Note: These gospel friends are categorized according to the area of the heart that the Holy Spirit has prepared or is preparing. In the Lord Jesus' parable of the sower (Matt 13:3–23) , the heart is pictured as ground. Preaching the gospel is like sowing seed into that ground: if the ground is good, the word is received well and bears fruit. As those who are "sowing seeds" of the gospel, we want to sow into good ground. With our gospel friends, it is the Holy Spirit who prepares the ground of their hearts to be soft and ready to receive the gospel. Those who are wise in sowing will cooperate with Him and sow the seed in the area of the heart He has been preparing or is still preparing. So rather than categorizing our gospel friends by outward appearance or actions, we should consider which area of the heart the Holy Spirit is preparing. Sometimes more than one area is being prepared, and these areas often overlap. The Four Areas of the Heart The Conscience: H...