Slow down and listen to what the person is really saying. Read the whole article. It’s gander-worthy.
“When your friend brings a particularly difficult objection to the table, it can feel deflating and insurmountable. The primary thing to remember is that God is in control, and you are not responsible for this person\’s salvation. You can, however, speak and act in ways that make your friend more likely to consider the truth of Jesus’ claims. With this as a foundation, I’d like to offer a few overarching ground rules to help in your apologetics conversations.
1. Ask Questions First
Even if you think you have an answer, it’s important to ask questions. Questions can make your friend feel as if their objection is important to you, and they have additional benefits.
A question like “What do you mean by that?” forces your friend to clarify his statements and take a particular stand. You don’t want to respond to an objection that isn’t being made.
A question like “How do you know?” asks your friend to give some reasoning for his objection. This can be especially helpful with folks who tend to make accusations but have little substance behind the bluster.
For more on the importance of askings questions, read Why You Should Ask More Questions in Spiritual Conversations and Answering the Question behind the Question.”
via 6 Commandments for Answering Tough Questions | InterVarsity – Evangelism.
Eric
