hope you will send me an email sharing how it has changed your life. But more importantly, I hope you also share it with all of the lost and dying souls with whom you come in contact. And this should go without saying, but I hope you don’t stop at the end of 60 days.

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