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Pastor Carl Lentz is revealing his simple approach to winning people over who do not believe in the God or Biblical teaching that he preaches.
“When you talk to people who don’t believe what you believe, I always say ‘do less talking – and listen. Most Christians just want to talk right away,’” Lentz said in an Eternity report last week. “After you are done listening, listen again. After that’s over, listen again.”
While Lentz, the senior pastor of Hillsong NYC, can explain his perspective simply he never said it was easy to listen more than you speak. However, the preacher explained the importance of allowing people to share their thoughts before being quick to speak.
“If you get around to talking, so be it, because what happens is you build trust, honour, respect – and you also learn how to talk,” he revealed. “For me, it’s a slow process – and that’s why it doesn’t happen for a lot of people. Because it takes time to love people.”
Lentz has become somewhat of a celebrity preacher after famous names like singer Justin Bieber and two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant have attended his church. However, he did not purposely seek fame when attempting to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“When people say ‘hey, you’re in the spotlight,’ I say that we are still on the same path we have always been on,” he said. “Hopefully, if the light shines on you, you [still] do the same things … We’ll go on the next week and pastor somebody who has no fame at all. There won’t be a camera there.”
Regardless of how people view him, Lentz has learned to take it all with a grain of salt.
“Hopefully God prepares you for it and you can look at people who criticize you with grace,” he said. “It’s not easy but, if you don’t believe any press about you – for better or worse – you’re fine.”