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Como Piensan: Los Incredulos que Tanto Quiero
Usando su experiencia personal, el humor, historias de obligada lectura, ilustraciones bíblicas y las últimas investigaciones, Lee Strobel lo ayudará a entender a los no cristianos y lo que los motiva. El labor incluye quince claves sobre por qué las personas se mantienen alejadas de Dios y de la iglesia; una visión de la cristiandad y su mensaje a través de los ojos de un antiguo ateo; una estrategia práctica inspiracional para edificar relaciones con los que no son cristianos, y por último, cómo sobrevivir a un matrimonio con un incrédulo.
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1993
43 people are currently reading
479 people want to read
About the author
Lee Strobel
229 books1,810 followersLee Patrick Strobel is an American Christian author and a former investigative journalist. He has written several books, including four that received ECPA Christian Book Awards (1994, 1999, 2001, 2005)[2] and a series which addresses challenges to the veracity of Christianity. He also hosted a television program called Faith Under Fire on PAX TV and runs a video apologetics web site.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 13, 2017
I will start with what was good. I appreciated hearing what unchurched people thought about church via surveys. I also have a lot of respect for Lee Strobel for his work. This is the third book of his that I have read.
From here the main theme of the book was how to teach the lost. I agree that we must be concerned about the lost. The Great Commission is to go make disciples of all nations. All of the nations are lost. Therefore, we are to reach the lost around us. But the theme of this book felt much like an advertisement for why to become a seeker church. I know that Strobel explicitly stated a traditional church need only be aware of these things when planning outreach events but the book really leads you to "your church should be like my church." When did the church have to be led by the world? When did expectations of unbelievers become more important than anything else? We certainly change with the times but this book felt much like the church simply catering to the world. I've been a part of a church like that and many of the members were a mile wide and an inch deep. The church is to be salt and light, and an influence, to the world, not the other way around. The other thing was that he seemed to suggest that if we just catered more to the world we would reach everyone. Two things: 1) the path is narrow to salvation and most people will never come to faith. Don't assume that you will automatically save a bunch of people because you are now a seeker church. 2) You will never be able to compete with the world on entertainment. Don't try. People should not be coming to church to be entertained. I gave it three stars because there was helpful insight, but I disagreed with the whole seeker approach. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
I do respect Strobel though, so let my opinion not be against him. I just disagree with his philosophy of ministry.
From here the main theme of the book was how to teach the lost. I agree that we must be concerned about the lost. The Great Commission is to go make disciples of all nations. All of the nations are lost. Therefore, we are to reach the lost around us. But the theme of this book felt much like an advertisement for why to become a seeker church. I know that Strobel explicitly stated a traditional church need only be aware of these things when planning outreach events but the book really leads you to "your church should be like my church." When did the church have to be led by the world? When did expectations of unbelievers become more important than anything else? We certainly change with the times but this book felt much like the church simply catering to the world. I've been a part of a church like that and many of the members were a mile wide and an inch deep. The church is to be salt and light, and an influence, to the world, not the other way around. The other thing was that he seemed to suggest that if we just catered more to the world we would reach everyone. Two things: 1) the path is narrow to salvation and most people will never come to faith. Don't assume that you will automatically save a bunch of people because you are now a seeker church. 2) You will never be able to compete with the world on entertainment. Don't try. People should not be coming to church to be entertained. I gave it three stars because there was helpful insight, but I disagreed with the whole seeker approach. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
I do respect Strobel though, so let my opinion not be against him. I just disagree with his philosophy of ministry.
June 6, 2021
Mange gode poeng og ting å reflektere og tenke over. Samtidig ber boka preg av å vere gammal. Mange av tinga Strobel tek opp og tankane/meiningane han peiker på kjem frå 2000-årsskiftet, og mykje har skjedd sidan den tid. Samfunnet har endra seg og mykje av tankane folk ber på har endra seg.
Likevel setter boka ord på, og stiller spørsmål ved korleis vi kan nå fleire med evangeliet, og det er eit spørsmål kristne i heile verda til ei kvar tid bør spørje seg.
Likevel setter boka ord på, og stiller spørsmål ved korleis vi kan nå fleire med evangeliet, og det er eit spørsmål kristne i heile verda til ei kvar tid bør spørje seg.
February 6, 2015
This one's probably outdated by now, but I tracked it down to find out more about Strobel's personal background. I think it gives a better insight into who this guy is and how his mind works. Strobel doesn't seem like so much an out-and-out con man as much as he seems like a shallow-minded, ambitious pragmatist.
Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary is a classic pitch for the businessification of Christian churches, a process which has long since taken place. "Sell the customers what they want. Anticipate their needs. Keep them entertained. Give them busy work and a sense of ownership in the organization. Sweet talk them and then close that membership deal." Etc, etc...
In the end, for all Strobel's sales tricks and techniques, I don't see what he has left to sell and why anyone should or would care after churches have been gutted and transformed into these franchises. There's a brief chapter where Strobel tries to market Christianity as an adventure in which he mentions a trip some church people took to India in order to help the poor. That at least sounds promising, but you don't get the feeling that that kind of thing is going to be the norm in his kind of churches. The norm is more about cramming as many people into these corporate megachurch bunkers for endless rounds of spiritual self-help seminars, then selling them as much Christian-brand merch as possible, then convincing them to recruit the next batch of consumers for Christ.
Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary is a classic pitch for the businessification of Christian churches, a process which has long since taken place. "Sell the customers what they want. Anticipate their needs. Keep them entertained. Give them busy work and a sense of ownership in the organization. Sweet talk them and then close that membership deal." Etc, etc...
In the end, for all Strobel's sales tricks and techniques, I don't see what he has left to sell and why anyone should or would care after churches have been gutted and transformed into these franchises. There's a brief chapter where Strobel tries to market Christianity as an adventure in which he mentions a trip some church people took to India in order to help the poor. That at least sounds promising, but you don't get the feeling that that kind of thing is going to be the norm in his kind of churches. The norm is more about cramming as many people into these corporate megachurch bunkers for endless rounds of spiritual self-help seminars, then selling them as much Christian-brand merch as possible, then convincing them to recruit the next batch of consumers for Christ.
February 26, 2011
Lee Strobel has put together some interesting and high quality books on apologetics. I was expecting the same quality out of this book and was sorely disappointed. When reading the title I thought I was getting a book about the worldview of unchurched people. Instead, the book simply was a critique of modern churches. It's main theme was "Any church that is not Willow Creek or a Willow Creek clone is bad because people won't want to go to it." The book focuses so much on tactics (from the 1990s) that it forgets to leave room for the Holy Spirit to work--the same Holy Spirit who has always used a broken and goofy church to do its work. The book itself is dated already, being 15 years old, and many of the once cutting-edge strategies that seemed like good ideas at the time now seem old and cheesy (the very thing the book was fighting).
One part of the book that I find useful is its call to have sermons that are not predictable. The number one reason people stay away from the church is because they feel like they already know what the pastor is going to say. Unfortunately, while Strobel realizes this, I still found his book and the types of sermons he suggests in it to be old, bland and predictable.
It seems as if this book is no longer useful to the church in 2009. It is time for serious pastors to consider their strategies and stop spending so much time developing tactics.
One part of the book that I find useful is its call to have sermons that are not predictable. The number one reason people stay away from the church is because they feel like they already know what the pastor is going to say. Unfortunately, while Strobel realizes this, I still found his book and the types of sermons he suggests in it to be old, bland and predictable.
It seems as if this book is no longer useful to the church in 2009. It is time for serious pastors to consider their strategies and stop spending so much time developing tactics.
January 23, 2023
THE ‘CASE FOR CHRIST’ AUTHOR GIVES SUGGESTIONS
Author Lee Strobel wrote in the first chapter of this 1993 book, “The transition … to what I later became at Willow Creek Community Church… is the story of one modern skeptic’s journey to faith. And yet… it’s also a story that parallels the spiritual pilgrimage of many people who have discovered Christ through the ministry of Willow Creek and similar churches. You see, Willow Creek is a church that is geared for the unchurched. Ever since Bill Hybels … started the ministry … in 1975, they have focused their efforts on trying to reach non-Christians, whom they have affectionately nicknamed ‘Unchurched Harry’ and ‘Unchurched Mary.’” (Pg. 13)
He continues, “You may have found that since you’ve become a Christian, your unbelieving friends have drifted away as you’ve become increasingly involved in the social network of the church… Without frequent heart-to-heart conversations with unchurched people, it’s easy to forget how they think. That’s why I wrote this book: to help advance your understanding of unchurched people so that your personal evangelistic efforts and the efforts of your church might become more effective.” (Pg. 15)
He suggests, “there’s no ‘typical’ path to Christ. Some people are prompted to seek God because of a crisis in their lives; others because of an aching emptiness. But here are .. broad principles distilled from my story that might help you in reaching the Unchurched Harrys and Marys in your life: *Evangelism is most often a process, not a sudden event…. Yet many Christians and churches are only geared to treat evangelism as… a decision that needs to be made RIGHT NOW, rather than a choice that frequently comes after a period of discovery… *Women can have a significant influence with men on religious issues… * ‘Apologetics’ … is critically important in penetrating the skepticism of many secular people today… *Many irreligious people avoid church because of negative church experiences they had as a child… *Once a person sincerely begins to check out Christianity, it’s only a matter of time before he’ll discover the truth about God… there’s no substitute for asking God to intervene in a person’s life…” (Pg. 42-43)
He notes, “Unchurched Harry often is a ‘religious’ person---in fact, he could be intensely interested in spiritual matters---but he may be turned off to the church because he sees it as an archaic and irrelevant institution… he may be more open to talking about God and considering the claims of Christ than people think.” (Pg./ 45-46)
He states, “Unchurched Harry has a whole range of questions about Christianity, and they deserve answers. Whatever the nature of his inquiry… it should be considered valid if its’ hanging him up on his spiritual journey. But, unfortunately, many Harrys look at churches and imagine a sign out front that says, ‘No questions allowed,’ … The church should be a place where questions are welcomed, even encouraged.” (Pg. 54-55)
He observes, “Harry is willing to let Christians worship their God, Muslims worship Allah, and Hindus worship their proliferation of gods. But when Christians assert that their way is the ONLY way to heaven, Harry calls that bigotry.” (Pg. 77)
He says, “As I’ve talked to people through the years about their spiritual journeys, often I’ve found they’ve reached an impasse that’s blocking their path… the nature of their sticking point varies, yet the end result is the same: They’re stalled in their progress toward a spiritual breakthrough… What I’ll do in this chapter is discuss five categories of spiritual sticking points that I commonly encounter… #1: I CAN”T believe’… #2: I don’t WANT to believe… #3: I don’t know WHAT to believe… #4: I DO believe; isn’t that enough?... #5: I don’t want to believe what THEY believe.” (Pg. 103-120)
He points out, “Unchurched Harrys and Marys can’t understand why their decision to remain ‘spiritually neutral’ sends such damaging tremors through their marriage. But it does. Some of the most frustrated individuals I know are those whose spouse doesn’t share their devotion to Christ. Every time they see a Christian couple whose marriage has a dynamic spiritual dimension, they yearn for what’s missing in their own married life.” (Pg. 141)
He suggests, “when Unchurched Harry and Mary come to church, their number-one value is anonymity. As much as possible, they want to blend in with the crowd. In fact, the ore secularized a community is, the more important anonymity becomes, because it’s less socially acceptable to be seen by neighbors and business associates in a church…” (Pg. 171)
He recounts, “Someone once said that the biggest obstacle to reaching the unchurched is unconverted clergy. As a reporter I had met my share of slick ministers who were running more of a scam than a ministry. On top of that, I knew plenty of people who would claim to be a Christian if you pressed them about it, but you’d never know it by the lives they were living.” (Pg. 200)
He concludes, “It’s my hope that this book has given you some insights and inspiration to help you in this process. Please take seriously what I suggested in the first chapter---prayerfully consider the material in this book, take advantage of that’s helpful, set aside the rest, and then embark on the next installment of your ongoing adventure of relational evangelism.” (Pg. 234)
This book will be of interest to Christians interested in evangelism.
Author Lee Strobel wrote in the first chapter of this 1993 book, “The transition … to what I later became at Willow Creek Community Church… is the story of one modern skeptic’s journey to faith. And yet… it’s also a story that parallels the spiritual pilgrimage of many people who have discovered Christ through the ministry of Willow Creek and similar churches. You see, Willow Creek is a church that is geared for the unchurched. Ever since Bill Hybels … started the ministry … in 1975, they have focused their efforts on trying to reach non-Christians, whom they have affectionately nicknamed ‘Unchurched Harry’ and ‘Unchurched Mary.’” (Pg. 13)
He continues, “You may have found that since you’ve become a Christian, your unbelieving friends have drifted away as you’ve become increasingly involved in the social network of the church… Without frequent heart-to-heart conversations with unchurched people, it’s easy to forget how they think. That’s why I wrote this book: to help advance your understanding of unchurched people so that your personal evangelistic efforts and the efforts of your church might become more effective.” (Pg. 15)
He suggests, “there’s no ‘typical’ path to Christ. Some people are prompted to seek God because of a crisis in their lives; others because of an aching emptiness. But here are .. broad principles distilled from my story that might help you in reaching the Unchurched Harrys and Marys in your life: *Evangelism is most often a process, not a sudden event…. Yet many Christians and churches are only geared to treat evangelism as… a decision that needs to be made RIGHT NOW, rather than a choice that frequently comes after a period of discovery… *Women can have a significant influence with men on religious issues… * ‘Apologetics’ … is critically important in penetrating the skepticism of many secular people today… *Many irreligious people avoid church because of negative church experiences they had as a child… *Once a person sincerely begins to check out Christianity, it’s only a matter of time before he’ll discover the truth about God… there’s no substitute for asking God to intervene in a person’s life…” (Pg. 42-43)
He notes, “Unchurched Harry often is a ‘religious’ person---in fact, he could be intensely interested in spiritual matters---but he may be turned off to the church because he sees it as an archaic and irrelevant institution… he may be more open to talking about God and considering the claims of Christ than people think.” (Pg./ 45-46)
He states, “Unchurched Harry has a whole range of questions about Christianity, and they deserve answers. Whatever the nature of his inquiry… it should be considered valid if its’ hanging him up on his spiritual journey. But, unfortunately, many Harrys look at churches and imagine a sign out front that says, ‘No questions allowed,’ … The church should be a place where questions are welcomed, even encouraged.” (Pg. 54-55)
He observes, “Harry is willing to let Christians worship their God, Muslims worship Allah, and Hindus worship their proliferation of gods. But when Christians assert that their way is the ONLY way to heaven, Harry calls that bigotry.” (Pg. 77)
He says, “As I’ve talked to people through the years about their spiritual journeys, often I’ve found they’ve reached an impasse that’s blocking their path… the nature of their sticking point varies, yet the end result is the same: They’re stalled in their progress toward a spiritual breakthrough… What I’ll do in this chapter is discuss five categories of spiritual sticking points that I commonly encounter… #1: I CAN”T believe’… #2: I don’t WANT to believe… #3: I don’t know WHAT to believe… #4: I DO believe; isn’t that enough?... #5: I don’t want to believe what THEY believe.” (Pg. 103-120)
He points out, “Unchurched Harrys and Marys can’t understand why their decision to remain ‘spiritually neutral’ sends such damaging tremors through their marriage. But it does. Some of the most frustrated individuals I know are those whose spouse doesn’t share their devotion to Christ. Every time they see a Christian couple whose marriage has a dynamic spiritual dimension, they yearn for what’s missing in their own married life.” (Pg. 141)
He suggests, “when Unchurched Harry and Mary come to church, their number-one value is anonymity. As much as possible, they want to blend in with the crowd. In fact, the ore secularized a community is, the more important anonymity becomes, because it’s less socially acceptable to be seen by neighbors and business associates in a church…” (Pg. 171)
He recounts, “Someone once said that the biggest obstacle to reaching the unchurched is unconverted clergy. As a reporter I had met my share of slick ministers who were running more of a scam than a ministry. On top of that, I knew plenty of people who would claim to be a Christian if you pressed them about it, but you’d never know it by the lives they were living.” (Pg. 200)
He concludes, “It’s my hope that this book has given you some insights and inspiration to help you in this process. Please take seriously what I suggested in the first chapter---prayerfully consider the material in this book, take advantage of that’s helpful, set aside the rest, and then embark on the next installment of your ongoing adventure of relational evangelism.” (Pg. 234)
This book will be of interest to Christians interested in evangelism.
January 22, 2025
There's some good information and insights to help you better understand and interact with non-Christians, to be more effective in your personal evangelism and to help your church improve its evangelism. But, there's unnecessary bashing of "traditional" church and calling for churches to become "seeker-friendly."
I appreciate Strobel's passion for bringing the unchurched into the church. He says,
Strobel also advocates creativity in church services and programs, and recommends modern music, video, drama, etc. However, regular church services should be structured based on the commands and positive examples given in the Bible; we're not free to worship God any way we please. And God has chosen preaching as the primary means of spreading the gospel: "it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe" (1 Cor 1:21b). There's more room for creativity in non-worship church programs, but regular worship services should be focused on worshiping God the way He has instructed, not on impressing non-Christians (Deut 12:32; Ex 20:2–6; Lev 10; Col 2:20-23; Mark 7:9; Matt 15:9).
Strobel was a skeptical atheist whose wife became a Christian, motivating him to spend two years learning about Christianity before he became a Christian.
Notes
Harry's Journey Begins
Unchurched people are usually willing to try church if invited by a friend.
Many people avoid church because of negative experiences when they were younger.
Understanding Your Unchurched Friends, Part I
Just because a person rejects church doesn't mean they reject God. They're often religious/spiritual.
Research shows most unchurched people used to attend church regularly, and made a conscious decision to stop.
91% of non-Christians think the church isn't sensitive to their needs.
Unchurched people usually feel morally adrift (moral relativism), and secretly want a moral anchor (moral absolutism).
Unchurched people generally resist rules (being told what to do), but respond to reasons (wisdom behind changing their ways). They're more receptive to following God's commands when you explain the thinking behind God's commands. Explain the emotional, psychological, physical, and/or relational damage of the person's actions, then show what Bible says about those actions, because God wants to spare us those consequences. Then explain the benefits of living God's way.
Unchurched people usually don't understand Christianity, but also don't understand what they believe. They usually don't thoughtfully evaluate Christianity before rejecting it.
Non-Christians are usually more open to Christianity after realizing that their own views aren't well-supported. One of the most effective evangelism methods is to ask, "What do you believe about God?" and then listen, asking for more detail, and to define words. Then, ask, "Where did you get your viewpoint?" Then ask, "How accurate is that truth source?" Then, explain how we know Christianity is true (historical evidence, archaeological evidence, eyewitness accounts, confirmation of extrabiblical accounts, fulfilled prophecies, changed lives, etc.).
Unchurched people generally don't just wonder, "Is Christianity true?" but also, "Does Christianity work?" They want practical benefits.
Unchurched people usually don't just want to know something; they want to experience it.
Unchurched people don't want to be someone's "project," but would like to be someone's friend.
Understanding Your Unchurched Friends, Part II
Unchurched people generally aren't loyal to denominations, but are attracted to places where their needs will be met.
Unchurched people are usually hungry for a cause they can connect with.
When unchurched people were asked what would attract them, #1 answer was better preaching, and #2 was for church to be more involved in their community (social activism).
Unchurched people generally want moral/religious training for their kids, even if they don't desire it for themselves.
Meeting Harry Where He Lives
It's important to forge a relationship to build a spiritual "bridge." Listen and take a genuine interest in their life. Find commonalities to deepen your relationship.
Take opportunities to speak about faith. For example, when someone says their kids are driving them crazy, say, "My kids can be a helpful, but I was amazed to find that the Bible has some great advice for raising kids, which has really helped me." When someone reveals they have low self-esteem, say, "I get down on myself sometimes too, but I found out something that changed my whole attitude about myself. Let me know if you want to hear about it sometime." When a businessperson asks, "How's your year going," say, "My business life and family life are good, and my spiritual life is terrific. Which one do you want to talk about?"
Spiritual Sticking Points
Encourage unchurched person to read Bible for themselves. If they're detail-oriented, suggest starting with Luke. If they're artistic or philosophical, suggest John. If they have Jewish background, suggest Matthew.
If unchurched person has a fear of intimacy, that may get in the way of a relationship with God. Signs: person lacks strong relationships (with spouse, kids, friends), person is consumed by substitute(s) for intimacy (porn, promiscuity, drinking, etc.). You may need to refer them to a Christian counselor.
To identify sticking points, ask, "Is there something in your life that you're afraid you'll have to give up to be a follower of Jesus?" Explain that God's goal isn't to prevent our happiness, but to maximize our happiness by protecting us from self-destructive behavior. You can challenge person to do a cost-benefit analysis on Christianity. Benefits of Christianity: forgiveness, adventure, clean conscience, security, guidance, fulfillment, relationships, comfort, peace of mind, release from guilt, promise of eternity, power over self-destructive drives, hope. Encourage them to take their current lifestyle to its logical conclusion.
“Gimme Something from the Heart”
The most effective messages/sermons for unchurched are those that address their felt needs; that will help them in daily life.
Instead of ranting against "those worldly, secular people," speak about (and to) non-Christians in a loving, caring way, desiring their salvation (1 Cor 13:1-3).
I appreciate Strobel's passion for bringing the unchurched into the church. He says,
Individual Christians need to rededicate themselves to praying and fasting for unchurched Harry and Mary, building authentic relationships with them, sharing the gospel with them, answering their questions, and inviting them to church. At the same time, churches need to assist their members by creating services or outreach events that will meaningfully connect with the unchurched mindset.Strobel is a big fan of "seeker" church services and programs (those tailored for non-Christians). I'm glad he says that not all church services should be "seeker" services (or even "contemporary" worship services), as long as every church has some events to attract and interact with non-Christians. He's also clear that efforts to be more attractive to the unchurched should never cause a church to disobey the Bible. The Bible presents churches and worship services as primarily for believers to gather to worship God, but Strobel makes it sound like churches and worship services are primarily for attracting and winning over unchurched people.
Strobel also advocates creativity in church services and programs, and recommends modern music, video, drama, etc. However, regular church services should be structured based on the commands and positive examples given in the Bible; we're not free to worship God any way we please. And God has chosen preaching as the primary means of spreading the gospel: "it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe" (1 Cor 1:21b). There's more room for creativity in non-worship church programs, but regular worship services should be focused on worshiping God the way He has instructed, not on impressing non-Christians (Deut 12:32; Ex 20:2–6; Lev 10; Col 2:20-23; Mark 7:9; Matt 15:9).
Strobel was a skeptical atheist whose wife became a Christian, motivating him to spend two years learning about Christianity before he became a Christian.
Notes
Harry's Journey Begins
Unchurched people are usually willing to try church if invited by a friend.
Many people avoid church because of negative experiences when they were younger.
Understanding Your Unchurched Friends, Part I
Just because a person rejects church doesn't mean they reject God. They're often religious/spiritual.
Research shows most unchurched people used to attend church regularly, and made a conscious decision to stop.
91% of non-Christians think the church isn't sensitive to their needs.
Unchurched people usually feel morally adrift (moral relativism), and secretly want a moral anchor (moral absolutism).
Unchurched people generally resist rules (being told what to do), but respond to reasons (wisdom behind changing their ways). They're more receptive to following God's commands when you explain the thinking behind God's commands. Explain the emotional, psychological, physical, and/or relational damage of the person's actions, then show what Bible says about those actions, because God wants to spare us those consequences. Then explain the benefits of living God's way.
Unchurched people usually don't understand Christianity, but also don't understand what they believe. They usually don't thoughtfully evaluate Christianity before rejecting it.
Non-Christians are usually more open to Christianity after realizing that their own views aren't well-supported. One of the most effective evangelism methods is to ask, "What do you believe about God?" and then listen, asking for more detail, and to define words. Then, ask, "Where did you get your viewpoint?" Then ask, "How accurate is that truth source?" Then, explain how we know Christianity is true (historical evidence, archaeological evidence, eyewitness accounts, confirmation of extrabiblical accounts, fulfilled prophecies, changed lives, etc.).
Unchurched people generally don't just wonder, "Is Christianity true?" but also, "Does Christianity work?" They want practical benefits.
Unchurched people usually don't just want to know something; they want to experience it.
Unchurched people don't want to be someone's "project," but would like to be someone's friend.
Understanding Your Unchurched Friends, Part II
Unchurched people generally aren't loyal to denominations, but are attracted to places where their needs will be met.
Unchurched people are usually hungry for a cause they can connect with.
When unchurched people were asked what would attract them, #1 answer was better preaching, and #2 was for church to be more involved in their community (social activism).
Unchurched people generally want moral/religious training for their kids, even if they don't desire it for themselves.
Meeting Harry Where He Lives
It's important to forge a relationship to build a spiritual "bridge." Listen and take a genuine interest in their life. Find commonalities to deepen your relationship.
Take opportunities to speak about faith. For example, when someone says their kids are driving them crazy, say, "My kids can be a helpful, but I was amazed to find that the Bible has some great advice for raising kids, which has really helped me." When someone reveals they have low self-esteem, say, "I get down on myself sometimes too, but I found out something that changed my whole attitude about myself. Let me know if you want to hear about it sometime." When a businessperson asks, "How's your year going," say, "My business life and family life are good, and my spiritual life is terrific. Which one do you want to talk about?"
Spiritual Sticking Points
Encourage unchurched person to read Bible for themselves. If they're detail-oriented, suggest starting with Luke. If they're artistic or philosophical, suggest John. If they have Jewish background, suggest Matthew.
If unchurched person has a fear of intimacy, that may get in the way of a relationship with God. Signs: person lacks strong relationships (with spouse, kids, friends), person is consumed by substitute(s) for intimacy (porn, promiscuity, drinking, etc.). You may need to refer them to a Christian counselor.
To identify sticking points, ask, "Is there something in your life that you're afraid you'll have to give up to be a follower of Jesus?" Explain that God's goal isn't to prevent our happiness, but to maximize our happiness by protecting us from self-destructive behavior. You can challenge person to do a cost-benefit analysis on Christianity. Benefits of Christianity: forgiveness, adventure, clean conscience, security, guidance, fulfillment, relationships, comfort, peace of mind, release from guilt, promise of eternity, power over self-destructive drives, hope. Encourage them to take their current lifestyle to its logical conclusion.
“Gimme Something from the Heart”
The most effective messages/sermons for unchurched are those that address their felt needs; that will help them in daily life.
Instead of ranting against "those worldly, secular people," speak about (and to) non-Christians in a loving, caring way, desiring their salvation (1 Cor 13:1-3).
September 17, 2020
Aunque sea un poco anticuado para estos tiempos, se puede extraer muy buen material de este libro. Es un autor que te exhorta a vivir la mayor aventura de un cristianismo auténtico; fomenta la relación hacia los no cristianos y te ayuda a entender mejor lo que les motiva desde su propia experiencia como buscador; te muestra otra perspectiva de la cristiandad; te inspira a comprometerte con tus esfuerzos evangélicos personales y a desarrollarlos conjunto a la iglesia, dándote métodos para alcanzar corazones con el evangelio. Si hay algo en lo que más enfatiza y desafía Lee Strobel, es a traducir el conocimiento adquirido en una acción específica: evangelismo. Logró ponerme los pelos de punta con algunas historias y también hacerme reír.
Mi calificación exacta es de 3’9, pero lo redondeo a 4. La razón es que tenía muchas expectativas de este libro debido a otros de Lee Strobel, sentí que había sido bueno pero me quedé con ganas de haber encontrado algunos consejos más abstractos y relevantes. Hay algunas técnicas con las que discrepo y habían partes en las que sentía que se repetía mucho, haciendo que se me alargara un poco la lectura. Y esperaba más métodos personales y no tanto a nivel congregacional. En ese sentido, es un libro que recomendaría más a pastores, e incluso a matrimonionos desiguales. Sin embargo, apto para todos y no te deja descontento. Yo prefiero ser como un colador: desechar lo malo y retener lo bueno.
Mi calificación exacta es de 3’9, pero lo redondeo a 4. La razón es que tenía muchas expectativas de este libro debido a otros de Lee Strobel, sentí que había sido bueno pero me quedé con ganas de haber encontrado algunos consejos más abstractos y relevantes. Hay algunas técnicas con las que discrepo y habían partes en las que sentía que se repetía mucho, haciendo que se me alargara un poco la lectura. Y esperaba más métodos personales y no tanto a nivel congregacional. En ese sentido, es un libro que recomendaría más a pastores, e incluso a matrimonionos desiguales. Sin embargo, apto para todos y no te deja descontento. Yo prefiero ser como un colador: desechar lo malo y retener lo bueno.
August 29, 2017
was a good book. a little dated, from 1990, but still relevant. I don't necessarily agree with him on everything he said, but there was plenty of meat to be taken.
1. care about the people as people. not just about getting them saved.
2. do everything in the church with excellence. the best you can give with the resources available. otherwise, it will come across like a spotted or defective lamb, that you don't care enough to give your best to God.
3. when the church has outreach services, they should be thoughtfully put together, catering to where the unchurched are at. while at the same time not diluting the gospel itself.
4. focus on 3 unchurched individuals in your sphere of influence, not just the whole world.
1. care about the people as people. not just about getting them saved.
2. do everything in the church with excellence. the best you can give with the resources available. otherwise, it will come across like a spotted or defective lamb, that you don't care enough to give your best to God.
3. when the church has outreach services, they should be thoughtfully put together, catering to where the unchurched are at. while at the same time not diluting the gospel itself.
4. focus on 3 unchurched individuals in your sphere of influence, not just the whole world.
October 17, 2021
This book was written nearly 30 years ago. Its' relevance has been affected by the evolution of church trends that have transpired since that time. There is a lot of useful information contained in these pages, but I'd be curious to know what updates the author may wish to make considering the changes we've seen in the "seeker-friendly" movement over the past few decades.
October 30, 2021
Written more than two decades ago, this book is as instructive and inspiring as the other two I’ve read: The Case for Faith and The Case for Christ. A compelling work by someone who was once atheist, and unchurched.
July 8, 2025
Some good insight in how to reach people today in our device distracted world. Some of the book feel formulaic, but hopefully people will use it as a way to incorporate the tools given in an organic sort of way to the situations we find ourselves in. Certainly an interesting perspective.
January 5, 2019
Reminds you the mind of heart of those not attending church. We need to think like the unchurched instead of expecting them to think like us.
July 7, 2019
A bit dated as it was written in the early 1990s and our society has become even more secular. Still has lots of good insights and advice for today.
August 29, 2019
Fantastic things to thing about regarding evangelism. Strobel warns the reader to act, and not just absorb the writing as another book with good ideas.
March 1, 2020
A little hard to read. A little dated but relevant in attracting new church members and unchurched people to seek Christ
February 17, 2017
I was interested in this book because, as an atheist, I think it is a worth-while endeavor to learn what Christians believe about non-believers. I learned that Strobel doesn't appear to understand non-believers, and instead sees them as marks to whom he can sell his particular brand of snake oil. I am not convinced that Strobel was truly an atheist before he took the plunge into evangelical Christianity, but, as I've said elsewhere, believed himself an atheist in retrospect when really he was some ambiguous pseudo-believer. He even admits to never having critically evaluated his positions when he was an "atheist." He uses this "I used to be an atheist" line to lend some kind of authority to what he writes, which comes off as disingenuous and patronizing.
While this book did provide information on what to expect when encountering evangelical Christians, it is a demonstration of the intellectual dishonesty (or--at best--the fundamental intellectual/moral confusion) one must possess to believe in the unsubstantiated claims of Christianity. He asserts that there is evidence, archeological, historical, etc., but just asserts that there is, citing an "authority" and moves on. He never consults atheist biblical scholars who might have a different view that is more informed by all the facts, not just the ones that conveniently support the assertions he makes. As anyone who has read The Case for Christ will remember, he merely interviews theologians, and accepts on faith the answers given after some feigned debate. Ironically, he criticizes churches that only cite the experts from their own denomination to support their claims, and yet this is the exact tactic one encounters in Case for Christ and Case for a Creator.
Perhaps the best example of the insidiousness of Strobel's salesman strategy is the steps he outlines to convert people. This is actually a great example of how ideas act like viruses in their ability to take control of a host, and replicate so as to infect other people, thus perpetuating the mind-virus indefinitely. It can be likened to the frog sitting in gradually boiling water:
1. Establish an "authentic" relationship with non-believers --how the relationship can be "authentic" is a mystery given that there is an explicitly stated ulterior motive of showing them "the free gift of forgiveness."
2. Witness to the non-believer how god has changed/shaped the life of the believer, forgiving them for a life of sin.
3. Invite unbelievers to a seeker-oriented service -- a special service that is no doubt used to soft-positional bargain one's way into the mind of a naive unbeliever who doesn't think critically.
4. Once the nonbeliever has accepted Christ, becoming a now-believer, transition them to the believer-oriented service -- note how they have different types of services with different rhetorical purposes.
5. Now-believer joins the small group to grow spiritually -- peer-pressure the poor mark to become increasingly involved with the church by associated with those who have similar skills and interests.
6. Now-believer becomes increasingly involved with the church
7. Process starts all over again with Now-believer seeking out other unbelievers to pass the god virus along to other gullible, uncritical believers.
One thing is for certain: Strobel LOVES his imaginary friend, and can't be happy unless everyone else loves his imaginary friend in the exact same way that he does. He shows the clear desire to live as a slave, calling it "freedom in Christ."
While this book did provide information on what to expect when encountering evangelical Christians, it is a demonstration of the intellectual dishonesty (or--at best--the fundamental intellectual/moral confusion) one must possess to believe in the unsubstantiated claims of Christianity. He asserts that there is evidence, archeological, historical, etc., but just asserts that there is, citing an "authority" and moves on. He never consults atheist biblical scholars who might have a different view that is more informed by all the facts, not just the ones that conveniently support the assertions he makes. As anyone who has read The Case for Christ will remember, he merely interviews theologians, and accepts on faith the answers given after some feigned debate. Ironically, he criticizes churches that only cite the experts from their own denomination to support their claims, and yet this is the exact tactic one encounters in Case for Christ and Case for a Creator.
Perhaps the best example of the insidiousness of Strobel's salesman strategy is the steps he outlines to convert people. This is actually a great example of how ideas act like viruses in their ability to take control of a host, and replicate so as to infect other people, thus perpetuating the mind-virus indefinitely. It can be likened to the frog sitting in gradually boiling water:
1. Establish an "authentic" relationship with non-believers --how the relationship can be "authentic" is a mystery given that there is an explicitly stated ulterior motive of showing them "the free gift of forgiveness."
2. Witness to the non-believer how god has changed/shaped the life of the believer, forgiving them for a life of sin.
3. Invite unbelievers to a seeker-oriented service -- a special service that is no doubt used to soft-positional bargain one's way into the mind of a naive unbeliever who doesn't think critically.
4. Once the nonbeliever has accepted Christ, becoming a now-believer, transition them to the believer-oriented service -- note how they have different types of services with different rhetorical purposes.
5. Now-believer joins the small group to grow spiritually -- peer-pressure the poor mark to become increasingly involved with the church by associated with those who have similar skills and interests.
6. Now-believer becomes increasingly involved with the church
7. Process starts all over again with Now-believer seeking out other unbelievers to pass the god virus along to other gullible, uncritical believers.
One thing is for certain: Strobel LOVES his imaginary friend, and can't be happy unless everyone else loves his imaginary friend in the exact same way that he does. He shows the clear desire to live as a slave, calling it "freedom in Christ."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2008
This is a good book for Christians to understand our friends and family who aren't Christians. I have some good friends who are agnostic and when we get together it often times ends up in a heated discussion in which both sides dig in their heels. I love my friend and want him to find God but my efforts have been counter productive I am afraid.
This book also helps Churches to understand how best to get the unchurched to open their minds. After reading the Church section I am almost convinced that our pastor has already read this book. Our church started about 15 years ago as 50 people getting together and has grown now to the point where we have over 10,000 members. I love Church and would hate to miss it.
Lee Strobel who is a former athiest knows what he is talking about in this book since he was once one of the unchurched. He takes what he has learned from Bill Hybels and his current Church and puts it into easy to understand do's and don'ts for Christians interacting with non-Christians.
This book also helps Churches to understand how best to get the unchurched to open their minds. After reading the Church section I am almost convinced that our pastor has already read this book. Our church started about 15 years ago as 50 people getting together and has grown now to the point where we have over 10,000 members. I love Church and would hate to miss it.
Lee Strobel who is a former athiest knows what he is talking about in this book since he was once one of the unchurched. He takes what he has learned from Bill Hybels and his current Church and puts it into easy to understand do's and don'ts for Christians interacting with non-Christians.
April 29, 2014
Very practical book for us churched people to remind us of how people who are not used to our church culture may perceive a church service/go-er. How people unused to church customs can be turned off/on by the way we do things in our church services. Also a good call to evangelism and an enjoyable read.
I think this book is written primarily for the baby-boomer generation and does not address some of the younger generation's objections/misgivings about church, but of course everyone is different and cannot be covered in one book.
I think this book is written primarily for the baby-boomer generation and does not address some of the younger generation's objections/misgivings about church, but of course everyone is different and cannot be covered in one book.
May 6, 2013
Maybe I'm wrong...I don't get "seeker-friendly" churches. Aren't Christians supposed to go to church to worship, encourage fellow believers and be equipped? Then we are to go out into the world and be a light. The goal has never been, in my understanding of scripture, to bring the world into the church, but rather take Christ into the world. I really like Lee Strobel, but his suggestions to make churches friendly and comfortable to unbelievers is odd to me.
September 22, 2012
I found this book mostly unhelpful. It seems like it would really be useful to understanding how to relate to the unchurched, but it's not. There are some interesting points, but mostly the book seems to be full of stereotypes that don't really help relate to the unchurched that I see in society today. Maybe it is just that being 20 years old the book is dated and no longer applicable.
August 2, 2010
A must read for anyone that seriously cares about winning people to Christ. The focus is put on the people and not "a church". It's about seeing the things and needs of real people that are hungry for God. This book will make you think differently about your approach to evangelism.
January 15, 2008
A pretty good book for those in church. I'm in youth ministry so it was somewhat useful. It did, however, help me understand a little more about how the "unchurched" think.
May 30, 2008
Easy to read and has some really great concepts that develop into really practical ideas.
Read
August 18, 2009Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary by Lee Strobel (1993)
July 1, 2012
This was a really great book as it gives you a glimpse of what's going on inside the unchurched's minds. Interesting way to look at yourself and decide if certain changes need to be made.
December 11, 2014
There were times it deserved a five star and others only two.
February 5, 2016
About how to relate and evangelize your neighbors and friends.
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