Welcome to First Baptist Church College Station
We are overjoyed to worship and fellowship with you today! Today our guest preacher Dr. Scott Willingham shares a message in our Vital Signs of a Healthy Church series entitled Turning Ordinary Topics into Spiritual Conversations. Thank you for joining us this morning! If you are new to First Baptist Church, we hope to meet you very soon.

Evangelism is a process.

Studies indicate that, on average, a person trusts in Christ the seventh time he or she hears the Good News.

Dr. Roy Fish, Professor of Evangelism Emeritus, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

There will never be a number seven if there is not a number four. Will you be number four?

Why a conversation?

LifeWay Research Survey (2007)
- 72% of the people interviewed thought the church is full of hypocrites. 80% thought the church is "more about organized religion than about loving God and loving people."
-78% of those surveyed said they would be willing to listen to someone who wanted to talk about their Christian beliefs. Among those 18-29, the percentage rose to 89%.

How do questions help in evangelism?

* Keeps the person engaged and searching for truth
* It brings to the surface the person's assumptions
* It encourages the person to wrestle with the issues
* Evidences that you care about the person
* Help to minimize unnecessary defensiveness. Questions reflect the heat...so they dial down the temperature.
* Helps you pinpoint the person's spiritual address

Starting and guiding the conversation.

1. Listen and become an unconditional friend.

Ask "What is the most important thing you could tell me about yourself?"

Drill deeper...what's truly important to them

2. Important: Investigate their divine moments.

Ask "What is the most important thing that has ever happened to you?"

What is the second most important thing that has ever happened to you?

Drill deeper...bring God into the conversation.

3. Find out about his or her faith

Ask "What is the most important thing that God has ever done for you?"

Discover his or her spiritual address

4. Discover what they believe it takes to have eternal life.

Ask "What do you think God requires for a person to have eternal life?"