Video #4 – Navigating Disagreement
How to Navigate Disagreement
As worldviews collide, disagreement is bound to happen. In Christ, we have been immersed in life and light, but the truth of the Gospel seems wildly different to a watching world. How do we navigate those subtle moments of disagreements in sharing our faith?
Don’t Correct, Learn to Understand
Know the person, we all have unique stories and knowing them will help you understand the why behind what they believe to be true. Oftentimes when we feel as though we are talking to a brick wall, it’s because we are not speaking to the heart.
Personal experiences inform our beliefs, not rational and logical arguments. Even people who seem rational! Dig deeper to the heart.
Balance
Find a balance between communicating philosophical truth, Christian doctrine, and personal experience.
Learn to articulate your worldview without directly speaking from the bible. This helps them understand your thoughts without needing to know everything you know about the Christian faith. Biblical truth is necessary and appropriate for certain times, but do not use the scriptures to prove points! The Bible does not have authority in their lives like yours, but use the scriptures to educate the person to help them see the relevance of the Bible.
Tell your story as a means to relate to the other person. Your story, although powerful, is not a means for academic credibility. Find common ground and tell the story of you and God. Show them that like them, you were living life just like anyone else.
Speak to the heart, and not with the motive to convert. Let the Holy Spirit do the work!
Make Room for Laughter!
Be light-hearted and learn to laugh at what you say that may seem silly! There are a lot of things that may seem strange in the church or yourself, and we can learn to laugh as we navigate life together!
We would love to hear your thoughts so please share and comment on the video. What beautiful moments have come out of disagreement for you!?
By,
Jamie Nguyen & Adam Truax