Mere Evangelism: 10 Insights From C.S. Lewis to Help You Share Your Faith Paperback – September 1, 2021

Well written and good use of C.S. Lewis writings mixed with Randy’s own thoughts. I would recommend others to read for a new perspective.

I think this book is the one of the most helpful books I’ve ever read on evangelism. Very concrete examples of how to share the Good News. I highly recommend it.

This is a very thoughtful book. I pray it is used for God’s glory to draw people to himself and results in the joy that only a life devoted to loving Jesus can bring.

This book is conversational and easy to read, helping readers consider ways that C.S. Lewis's perspective and methods could help them in their efforts to have spiritual conversations with friends. Randy Newman shares his own testimony, explaining why C.S. Lewis's apologetic writing was instrumental to him coming to faith, and he provides an introduction and summary of Lewis's work that will be helpful for people who aren't very familiar with him, and a good refresher for those who are. This book could have easily become an extension of a C.S. Lewis fan club, but Newman does not strike that tone at all, and focuses on key elements of the Christian faith over and above Lewis's helpful approach to sharing them. Readers don't have to be Lewis fans to enjoy this book or find it helpful.Near the beginning, Newman focuses on the importance of "pre-evangelism" as the removal of roadblocks that would prevent someone's consideration of the Christian faith. He also writes about different elements of gospel-focused conversations, emphasizing the importance of respecting other people, taking their objections seriously, and providing gentle, appropriate pushback in areas of disagreement. He also encourages readers to consider Lewis's use of creative imagery to help people relate spiritual concepts to their everyday life. Overall, he shows us that even though none of us can be C.S. Lewis, we can all discuss matters of faith with other people in healthy, constructive, and caring ways."Mere Evangelism" is an interesting, helpful book that applies many of Lewis's ideas and methods to current Christians' lives. At first, I wondered how much impact a book like this could have, since people can just read Lewis's writings for themselves, but Newman summarizes and draws out key elements in a helpful way, honestly addresses some of Lewis's weakness, and helps update Lewis's coverage of now-historical cultural factors and issues for a twenty-first century audience. This is a helpful supplement or introduction to Lewis's apologetic writing, and is full of clear, practical encouragement and advice for Christians.

Randy Newman looks at evangelism in new an interesting ways that I found very useful in my study and missionary work in evangelism. I recommend this book.

f you are familiar with any of Randy’s work, then you know that his holistic and thoughtful approach to evangelism challenges many of our preconceived notions or narratives about what evangelism should or will look like today. In “Questioning Evangelism,” Randy questioned (wink) the pre-packaged and simple evangelistic methods which have been so common in evangelicalism. While pragmatic (and no doubt fruitful in some situations), such methods do not typically honor the non-Christian in their doubts and questions. Nor do they honor what we know about how Jesus presented the gospel and his kingdom to those he encountered.In “Unlikely Converts,” real stories of God’s saving and transforming work in others not only led to good lessons for our work of evangelism, but they were also deeply encouraging. God really is still at work today! As much as we need tools to grow in our own evangelism and relationships with non-Christians, we need to be desperately dependent on God to move and work.This is what I’ve come to love about Randy’s work: helpful reflections on the work of evangelism that never depart from a dependence on Jesus to seek and save just as he promised. Now in Mere Evangelism, he gives us his thoughtful reflections and honest heart through the lens of C.S. Lewis. The result is an absolute treasure.Many who read this book will likely already be familiar with Lewis. However, Randy writes in such a way as to invite anyone, regardless of their familiarity with Lewis, to learn from this unlikely convert and brilliant apologist. In fact, while this was not the purpose of the book, Mere Evangelism might serve as a wonderful introduction to the thinking/work of Lewis for those less familiar with his life and writings.I found so much of the content in Mere Evangelism refreshingly new, or at least packaged in a way that I received as new. Even familiar works from Lewis were digested in such a way that led to fresh reflections and lessons for me and my ministry today. For example, in Chapter 2 (“The Appeal to Clues”) Randy draws on Lewis’ thoughts on joy. Even though I have read this work from Lewis before, I was reminded that Lewis defined joy in a way that is very counterintuitive for many of us today. Lewis defined joy as “an unsatisfied desire” and, building on that definition, Randy brilliantly gives his reflections on how the “unsatisfied desires” of people we meet might lead to fruitful evangelistic conversation. As Randy wonderfully puts it:“Misery-based apologetics sound like this: ‘Aren’t you miserable trying to life your life apart from God? Don’t you want more out of life than just possessions and experiences?’ This is indeed how Jesus approached the woman at the well in John 4. But some people don’t feel miserable part from God - at least not yet. Our appeals to their misery don’t work because they’re rather happy. For them, joy-based apologetics might work better: ‘Isn’t it amazing how plants grow of their own accord and then we eat the fruit? Do you ever think about what a great gift that is?’”Some of the topics Randy engages with will also be familiar to those who know his work. For example, Chapter 1 centers on “The Necessity for Pre-Evangelism” - a topic which was also foundational in Unlikely Converts. Nevertheless, reflecting on pre-evangelism through Lewis’ radio broadcasts (which would lead to the published version of Mere Christianity that we now know) was incredibly fresh and helpful for my work as a pastor today.One of the things I always appreciate about Randy’s work is how he calls us back to the essentials of evangelism. In Chapter 10 (“The Call to Respond”), we take note that even the learned scholar like Lewis could translate his academic mind into an evangelistic heart to compel others to come to Jesus. I needed to hear Randy’s words in this chapter:“And so, just as non-Christians need to trust GOd’s power to save them through the gospel, Christians need to trust God’s power to use them to preach the gospel. Few can craft words as brilliantly as Lewis. But all Christians, even those with the weakest of language skills, can be used by God in astonishing ways.”I commend Randy’s book to any Christian who wants to grow as an evangelist (which is admittedly uncomfortable for nearly every one of us!). Whether this book is studied individually or in a group (and I think it would excel in a group), we have much to learn from Dr. Newman and his friend C.S. Lewis.