What If Christians Were “Unsilenced”?
I love to borrow a good idea, and I’ll confess that I’ve been borrowing from James Boccardo for some time now. James wrote a book a few years ago called, Unsilenced: How to Voice the Gospel,
and I have been using it with groups around the country ever since. I
met James at a conference in North Carolina where he and I were
speaking; he sent me the book prior to the event. As soon as I read it I
knew I’d discovered an “evergreen” resource I would use for years to
come. I’ll be interviewing James on the Stand to Reason Radio Show today
(you can look for this show in the STR Podcast Archive), and I’m excited to introduce the book to readers of my daily blog.
If
you’re the kind of person who recognizes your responsibility to share
the Gospel with people in your life, but find yourself hesitant or
uncertain as to how you ought to begin, this book is for you. Although
I’ve explored a number of books on evangelism (while in seminary and
during my time as a pastor), I continue to return to this book for the
following reasons:
It’s Practical
James is focused like a laser beam. He understands our fear and
hesitancy and has learned to overcome these obstacles in his daily life.
He’s an active evangelist who uses a single question
to begin conversations that lead to the gospel: “What do you think
happens after you die?” This simple approach is an effective “jump
starter”; it is the practical foundation from which James begins.
It’s Accessible
Unsilenced
is a very quick read. I read it on the flight to the North Carolina
conference from Southern California. James is a layperson (graduating
from UNC Chapel Hill and currently pursuing his M.A. in Biblical
Studies) and he’s written the book in accessible language that
simplifies the important issues as a catalyst for other laypeople.
It’s Responsive
What I love most about Boccardo’s book is the time he spent anticipating objections from non-Christians. In this sense, Unsilenced
is a Case Making book that provides readers with a simple apologetic
approach to evangelism. James’ “Bumps in the Road” chapter provides a
responsive strategy for nineteen common objections. You’ll love the
simplicity with which he navigates conversations.
It’s Doable
Unsilenced
is a “get off your butt and get moving” kind of book that will provide
you with an effective strategy to start sharing the Gospel. It has a
modest goal and achieves this goal in 170 quick pages. Unsilenced takes the fear out of evangelism by providing a path to the Gospel, and Boccardo has cleared this path for us.
If
you’re like me, you’ve been in conversations with people you hardly
know and wanted to find a way to share the Gospel. Maybe you tried to
direct the conversation toward the things of God, or maybe you waited
patiently for the topic to emerge on its own. Now, when I find myself in
these situations, I immediately think of Unsilenced and find the
courage to ask the first question. James Boccardo has accomplished what
he set out to achieve; he’s helped me to speak up when I might
otherwise be silent. I can only imagine what a difference it would make
if all of us were unsilenced.
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