--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's fine to deal with people's doubts…" description: "\"It's fine to deal with people's doubts and explain why they have good reasons to believe in Christ. But until we tell them the good news of Jesus Chris..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/mark-dever-3175_apologetic_it-s-fine-to-deal-with-people-s-doubts-a_494392.jpg" --- # It's fine to deal with people's doubts and explain why… ![“It's fine to deal with people's doubts and explain why they have good reasons to believe in Christ. But until we tell them the good news of Jesus Christ, we haven't done our job. They need a saviour that God has provided them in Christ. Once they know that, we can do as much apologetics as we need…” quote by Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/mark-dever-3175_apologetic_it-s-fine-to-deal-with-people-s-doubts-a_494392.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/mark-dever-3175_apologetic_it-s-fine-to-deal-with-people-s-doubts-a_494392.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30f/mark-dever-3175_apologetic_it-s-fine-to-deal-with-people-s-doubts-a_494392.jpg) > “It's fine to deal with people's doubts and explain why they have good reasons to believe in Christ. But until we tell them the good news of Jesus Christ, we haven't done our job. They need a saviour that God has provided them in Christ. Once they know that, we can do as much apologetics as we need to.” [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith must be shared; without presenting Christ, the mission is incomplete. **In simple terms:** Share Christ before debating. Key Takeaway Present the gospel first. Themes evangelism apologetics faith mission Mood urgent hopeful Type inspirational theological When to use this quote - church outreach - personal conversations - mission trips - online evangelism Key Concepts salvation truth grace Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance truth and compassion? - What barriers stop people from hearing the gospel? A Different Perspective If listeners reject Christ, apologetics may be ineffective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apologetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetic/) [Apologetics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetics/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Good news](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-news/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Saviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saviour/) ## Related quotes > [The difference between apologetics and evangelism is that in apologetics, you are answering objections that the world raises, whereas in evangelism, you are bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/the-difference-between-apologetics-and-evangelism-is-that-in/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I love people thinking about apologetics. I just think that we have to be careful. We need to realize that we can argue about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/i-love-people-thinking-about-apologetics-i-just-think-that-we-have-to/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [It's no longer enough to teach our children Bible stories; they need doctrine and apologetics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/it-s-no-longer-enough-to-teach-our-children-bible-stories-they-need/) [William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/) > [The heart must be kept tender and pliable; otherwise agnosticism converts to skepticism. In such a case, the value of apologetics is voided, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-john-carnell/the-heart-must-be-kept-tender-and-pliable-otherwise-agnosticism/) Edward John Carnell > [Our Christian faith - and correlatively, our account of apologetics - is tainted by modernism when we fail to appreciate the effects of sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-christian-faith-and-correlatively-our-account-of-apologetics-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm noticing an exciting trend around the country: a resurgence of interest in Christian apologetics (the defense of the faith). This is a reaction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/i-m-noticing-an-exciting-trend-around-the-country-a-resurgence-of/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [I wonder how appropriate it is to try to 'argue someone into the kingdom.' Many apologists hotly deny any such charge, but I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-price/i-wonder-how-appropriate-it-is-to-try-to-argue-someone-into-the/) [Robert M. Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-price/) > [I've always been a huge fan of apologetics. C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-harper/i-ve-always-been-a-huge-fan-of-apologetics-c-s-lewis-is-one-of-my/) [Shane Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-harper/) > [For me, apologetics proved to be the turning point of my life and eternity. I'm thankful for the scholars who so passionately and effectively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/for-me-apologetics-proved-to-be-the-turning-point-of-my-life-and/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [An argument in apologetics, when actually used in dialogue, is an extension of the arguer. The arguer's tone, sincerity, care, concern, listening, and respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/an-argument-in-apologetics-when-actually-used-in-dialogue-is-an/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [The longer I am in this work, the more I realize that intellectual struggles are merely the hazardous waste of life, blocking the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/the-longer-i-am-in-this-work-the-more-i-realize-that-intellectual/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“The new and needed apologetics will differ from previous apologetic models geared at convincing people solely or even mainly from a rationalistic perspective or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-mcneal/the-new-and-needed-apologetics-will-differ-from-previous-apologetic/) [Reggie McNeal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-mcneal/) > [Apologetics has an important place in the local church as we seek to influence our communities for Christ in an increasingly skeptical culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/apologetics-has-an-important-place-in-the-local-church-as-we-seek-to/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [The purpose of apologetics is not just to win an argument or a discussion, but that people with whom we are in contact may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-purpose-of-apologetics-is-not-just-to-win-an-argument-or-a/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [We preach sermons, write books on apologetics, conduct city-wide evangelistic campaigns. For those alienated from the church, that approach no longer has the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/we-preach-sermons-write-books-on-apologetics-conduct-city-wide/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) ## More by Mark Dever > [“not the writings that come from prophets inspired by the one true God revealed in Jesus Christ, then why do we find those passages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/not-the-writings-that-come-from-prophets-inspired-by-the-one-true-god/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I think it's unhelpful to suggest that the task of evangelism is essentially the responsibility of ministers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/i-think-it-s-unhelpful-to-suggest-that-the-task-of-evangelism-is/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [What really concerns me is for Christians to understand the fundamentals of evangelism in a way that is helpful in the contemporary scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/what-really-concerns-me-is-for-christians-to-understand-the/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Prayer is the preview of God's action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/prayer-is-the-preview-of-god-s-action/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I assume that normally the Lord will be bringing people to himself through the instrumentality of the preached word. However, we have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/i-assume-that-normally-the-lord-will-be-bringing-people-to-himself/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [“The motive for discipling others begins in the love of God and nothing less. He has loved us in Christ, and so we love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/the-motive-for-discipling-others-begins-in-the-love-of-god-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [If joy or urgency are missing from our presentation of the gospel, then our testimony to Christ will be missing that sort of fullness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/if-joy-or-urgency-are-missing-from-our-presentation-of-the-gospel/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [“Yet the Bible teaches that the local church is the natural environment for discipling. In fact, it teaches that the local church is itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/yet-the-bible-teaches-that-the-local-church-is-the-natural/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Sin claims to free but in fact it kills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/sin-claims-to-free-but-in-fact-it-kills/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Some believers are faithful in the way that they live, but at the end of the day, they will not share the gospel with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/some-believers-are-faithful-in-the-way-that-they-live-but-at-the-end/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/we-do-not-fail-in-our-evangelism-if-we-faithfully-tell-the-gospel-to/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Once we see more of our need and understand more of what Christ has done for us, he will become more precious to us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/once-we-see-more-of-our-need-and-understand-more-of-what-christ-has/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Unfortunately, many of our churches calibrate their life to these nominal Christians. The predictable result is that you get fake, hypocritical churches that confuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/unfortunately-many-of-our-churches-calibrate-their-life-to-these/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) [Explore all 137 Mark Dever quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) ## More Apologetic quotes > [If writing with a goal - whether it be evangelistic, apologetic, or didactic - implies propaganda, then all recorded history is propaganda. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/if-writing-with-a-goal-whether-it-be-evangelistic-apologetic-or/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [In the New Testament alone there are Gospels, acts, epistles, and an apocalypse. Gospels contain literary forms like miracles, parables, pronouncements, proverbs, farewell discourses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-blomberg/in-the-new-testament-alone-there-are-gospels-acts-epistles-and-an/) [Craig Blomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-blomberg/) > [We preach sermons, write books on apologetics, conduct city-wide evangelistic campaigns. For those alienated from the church, that approach no longer has the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/we-preach-sermons-write-books-on-apologetics-conduct-city-wide/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [The purpose of apologetics is not just to win an argument or a discussion, but that people with whom we are in contact may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-purpose-of-apologetics-is-not-just-to-win-an-argument-or-a/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [I'm a single-issue voter, to get straight to the point. I'm really only interested in the candidate who's toughest and least apologetic when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-m-a-single-issue-voter-to-get-straight-to-the-point-i-m-really-only/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is a vocation and, as in any other calling, a writer should develop his talents for the greater glory of God. Novels should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-paul-read/writing-is-a-vocation-and-as-in-any-other-calling-a-writer-should/) Piers Paul Read > [... and yet he could also be very charming, in a bookish, infinitely apologetic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/and-yet-he-could-also-be-very-charming-in-a-bookish-infinitely/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [When I started playing in bands, we had to be apologetic for what we did. We had to be apologetic because the mainstream was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-antonoff/when-i-started-playing-in-bands-we-had-to-be-apologetic-for-what-we/) [Jack Antonoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-antonoff/) > [“The snow lay thin and apologetic over the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cooper/the-snow-lay-thin-and-apologetic-over-the-world/) [Susan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cooper/) > [In a post-modern culture we need an apologetic that is felt and seen because if post-moderns are not feeling it, they are not believing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/in-a-post-modern-culture-we-need-an-apologetic-that-is-felt-and-seen/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [I'm apologetic when I feel like I've made a mistake. And when I have done a disservice to myself or someone else. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-apologetic-when-i-feel-like-i-ve-made-a-mistake-and-when-i-have/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I know I'm an overachiever, and I'm not apologetic about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-know-i-m-an-overachiever-and-i-m-not-apologetic-about-it/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [Apologetics has an important place in the local church as we seek to influence our communities for Christ in an increasingly skeptical culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/apologetics-has-an-important-place-in-the-local-church-as-we-seek-to/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [If you don't feel apologetic for slavery, if you don't feel apologetic for colonialism, if you feel proud of it then say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/if-you-don-t-feel-apologetic-for-slavery-if-you-don-t-feel-apologetic/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Most apologetic books are really written for Christians, even the ones that purport to be written for non-believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/most-apologetic-books-are-really-written-for-christians-even-the-ones/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Browse all 127 Apologetic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's fine to deal with people's doubts and explain why they have good reasons to believe in Christ. 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