Starting the Conversation

I was driving on a major freeway in Los Angeles when I saw a man standing on the busy road about one hundred feet in front of me. My first thought was that he was an absolute fool because the speeding traffic could have killed him. But I then saw that he was pulling a large mattress off the freeway, obviously concerned about the traffic hitting the mattress. This man wasn’t a fool. He was a hero.

We Christians know that the world is in great danger. That’s why we make ourselves look like fools to warn others. Love and concern cannot remain passive.

While many Christians desire to share the gospel with others, few know how to start this conversation with someone. I have found that asking simple questions opens doors for life-changing discussions. Here are a few you can try:

• Do you think there is an afterlife? This question is effective because it is inoffensive and quickly elicits a valuable response. It’s always helpful to know the soil in which we want to sow.
• Are you an educated, well-read person? One of the biggest hindrances to the gospel, if not the biggest hindrance, is human pride. When I ask this question, most tell me that they certainly are. I then tell them the best-selling book of all time is the Bible and ask, “Have you ever read it?” Most haven’t. It is the best-selling book of all time, and they haven’t even opened it. So, I now have a humbled person listening intently to what I have to share rather than someone with a proud heart refusing to engage.
• Do you mind if I give you my take on [any gospel-related issue relevant to the person you’re speaking to] and get your thoughts? “And get your thoughts” is an important phrase I often use. It tells the person that I will not lecture or preach at them. They are going to get a chance to respond. That helps to quell any objections momentarily they may have so that I can present the gospel without any interruptions that may distract from its purity.

Once someone begins this conversation with me, I share the same message with people of all beliefs and backgrounds: God will grant you his gift of grace and eternal life when you put your faith in Jesus. Only through Jesus’ resurrection can you be born again.