Winning Hearts to God in a Relatable Way

FINDING TRUTH

Preston Perry grew up in a single-parent home on the streets of Chicago. One of three siblings, Preston’s family only attended church on special occasions. The only solid Christian in his life at that time was his grandmother. Summers at grandma’s house with his 13 cousins, was a special time for Preston. 

During his teen years, he became rebellious--getting in trouble at school, sleeping around with girls, and dealing marijuana. His mother sent him to live with his Aunt Denise who was a strong Christian influence. At 16 years old, Preston heard the gospel message for the first time at a house church. He was interested in a girl and when he went to her home, he found out that her parents were ministers. Even though he didn’t give his life to Jesus at that time, Preston admits, “That was the day I became keenly aware of my sin.” 

In addition, his aunt introduced him to an evangelist named Gary who was on fire for the Lord. Gary never met a stranger and Preston wasn’t any different. Skeptical at first, Preston reluctantly hung out with Gary. In time, Preston realized that Gary was unlike any churchgoer he’d ever met. He was sincere and gained Preston’s trust and earned his respect. While he wasn’t sure what words to say, Preston was ready to give his heart to the Lord. 

One day, with a heavy and broken heart, Preston cried out to God saying, “Lord, I want to love you like Gary loves you. Here, God, take it. Here, God, I'll take you instead of battered shame and overwhelming grief." At that moment, peace settled on Preston, and he knew it was God’s presence. His life would never be the same. 

From that point on, Preston had an insatiable hunger to study God’s word. He also found himself striking up conversations with people about God everywhere he went. His aunt also pushed him to find a trade in life. Preston got into welding, but he was a talented poet who wanted to use that gifting to serve God. He began performing spoken word at churches and eventually realized he was also an evangelist like Gary. 

In 2008, Preston got involved with the Passion for Christ Movement (PCM) with his spoken word poetry and began garnering a following. That’s where he met Jackie Hill who came out a life of homosexuality after giving her life to the Lord. They became good friends, eventually fell in love, and got married. 

BE THE LIGHT

In Preston Perry's book How to Tell the Truth: The Story of How God Saved Me to Win Hearts—Not Just Arguments, he gives the following practical tips on how to effectively reach people for the Lord:
    1.   Evangelism is about winning hearts, not just winning arguments. The focus should be on engaging people with truth, dignity, and respect.
    2.   Personal testimony is powerful. Perry shares his own story of how God "chased him" through encounters with various religious groups on the streets of Chicago.
    3.   Practical guidance for sharing faith. The book offers accessible ways to share the gospel with friends, neighbors, and coworkers.
    4.   Balancing intellectual and emotional approaches. Perry emphasizes how both knowledge and empathy in evangelism are valuable.                         
    5.   Asking the right questions and listening. Being an effective apologist involves asking good questions and listening to others; not just knowing information. 
    6.   Actions speak louder than words. Perry stresses the importance of demonstrating care through actions, not just speech. 
    7.   Adaptability in evangelism. Preston shares insights for different personality types, from extroverts engaged in street evangelism to introverts seeking to influence others.
    8.   Family-focused evangelism. There's specific guidance on how to influence family members for Christ.
    9.   Grace and love in truth-telling. The overarching theme is to share the truth with grace and love, recognizing the inherent value of all people as image-bearers of God.
    10.  Boldness in faith. Perry challenges readers to respond to God's call to be bold in sharing their faith, emphasizing the eternal stakes involved.

Discover more about Preston Perry (and the Perrys) at www.WithThePerrys.com. To purchase Preston's book, please click the link: How to Tell the Truth.