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Beyond Awkward: When Talking About Jesus Is Outside Your Comfort Zone
Spoiler alert: Talking about Jesus is awkward. We love to share good news with the world. We tweet about a great new restaurant, we share pictures of our newborn child and we celebrate about receiving that sought-after promotion. We are evangelists for many great things. So why don't we do the same with Jesus? It's not hard to see that we bring our own anxieties and awkwardness into every evangelistic conversation. Not to mention the often vast differences between our experiences of God and religion and those of the people around us. And then there's the inner awkwardness of our conversation partners, who are actively contending, even unconsciously, with the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Evangelism is awkward, yes. But on the other side of that awkwardness is something amazing: transformed lives, healed relationships, new vision, eternal life. After spending years working with college students and churchgoers, Beau Crosetto hasn't solved the problem of awkwardness in evangelism. But he's learned how to push through it and how we can set ourselves and those we love at ease as we enter into conversations of eternal consequence. Read this book and move beyond awkward into the most awesome privilege of God's people: proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.
208 pages, Paperback
First published November 3, 2014
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137 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 28, 2015
Summary: Talking about faith with others often feels awkward and is why most of us don't do it. This book explores how to press through that awkwardness to important and life-changing conversations.
Beau Crosetto thinks it is worth it to press beyond the awkwardness of speaking about one's Christian faith. To begin with, he contends that there are people who are waiting for us to show up. Taking risks is worth it when one experiences the awesome privilege of helping someone else believe. That said, there are differences between good awkward and just plain weird and the most important thing is waiting on God and looking for openness. We often think we need to know lots of information when what many are looking for is how can faith in Christ transform a life. What Crosetto shares here in the first part of his book is not necessarily a lot different from other books on Christian witness.
it is what comes next that sets the book apart. Crosetto contends that when we engage in witness, we may be called to engage in spiritual warfare--a word of discernment, a prayer of healing or the demonic confronted. He contends that God can speak to us in these situations and gives help for discerning God's voice. Using Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, he argues that God's role is to send us and set up situations, and our role simply to follow in obedience. That doesn't mean we are passive but rather that we take risks to explore whether God is opening up opportunities with people without forcing unwanted conversations. He deals with how to discern between genuine care and pushiness and concludes with a lengthier chapter on turning conversations toward a discussion of Christ and inviting a response.
I suspect that some who read this will balk as they come across the supernatural material--if they are from Western countries. Others might still find Crosetto "pushy" but what struck me was his stories and how his risks came out of relationship, how he was willing to wait when others weren't ready, and how his trust that the Spirit of God was in this venture was vindicated over and over by people appreciative that he had raised issues they were struggling with, with the offer of hope in Christ's transforming work.
In the academic circles I work around, it is easy to get drawn into a world of subtlety, nuance, and indirectness about matters of ultimate importance. Furthermore, I think we often fail to account for the ways spiritual warfare works in darkening minds and obscuring truth. The forthrightness and spiritual discernment this author writes about is vital in this world, even if it may sometimes seem jarring. What won me over in this book is the winsomeness of a person who cares deeply to share with others the reality that can transform others for good and who is willing to be at God's disposa
Beau Crosetto thinks it is worth it to press beyond the awkwardness of speaking about one's Christian faith. To begin with, he contends that there are people who are waiting for us to show up. Taking risks is worth it when one experiences the awesome privilege of helping someone else believe. That said, there are differences between good awkward and just plain weird and the most important thing is waiting on God and looking for openness. We often think we need to know lots of information when what many are looking for is how can faith in Christ transform a life. What Crosetto shares here in the first part of his book is not necessarily a lot different from other books on Christian witness.
it is what comes next that sets the book apart. Crosetto contends that when we engage in witness, we may be called to engage in spiritual warfare--a word of discernment, a prayer of healing or the demonic confronted. He contends that God can speak to us in these situations and gives help for discerning God's voice. Using Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, he argues that God's role is to send us and set up situations, and our role simply to follow in obedience. That doesn't mean we are passive but rather that we take risks to explore whether God is opening up opportunities with people without forcing unwanted conversations. He deals with how to discern between genuine care and pushiness and concludes with a lengthier chapter on turning conversations toward a discussion of Christ and inviting a response.
I suspect that some who read this will balk as they come across the supernatural material--if they are from Western countries. Others might still find Crosetto "pushy" but what struck me was his stories and how his risks came out of relationship, how he was willing to wait when others weren't ready, and how his trust that the Spirit of God was in this venture was vindicated over and over by people appreciative that he had raised issues they were struggling with, with the offer of hope in Christ's transforming work.
In the academic circles I work around, it is easy to get drawn into a world of subtlety, nuance, and indirectness about matters of ultimate importance. Furthermore, I think we often fail to account for the ways spiritual warfare works in darkening minds and obscuring truth. The forthrightness and spiritual discernment this author writes about is vital in this world, even if it may sometimes seem jarring. What won me over in this book is the winsomeness of a person who cares deeply to share with others the reality that can transform others for good and who is willing to be at God's disposa
September 30, 2022
Crosetto gives such helpful and practical advice on talking about faith in Beyond Awkward. Pulling from much of his own experiences (both what work and what failed) he invites his readers to go about sharing one's faith in a much different, and frankly more refreshing, way that most hear from the pulpit of their evangelical contexts. Every person of faith should spend time reading this book!
July 12, 2018
It started out very upbeat and it was kind of exhausting, but the last couple of chapters were very practical and awesome to read. The quality deep chapters definitely balance the cheesey upbeatness
January 14, 2019
Loved the inspiring stories, vision casting, and practical how-to advice.
April 29, 2021
helped me evangelize and have a heart for missions!!! highly recommend
August 25, 2016
Reading the introduction it became very clear that I am what the author describes as the evangelist [who] manages public relations: in touch with the public and pushing for the brand. (Not really that surprising that I work in marketing).
It does seem like evangelism, unfortunately, can be more about the how it is delivered rather than the content.
A thought reading chapter 2, why are my reservations about sharing Jesus focused so much about me? Shouldn't sharing about Jesus be primarily about Jesus and the audience? Chapter 2 helped call this out, but it was actually the intro story to the chapter that helped point out what I can do to change my perspective and take my inadequacies (perceived or real) out of the equation. Put it back on your audience with introductory questions like do "you" think that "God" was trying to show or tell you something. An approach like this seems so much less intimidating. Well at least in theory.
"Awkwardness usually precedes God moving in a powerful way" (page 42). Sort of like driving on icy roads, contrary to what seem logical, you steer into the skid to correct your path.
Chapter 6, page 87: "many people that aren't ready to have a conversation about Jesus let you pray for them if you ask."
Chapter 8, page 119 "it's not the job of a witness to force things in order to make someone believe. This is one of the greatest lessons I have learned evangelist: God is the initiator, and he will make evangelistic and counters happen. In prayer we must wait on God to open people up to himself."
It does seem like evangelism, unfortunately, can be more about the how it is delivered rather than the content.
A thought reading chapter 2, why are my reservations about sharing Jesus focused so much about me? Shouldn't sharing about Jesus be primarily about Jesus and the audience? Chapter 2 helped call this out, but it was actually the intro story to the chapter that helped point out what I can do to change my perspective and take my inadequacies (perceived or real) out of the equation. Put it back on your audience with introductory questions like do "you" think that "God" was trying to show or tell you something. An approach like this seems so much less intimidating. Well at least in theory.
"Awkwardness usually precedes God moving in a powerful way" (page 42). Sort of like driving on icy roads, contrary to what seem logical, you steer into the skid to correct your path.
Chapter 6, page 87: "many people that aren't ready to have a conversation about Jesus let you pray for them if you ask."
Chapter 8, page 119 "it's not the job of a witness to force things in order to make someone believe. This is one of the greatest lessons I have learned evangelist: God is the initiator, and he will make evangelistic and counters happen. In prayer we must wait on God to open people up to himself."
November 13, 2014
Read through it over 4 days and enjoyed it a lot. Low-key and very accessible, lots of personal stories and examples. It challenged me to risk going further in faith with conversations, trusting in the Holy Spirit's work and leading, and embracing the awkward moments. Faith is spelled RISK. I've read several books on this topic, and this is my new favorite - especially the last several chapters. Beau's approach is to be a normal person and not a pushy christian, however, to be intentional in your relationships, looking for where & when God is moving and stepping out in faith when opportunities arise to talk about Jesus. He recommends taking a story approach - giving personal stories about how Jesus matters and "works" in your life, and also sharing some of the Jesus stories in the Bible that are relevant to the your friend's situation. This book is the perfect complement to Robby Dawkins' "Do What Jesus Did" (healing, prophecy, etc.); it provides excellent training and encouragement for the conversational part of spirit-led, relational evangelism. Highly recommended.
August 21, 2015
The author encourages us to be evangelists that are bold yet patient. Who press into awkwardness yet are socially aware. Who are Spirit-led and open to His supernatural guidance.
It takes Crosetto a few chapters to get rolling, but when he does his insights on evangelism, the Spirit, and our role are powerful and pertinent.
It takes Crosetto a few chapters to get rolling, but when he does his insights on evangelism, the Spirit, and our role are powerful and pertinent.
December 23, 2014
"Jesus uses people to reach people."
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews