The document outlines ways to meet the challenge of talking about religion in 2020. It discusses using reasonable dialogue when discussing religion, finding common ground, and acknowledging differences. It provides the example of Paul in Athens, who started discussions about religion by finding common ground in their religiosity, then introducing something different (Jesus and resurrection), and responded to mocking with further preaching. The document encourages starting respectful discussions while being willing to acknowledge differences.

1. O u r T h e m e f o r 2 0 2 0
Guard the

2. 1
T his Year’s Challenges
Read the New
Testamentto Understand the Gospel Better.
Guard the

3. 2
T his Year’s Challenges
Talk About the
Lord Each Weekto Spread the Gospel.
Guard the

4. TALK ABOUT
Religion

5. Ways to Meet the
Challenge
INVITATION BY SHAA FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
BIBLE BY BRAD AVISON FROM THE NOUN PROJECT

6. Ways to Meet the
Challenge
ASK
????
INVITATION BY SHAA FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
BIBLE BY BRAD AVISON FROM THE NOUN PROJECT

7. Ways to Meet the
Challenge
ASK
INVITE
????
INVITATION BY SHAA FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
BIBLE BY BRAD AVISON FROM THE NOUN PROJECT

8. Ways to Meet the
Challenge
ASK
INVITE
REASON
????
INVITATION BY SHAA FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
BIBLE BY BRAD AVISON FROM THE NOUN PROJECT

9. Ways to Meet the
Challenge
ASK
INVITATION BY SHAA FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
BIBLE BY BRAD AVISON FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
INVITE
REASON
????

11. How Paul Talked
About Religion
A CASE STUDY IN ACTS 17:16-34

12. How Paul Talked
About Religion
A CASE STUDY IN ACTS 17:16-34
REASONABLE DIALOGUE
COMMON GROUND + SOMETHING DIFFERENT

13. English Standard Version
Now while Paul was waiting for them at
Athens, his spirit was provoked within
him as he saw that the city was full of
idols.
Acts 17:16

14. English Standard Version
So he reasoned in the synagogue with
the Jews and the devout persons, and in
the marketplace every day with those
who happened to be there.
Acts 17:17

15. English Standard Version
So he reasoned in the synagogue with
the Jews and the devout persons, and in
the marketplace every day with those
who happened to be there.
Acts 17:17

16. English Standard Version
So he reasoned in the synagogue with
the Jews and the devout persons, and in
the marketplace every day with those
who happened to be there.
Acts 17:17

17. Reasoning
Peoplewith

18. ACTS 17:2
“HE REASONED WITH THEM
FROM THE SCRIPTURES”
Reasoning
Peoplewith

19. ACTS 18:4
“HE REASONED…AND TRIED TO
PERSUADE JEWS AND GREEKS.”
Reasoning
Peoplewith

20. ACTS 20:7
“ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK,
WHEN WE…GATHERED…TO BREAK
BREAD, PAUL TALKED WITH THEM”
Reasoning
Peoplewith

21. ACTS 20:7
“ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK,
WHEN WE…GATHERED…TO BREAK
BREAD, PAUL TALKED WITH THEM”
at
Reasoning
People

22. ACTS 20:7
“ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK,
WHEN WE…GATHERED…TO BREAK
BREAD, PAUL TALKED WITH THEM”
to
Reasoning
People

23. ACTS 20:7
“ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK,
WHEN WE…GATHERED…TO BREAK
BREAD, PAUL TALKED WITH THEM”
Reasoning
Peoplewith

24. ACTS 20:7
“ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK,
WHEN WE…GATHERED…TO BREAK
BREAD, PAUL TALKED WITH THEM”
Talking
Peoplewith

25. “TO ENGAGE IN SPEECH INTERCHANGE,
CONVERSE, DISCUSS, ARGUE”- ARNDT, W., DANKER, F. W., & BAUER, W.
- A GREEK-ENGLISH LEXICON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
- AND OTHER EARLY CHRISTIAN LITERATURE
Talking
Peoplewith

26. & PRAISEWORTHY CHARACTERISTICS
1
Common Ground
1
ACTS 17:17,22
PAUL STARTED ON

27. English Standard Version
… “Men of Athens, I perceive that in
every way you are very religious. For as I
passed along and observed the objects
of your worship, I found also an altar
with this inscription: ‘To the unknown
god.’ What therefore you worship as
unknown, this I proclaim to you.
Acts 17:22-23

28. English Standard Version
… “Men of Athens, I perceive that in
every way you are very religious. For as I
passed along and observed the objects
of your worship, I found also an altar
with this inscription: ‘To the unknown
god.’ What therefore you worship as
unknown, this I proclaim to you.
Acts 17:22-23

29. English Standard Version
… “Men of Athens, I perceive that in
every way you are very religious. For as I
passed along and observed the objects
of your worship, I found also an altar
with this inscription: ‘To the unknown
god.’ What therefore you worship as
unknown, this I proclaim to you.
Acts 17:22-23

30. English Standard Version
… “Men of Athens, I perceive that in
every way you are very religious. For as I
passed along and observed the objects
of your worship, I found also an altar
with this inscription: ‘To the unknown
god.’ What therefore you worship as
unknown, this I proclaim to you.
Acts 17:22-23

31. & PRAISEWORTHY CHARACTERISTICS
1
Common Ground
1
ACTS 17:17,22
PAUL STARTED ON

32. UNASHAMED OF OUR DIFFERENCES
Something Strange?
ACTS 17:18-21
22

33. English Standard Version
Some of the Epicurean and Stoic
philosophers also conversed with him.
And some said, “What does this babbler
wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to
be a preacher of foreign divinities”—
because he was preaching Jesus and the
resurrection. And they took him and
brought him to the Areopagus, saying,
“May we know what this new teaching is
that you are presenting?”
Acts 17:18-19

34. English Standard Version
"For you bring some strange things to
our ears. We wish to know therefore
what these things mean.” Now all the
Athenians and the foreigners who lived
there would spend their time in nothing
except telling or hearing something new.
Acts 17:20-21

35. THE UNKNOWN TRUTH
Something DifferentACTS 17:23-31
22
PAUL'S SERMON

36. English Standard Version
“What therefore you worship as
unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God
who made the world and everything in
it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does
not live in temples made by man, nor is
he served by human hands, as though he
needed anything, since he himself gives
to all mankind life and breath and
everything.”
Acts 17:23-25

37. English Standard Version
"And he made from one man every
nation of mankind to live on all the face
of the earth, having determined allotted
periods and the boundaries of their
dwelling place,”
Acts 17:26

38. English Standard Version
“that they should seek God, and perhaps
feel their way toward him and find him.
for ‘In him we live and move and have
our being’; as even some of your own
poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his
offspring.’
Acts 17:27-28

39. English Standard Version
“Being then God’s offspring, we ought
not to think that the divine being is like
gold or silver or stone, an image formed
by the art and imagination of man.”
Acts 17:29

40. English Standard Version
“ Th e t i m e s o f i g n o ra n c e G o d
overlooked, but now he commands all
people everywhere to repent, because
he has fixed a day on which he will judge
the world…
Acts 17:30-31

41. English Standard Version
“ Th e t i m e s o f i g n o ra n c e G o d
overlooked, but now he commands all
people everywhere to repent, because
he has fixed a day on which he will judge
the world in righteousness by a man
whom he has appointed; and of this he
has given assurance to all by raising him
from the dead.”
Acts 17:27-28

42. Age-Old Responses
MOCK BY MATA SAPI FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
WHAT WILL PEOPLE DO?
ACTS 17:32-34

43. Age-Old Responses
MOCKING
MOCK BY MATA SAPI FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
WHAT WILL PEOPLE DO?
ACTS 17:32-34

44. Age-Old Responses
MOCKING
LISTENING
MOCK BY MATA SAPI FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
WHAT WILL PEOPLE DO?
ACTS 17:32-34

45. WHAT WILL PEOPLE DO?
Age-Old Responses
ACTS 17:32-34
MOCKING
LISTENING
BELIEVING
MOCK BY MATA SAPI FROM THE NOUN PROJECT

46. TALK ABOUT
Religion
REASONABLE DIALOGUE
COMMON GROUND + SOMETHING DIFFERENT

47. MOCK BY MATA SAPI FROM THE NOUN PROJECT
How will you
Respond?