Conversational Evangelism: How to Respond to 7 Common Questions From NonbelieversSample

3. Can you prove to me that God exists?

The unbeliever may believe that reason and logic cannot properly be applied to questions about religion and God. To surface this belief we can ask, “What do you mean by ‘prove’?” In an age where some question whether any reality exists, it may be difficult to give satisfactory proof that anything exists, including one’s own existence. Yet we can ask, “Are you asking me if I can demonstrate that there are good reasons to believe that God exists?”

Once you clarify the question, you can use the boomerang principle and say, “I believe I can offer you some good reasons to believe that God does exist. But first let me ask you, if you could know that God does in fact exist, would you want to know that? If not, why not?” If they say they do not believe there is any reason to believe that God exists, you can question their skepticism with some of the following questions:

• “Is there any particular reason why you don’t believe God exists?”
• “Are you telling me that you are absolutely sure there is no God? If not, then is it not possible that there is a God? Then are you not at least an agnostic (who says, ‘I don’t know if there is a God’) rather than an atheist (who says, ‘I know that there is no God’)?”
• “Can you prove to me that there is no God? If not, then is it not possible there is a God? And if there might be a God, would it not be wise to consider what this would mean for your life and afterlife?”
• “Would you agree with me that it’s difficult to explain love, meaning, values, and beauty if we are just the results of blind material causes?”

This latter question is helpful because even in a postmodern world people want to believe there is something meaningful in their lives beyond this material universe. This may even explain the fascination among young people for reality TV; they are looking for something real even though it goes against the grain of their postmodern beliefs. For many postmoderns, the closest thing they can find that is real is another human being they can “connect with” who has real hurts, real sorrows, and yet experiences real joys.

In answering their question about the evidence for God, it can also be helpful to combine the content of apologetics with a questioning approach. First, point out that the existence of God answers the most fundamental question anyone can ask, which is, “Why is there something rather than nothing?” Then ask,

• “Would you agree that something presently exists?” (mainly your existence)
• “Would you also agree that something cannot come from nothing?”
• “Would you also agree that we must conclude, therefore, that something must have always existed because if there ever was a time when there was nothing, there would still be nothing?”

Once you establish the plank of God’s existence (all we have done here is establish that there is an infinite power in the universe), you can lay down other planks, such as the possibility for miracles and of Jesus being who He claimed to be. These may be important steps to help some people in their journey toward Christ.