a rant

About converting people. Never insult the other person's religion. If they're close to it, it's like insulting them personally. Never have a prideful or know-it-all attitude. Always make sure your intentions are pure and charitable and Christlike. People are a lot more likely to believe that you're concerned for their eternal soul if you also show concern for them as a person. Make sure it's genuine concern. Be sure to have charity - suffer long, be kind, don't envy, don't be puffed up, don't seek your own, don't be easily provoked, don't think any evil, don't rejoice in iniquity, do rejoice in the truth, bear all things, believe, hope, endure. Don't talk down to someone or be condescending or think that you're going to "save" them. It's very off-putting. Don't do it for yourself, either. You have to be purely unselfish. Don't engage in "bible bashing" or tying to prove them wrong. Don't insult them, their family, or their religion. Be careful not to accidentally offend. Be careful not to chase away the Spirit. Remember that he that hath the spirit of contention is not of Christ, but is of the devil, who stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Always invite the Spirit. The Spirit of Christ never leads to contention or anger but to charity, respect, and love. Gal. 5:22-23. Show genuine concern for them as a person, not conditional upon their acceptance of your message. Don't give the impression that you'll love them "only if" they convert. Don't try to "save their soul" just for your own benefit or because you feel obligated to. Don't even give the impression that this is your motivation. Don't be combative. Be full of love. Let the Spirit guide your words and actions. Be bold and unafraid of the truth. Be kind. Don't give up. Seek to uplift and enlighten, not tear down and destroy. Share the truth without bashing other religions. Don't tear down to build yourself up. Share the truth, honestly and simply. Always remember charity. Speak positively. Don't act as though God has given you all the answers. Don't talk about things you know nothing about, just share what you know. Don't try to trick or trap the other person, or force them to do or say something. Seek first to understand, and then to be understood. See the other person as Christ sees them. Beware of pride. Let the Spirit work through you and teach and touch their heart. God converts, not you.

I say all that because probably the most flattering insult I've received is to have somebody tell me they're going to convert me. On the one hand, I'm glad that they're showing concern about my soul, and that they care about me enough to share their religion with me. But on the other hand it's also kind of insulting to be told that the religion with which I identify so closely is of the devil and founded on lies. Actually really insulting. And I don't like having my intelligence or my relationship with God offended either. Do they think I haven't considered all these things? That's I'm stupid enough to believe all these lies? That I don't care about finding truth, that I don't have my own testimony?
I think that when we're sharing the gospel, we need to focus more on the first part - genuine love and concern - and not on insulting or tearing down other churches. {Ammon was a good example of this.} Respect the other person, always. Be their friend. And don't try to manipulate them. Be always full of love and never disparaging. I would be much more receptive if I knew that our friendship wasn't contingent on my acceptance. When sharing the gospel, remember that perfect love casts out fear. Share the truth with boldness. Pure truth, shared in love, with not offend the honest seeker of right. Love does not offend.