The High-Pressure Sale

Let me say up front: Not all car salesmen are bad.  I’ve worked with a couple that I really liked.  But have you ever experienced high-pressure car salesmen?  You go to the car lot and they fall over themselves trying to be the first to get to you.  As soon as the salesman greets you, he tries his best to convince you to buy a car.  “What will it take to get you into a new a car today?”  Ugh.

For most folks, there are fewer things more unpleasant than buying a car.  We hate it because of the high pressure sale.  The salesmen try to sell us something before we have considered the full cost, value, and need.

Too often, the same thing occurs in Christian evangelism.  I’m sure you’ve seen it.  A Christian tells a non-Christian about the good news of Jesus.  Then, the high-pressure sale is on to get the non-Christian to convert: Jesus wants a relationship and He is just waiting for you right now.  Say this prayer.  Do it now! 

Is this salesmanship biblical?  I don’t think so.  Luke records Jesus telling the crowds that followed Him that they must count the costs before they can be His disciples.  And there are indeed costs to following Jesus.  Some family and friends will ridicule and turn on you for your faith, but you must love Christ more than these broken relationships.  You will have to lose your hold on your possessions.  You will have to endure persecution.  You will have to give up sinful desires. 

The benefits, of course, are far greater than the costs.  But the costs must be considered before deciding to follow Jesus.  In fact, Jesus said that there can be no looking back for His followers.  If we pressure someone into being a ‘convert,’ it will only lead to buyer’s remorse later.  If that is the case, it would have been better never to have pressured them in the first place.

So, do we share the good news of Jesus with non-Christians?  Absolutely!  But we can’t leave out the part that there is a cost to follow Him.  Instead of a high-pressure sale, just tell them the full Gospel.  Remember, it is not our job to ‘convert’ anyone.  Leave that to the Holy Spirit and allow God to call them if He will.