John Cheek talks about finding opportunities to communicate a Christian viewpoint in a public domain.

From personal conversation, I know that many people, deep down, secretly suspect that the claims of Christians are true. However, they're waiting for a convincing, intellectual case for Jesus Christ. Some people want to know that it's possible to live as a well thought-out Christian, daily, with integrity. Can they believe and still think for themselves?

Yes, Jesus is the example. He had to cope with Satan's temptations, using the word of God to rebuff those slippery, deceptive allusions. Later, Jesus' awareness of society and culture was informative when facing all sorts of questions. Indeed, Jesus quoted something in the vernacular, back then, "Do unto others, as you would have them do to you." It may be pagan language, but Jesus recognised truth when He heard it.

Jesus advised the disciples to "be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves," when going out to the world.

Later, Paul would debate at length, in public, in Athens, understanding the pagan symbols and imagery and then using them to communicate greater claims. It was he who advised, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

Perhaps the battle-ground is the area of our reading, what we choose to watch and listen to, as well as exposure to the word of God.

Years ago, I led a workplace Christian Union, in the largest building in Essex. One member chose never to attend the weekly meetings. She was 'better than that'. A well-known worship leader amongst churches in the region, she would never be seen chatting with me, in case colleagues saw us together and suspected that, she too, was a Christian like me.

It can be lonely, at times, leaving the holy huddle and being heard in 'the marketplace', but God calls us to love Him with all our mind, as well as our heart, soul and strength.