Questioning Evangelism, Third Edition: Engaging People's Hearts the Way Jesus Did

by Randy Newman

You don't need to memorize evangelical formulas or answers. You just have to be willing to ask questions.

There was something different about the way Jesus communicated with the lost: He didn't force answers upon people; He asked questions. So why don't we?

Campus ministry veteran Randy Newman has been using a questioning style of evangelism for years. In this thought-provoking book, he provides practical insights to help Christians engage others in meaningful spiritual conversations. To Newman, asking questions challenges how we think about unbelievers, their questions, and our message, instead of telling unbelievers what to think.

A perennial best-seller, this third edition includes both revisions of current chapters, such as an expanded discussion on LGBTQ+ issues and the debate on transgenderism, and new chapters that ponder issues such as science and suffering.

Distilled out of twenty years of personal evangelism, this book reflects both a deep grasp of biblical theology and a penetrating compassion for people--and finds a way forward in wise, probing questions. How very much like the Master Himself!
--D. A. Carson, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Questioning Evangelism steps outside the boundaries of evangelism as usual and tackles the tougher issues of our modern day.
--Mitch Glaser, Chosen People Ministries

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian Living

280 pages, Paperback

Published January 17, 2023

Reviews

[Lexie Darce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best Christian books I have ever read in my life thus far. My entire perspective on evangelism has expanded and changed after reading this book and I feel SO much better equipped to maintain conversations with people after reading the truths he presented. Newman is interesting and never dull, and includes many stories of his evangelical failures and successes. In addition, he addresses common really hard questions Christians often receive from non Christians which is incredibly helpful. But ultimately his argument is simple- we talk too much and are too concerned with having all the right answers. Why don’t we try asking questions?

I honestly already want to read it again. Every Christian needs to read this!!

[Cole Pate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the second edition a few years back and I will say the third edition is MUCH better. Definitely read the third edition if you have a choice. Jesus used questions to get people to discover the truth and so should we. What if we need to be doing more listening and asking questions than rote memorization of answers or unengaged responses in our spiritual conversations with people?

[Deyling Machado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and practical book. It shed some light on new and effective ways to evangelize for me. I appreciate the example of conversation he provides to emphasize a point he teaches (although some of them may not be completely realistic).

I realized after reading this book that I have a lot to learn about evangelizing and how to connect with people more when doing it.

This book was incredibly helpful for me and I am excited to implement some of the strategies from the book in my future conversations.

[Tanner Howard · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

Not very enjoyable, if you have never really thought about cultural questions or evangelism at all, then this may be the book for you.

This was redundant and the length of the chapters could have been cut in half, they even could have been small paragraphs.

But the information in it was at least true. Part 1 was a 4/5, so read that if anything.

[Eric Fulwider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pastoral, vision-filled, common sense, and insightful. Great paradigm shift for evangelistic conversations in culture that is very sensitive toward Christianity and very tense. I will be applying what I have learned in this book no doubt.

[Jordan Litts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful.

[Ashley Horta · Rating 4 out of 5]

In todays culture, it can be very difficult to have conversations about God and religion without the fear of rejection or hurting someone’s feelings. I feel like this book is a great resource for those who want to learn how to respond in certain situations when sharing the gospel, how to answer tough questions, and how to be a better listener.

One of my biggest takeaways from this book is that Jesus responded to many of people’s challenging questions with a question, and it was a powerful part of his ministry. In the same way, we can model His behavior to engage people’s hearts the way He did.

[Sarah Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read! It did a great job of portraying exactly why Christians are asked some of the questions they receive and it goes on to explain how we can respond. All too often we are told to tell the world about Jesus, but we are never taught *how* to do so. This book tackles just that!

[Janae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful in thinking through the ways I tend to be pushy with what I believe. I like how Newman is not passive in how he asks questions to help others think through what they believe. I want to adapt more of this lifestyle in engaging with my faith and the faith of those around me.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Especially good for our modern time.

[Jenni Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is similar to, but different than Tactics by Koukle. Both books are worth your time. Newman comes from a Jewish background and this adds authenticity and experience to his platform.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource tool for engaging people in meaningful spiritual discussions.

[Traikon Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Randy Newman’s Questioning Evangelism offers a practical and relational approach to sharing the gospel. He highlights the power of asking thoughtful questions to engage others, encourage reflection, and foster meaningful spiritual dialogue, rather than relying solely on scripts or formulas. Newman addresses contemporary challenges with empathy and biblical grounding, guiding Christians to listen well, respond graciously, and trust God in evangelistic conversations. While some readers may want more direct proclamation or deeper apologetic support, this book is an excellent resource for anyone seeking a Christ-centered, dialogue-driven approach to evangelism.

[Hannah Dietrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Providing a unique perspective on conversational evangelism, this text is easy to read and includes a variety of personal examples that are relatable and intriguing.

This book reminded me of Tactics by Greg Koukl. The primary difference being that Koukl provides specific steps for engaging in conversational-questioning apologetics, whereas this text provides a set of principles instead.