Sharing the Gospel with a Catholic Friend

by Rich Baxter

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2025

Reviews

[Brianna Smith Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book a little skeptical. I'm often disheartened by how protestants dismiss Catholics as "not being Christians" without any nuance in the matter. Richard Baxter, however, is quite clear from the outset that he believes there are those in the Catholic Church that are saved through grace by faith, though states that the Catholic Church is likely not the best place to grow in that true faith. His exploration of Catholic doctrines through the lens of different kinds of Catholics you might encounter is a really helpful framework for sharing the gospel with anyone you might meet!

*I work for 10ofthose, but was not required to give a positive review.

[Aneurin Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is class. Pastorally wise and proving truths of the gospel.

[Jonathan Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the heart and approach of this book.

[Gloria]

lol my mom gave this to me bc she know i love magda

[Lois Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

very short and easy to understand. introduces how to approach sharing the Gospel for many different Catholic believers, and offers further resources to help

[Bethan Lycett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read other books in this series from 10ofthose, and was surprised, and interested, to know how this book would approach this topic.

I have grown up in a heavily Catholic town, and when we go out to do evangelism are frequently meeting those who describe themselves as Catholic. But, as Richard Baxter explains, not all Catholics are Catholics with a capital C.

As with other church denominations there will be those with a nominal belief (Indifferent Ingrid), those who attend but have no clear faith (Confused Connor), those who hold to all the traditional doctrines (Doctrinal Danny/Danielle) and even those who are born again believers (Born Again Bobby).

I think this is what Richard does really well. He starts the book with his own testimony of how he was saved, and his background in the Catholic church, and explains that when we speak to Catholics we must seek to know where they stand personally. We can't approach everyone with our own 95 thesis on what we believe is wrong with their doctrine or traditions.

We need to ask them what it is they actually believe, point them to Jesus, and (when relevant!) help them to see what the Bible teaches compared to what they may believe.

This short book is a really helpful starting point for those who have Catholic friends/family, or those seeking to share the gospel in places where you will come into contact with Catholics.

Each chapter has helpful hints and tips, and there are a few chapters touching very briefly on key doctrines which evangelicals would highlight as contrary to the Bibles teaching.

I read it in 1 hour, so it's a nice short book to get you started, and there are a number of resource recommendations for anyone wanting to delve deeper.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Sharing the Gospel with a Catholic Friend, Richard Baxter provides a guide to help you engage in meaningful conversations with biblical clarity and faithfulness. As someone who grew up Catholic, Baxter came to the Christian faith as an adult and writes with an understanding and kind perspective.

What I most appreciate about this book is that it does not seek to make caricatures of all Catholics. While Baxter uses the archetypes of Doctrinal Danny and Danielle, Confused Connor, Indifferent Ingrid, and Born-Again Bobby, he reminds us that any particular Catholic may move back and forth among these personas or be a mix of them. He encourages us to consider each individual with compassion.

Connect to Christ

The book tackles six major differences between Catholics and Protestants: (1) authority, (2) justification, (3) the pope, (4) Mary, (5) communion, and (6) purgatory. Baxter is concise and clear in his arguments. What I found most appealing is how he consistently points to Scripture. Beginning with authority, he notes that many Catholics feel intimidated by reading Scripture for themselves—and suggests coming alongside them to read Scripture together.

The book ends not with a call to focus solely on understanding Catholic doctrine, but rather on understanding Catholic people. While Baxter provides compelling answers to doctrinal issues, he urges readers to be sensitive to others and to listen to the Spirit for guidance. This is an incredibly encouraging book, full of hope for those who want to connect their Catholic friends with the true, freeing, grace-filled gospel of Jesus Christ.

I received a media copy of Sharing the Gospel with a Catholic Friend and this is my honest review. @diveindigdeep

[Adam Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to share the gospel with a Roman Catholic friend, this book is an excellent starting point for guidance and encouragement. Richard Baxter (who grew up as a Catholic) introduces us to some hypothetical Catholics, showing the diversity of beliefs, practices and experiences that might lie behind someone's statement "I'm a Catholic". The rest of the book then helps us to think about how to speak about Jesus with the specific individuals we might encounter, giving pointers on asking good questions, countering caricatures and sharing our own experiences. Most of the chapters focus on a specific area of doctrine (like justification, the pope, purgatory). The main aim, though, is not to provide us with doctrinal debating points but to give us confidence in lovingly pointing people to Jesus. As he summarises at the end, this book isn't focussed on "understanding Roman Catholic doctrine so much as understanding your Catholic friends." That's exactly what this book helps us to do, and I'm sure it will encourage many many good conversations about Jesus.