What do you think?
Rate this book
Finding Common Ground: How to Communicate With Those Outside the Christian Community...While We Still Can.
In a world that’s growing more hostile to the gospel, what can Christians do? How can we communicate with our unbelieving friends and coworkers in a way that won’t seem pushy, intolerant, or judgmental? In a world that’s heard it all before and no longer seems to care, where do we begin?
By sowing.
In Finding Common Ground, Tim Downs reminds us of the forgotten biblical art of sowing and shows us practical and effective ways to: Bring up spiritual subjects with busy and distracted people Use secular movies and book to talk about biblical ideas Overcome prejudice and stereotypes in our listeners Keep open doors of communication with even hostile opponents Move everyone we meet a step closer to the gospel
“In more than twenty-five years of ministry and communicating, I have never heard a more concise, graphic, and articulate communicator. Tim is a man of integrity and a man committed to making an impact for Christ in his world. ” STU WEBER, PASTOR, AUTHOR
“Tim Downs is a very effective communicator with a witty sense of humor. He challenges me to holiness. His passion for Christ and devotion to family are evident and contagious. ” DENNIS RAINEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FAMILY LIFE
“Time Downs is to communication with Michael Jordan is to professional basketball: a high scoring team leader! He is encouraging, bright and challenging. ” GARY ROSBERG, PRESIDENT, FAMILY LEGACY
“Tim Downs knows how to write, he practices what he preaches, and he has addressed a crying need in askillful, unique way. If you want to gain insight or communicating the gospel effectively to contemporary culture, this is the first book you should read. ” J. P. MORELAND, PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, TALBOT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
“In the pages of Finding Common Ground Time uses his gift in pouring out his passion for clearly communicating the life changing message of the gospel and preparing the hearts of those to receive it who are still ‘outside the camp’…be prepared to be stimulated and challenged. CRAWFORD W. LORITTS, JR. , AUTHOR, SPEAKER, ASSOCIATE US DIRECTOR, CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST
By sowing.
In Finding Common Ground, Tim Downs reminds us of the forgotten biblical art of sowing and shows us practical and effective ways to: Bring up spiritual subjects with busy and distracted people Use secular movies and book to talk about biblical ideas Overcome prejudice and stereotypes in our listeners Keep open doors of communication with even hostile opponents Move everyone we meet a step closer to the gospel
“In more than twenty-five years of ministry and communicating, I have never heard a more concise, graphic, and articulate communicator. Tim is a man of integrity and a man committed to making an impact for Christ in his world. ” STU WEBER, PASTOR, AUTHOR
“Tim Downs is a very effective communicator with a witty sense of humor. He challenges me to holiness. His passion for Christ and devotion to family are evident and contagious. ” DENNIS RAINEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FAMILY LIFE
“Time Downs is to communication with Michael Jordan is to professional basketball: a high scoring team leader! He is encouraging, bright and challenging. ” GARY ROSBERG, PRESIDENT, FAMILY LEGACY
“Tim Downs knows how to write, he practices what he preaches, and he has addressed a crying need in askillful, unique way. If you want to gain insight or communicating the gospel effectively to contemporary culture, this is the first book you should read. ” J. P. MORELAND, PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, TALBOT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
“In the pages of Finding Common Ground Time uses his gift in pouring out his passion for clearly communicating the life changing message of the gospel and preparing the hearts of those to receive it who are still ‘outside the camp’…be prepared to be stimulated and challenged. CRAWFORD W. LORITTS, JR. , AUTHOR, SPEAKER, ASSOCIATE US DIRECTOR, CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 1999
13 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Tim Downs
47 books268 followersTim Downs is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Indiana University. After graduation in 1976 he created a comic strip, Downstown, which was syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate (Calvin & Hobbes, Doonesbury, The Far Side) from 1980 to 1986. His cartooning has appeared in more than a hundred daily newspapers worldwide. Tim has written seven mystery/suspense novels: Shoofly Pie, Chop Shop, PlagueMaker, Head Game, First the Dead, Less than Dead, and Ends of the Earth. PlagueMaker was awarded the Christy Award for the best CBA mystery/suspense novel of 2006, and Less than Dead was a finalist for the 2009 Christian Book Award in suspense fiction. Tim lives in Cary, North Carolina, with his wife Joy. They have three grown children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 25, 2011
The author, an evangelical Christian who worked for Campus Crusade for Christ, raises a number of good points about communicating Christianity to non-Christians both humbly and wisely. Sometimes Christians -- depending on what circles you travel in -- have a mindset that communicating the gospel is all about “harvesting,” by which the author means making a full gospel presentation resulting in the hearer confess in heart and mind that Jesus is Lord.
For example, take a look at Matthew 9:37-38 and Luke 10:2: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” I used to interpret these verses to mean that the field is always ready for harvest. After reading this book, I see that Jesus in these verses may have instead been referring to a season of harvesting in his particular culture. For one thing, a field that’s always ready to harvest would be unlike anything a farmer would ever encounter. There are times for sowing and times for harvesting. Secondly, the fields may be at a stage for sowing, which will be ready for harvesting in due course.
Some take away points:
-Essentially, the main message of the book boils down to how Christians can sow seeds, nurture the soil, and “garden” the gospel in a way that makes future harvests possible. And of course, all these activities go hand in hand. Some sow seeds, some water, some nurture the soil, and others harvest. But God makes the plant grow for He’s at work throughout the whole process.
-I was struck by how the Apostle Paul communicated the gospel to the non-Christians he encountered (as recorded in the book of Acts).
-I liked the author’s point that instead of being an “answer man,” sometimes it’s better to ask questions along the themes below. This approach is less confrontational, can open up conversations, and the hearer may better process the ideas than if you spouted off the Christian answer.
Background: Talk about the person’s background.
Opinion: What do you think about that?
Imagination: If you took that person’s place, how would you react?
Emotion: How does that make you feel?
-The author also raises issues about how Christians think about “Christian” work. Is a Christian book something that’s written by a Christian and informed in a general sense by this person’s Christianity? Or is it only one that has specific Christian references and ideas? Could missionary work be someone with a a task of mainly “sowing seeds”? It’s not how we typically think of missionary work, but I think that’s the practical reality for what many missionaries do.
For example, take a look at Matthew 9:37-38 and Luke 10:2: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” I used to interpret these verses to mean that the field is always ready for harvest. After reading this book, I see that Jesus in these verses may have instead been referring to a season of harvesting in his particular culture. For one thing, a field that’s always ready to harvest would be unlike anything a farmer would ever encounter. There are times for sowing and times for harvesting. Secondly, the fields may be at a stage for sowing, which will be ready for harvesting in due course.
Some take away points:
-Essentially, the main message of the book boils down to how Christians can sow seeds, nurture the soil, and “garden” the gospel in a way that makes future harvests possible. And of course, all these activities go hand in hand. Some sow seeds, some water, some nurture the soil, and others harvest. But God makes the plant grow for He’s at work throughout the whole process.
-I was struck by how the Apostle Paul communicated the gospel to the non-Christians he encountered (as recorded in the book of Acts).
-I liked the author’s point that instead of being an “answer man,” sometimes it’s better to ask questions along the themes below. This approach is less confrontational, can open up conversations, and the hearer may better process the ideas than if you spouted off the Christian answer.
Background: Talk about the person’s background.
Opinion: What do you think about that?
Imagination: If you took that person’s place, how would you react?
Emotion: How does that make you feel?
-The author also raises issues about how Christians think about “Christian” work. Is a Christian book something that’s written by a Christian and informed in a general sense by this person’s Christianity? Or is it only one that has specific Christian references and ideas? Could missionary work be someone with a a task of mainly “sowing seeds”? It’s not how we typically think of missionary work, but I think that’s the practical reality for what many missionaries do.
January 12, 2018
I don't agree with everything, but excellent in part. Chapter 5, "Indirect Communication," is worth getting the whole book.
June 26, 2017
Good book about evangelism... he makes a solid case for an increased emphasis on sowing within the body of Christ. He also gives practical direction on how to view and go about the process of sowing.
April 2, 2022
Written 20 yrs ago but good for today
October 9, 2016
This is the best book on evangelism I have ever read and I recommend it to people all the time. I have never failed to have someone tell me that it challenged their thinking and freed them to be more active in sharing their faith than they ever were before. Most churches teach evangelism as if it's simply a matter of will. If we were just motivated to go out and share more forcefully, we would see more conversions, the argument generally goes. This book turns that idea on its head and speaks to an understanding of our culture most Christians don't have anymore and most churches don't bother to teach.
January 16, 2012
It's a new year and I am weeding out books I bought and never read. I read the book jacket and thought I would read a chapter of this book and give it away to charity...wrong! This is really a book about how American culture has changed over the last 30 years and how to effectively communicate with people around us. This will definitely help me at home, at work, and in my personal life. Great read! And funny too!
February 24, 2011
Excellent read. Very thought provoking. This book will give you a much different perspective on reaching people for Christ, than we are being told in most of our churches today. The author suggests that we are in more of a season of sowing seeds than reaping the harvest in our culture today. The time for reaping may never come if we ignore the need for sowing now.
May 13, 2016
I loved the book. I often work with people that have different faith or beliefs than I, so this helps me learn how to discuss my faith in an open and honored way giving everyone a chance for discussion. I also love learning from people of different faith systems and am happy they are just as willing to learn from me.
March 29, 2008
This is the BEST book I have read it in a long, long time - it gives new words to what I have been trying to do through out my ministry at Woodcrest. Anyone attending our church or trying to explain our church to others MUST read this book! Don't say that often, but yes, this is a "must" read...
July 20, 2009
Fabulous book on effective communication... I often find myself utilizing these principles in my everyday life. Loved it!
August 8, 2011
that it is important to do!
July 30, 2011
The author repeats himself quite a bit. Good message but it could have been a short essay.
December 28, 2011
I thought this book was well worth the read.
Read
February 3, 2013Back in 2000, through reading this book came my first encounter with William Wilberforce. Read as part of a Campus Crusade ministry.
Read
March 10, 2016I skimmed it, but spent about 3 hours or so on it.
August 1, 2016
Excellent encouragement for 'sowing' in the places and people we connect with every day. Surprisingly humorous at times. Worth re-reading!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews