Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out series post 5/8
Principle 5: Effective evangelistic conversations connect the unchanging gospel with the specific issues people face.
Check to see what’s in your left pocket. What are you carrying around? Keys, a phone, tissue, a wipe? I was recently asked this question and just happened to have chap-stick. Now, how can you use what you pulled out of your pocket with your left hand to build a bridge to the gospel (let’s call that your right hand). My reply was God created your lips (Creation), but they at times become chappy (Fall), and that chap-stick applied (Rescue) will restore your lips (Restoration) . . . likewise when you apply Christ to your life, you are rescued from your fallen sinful nature and restored to glorify God in word and in deed.
Jesus used everyday objects to teach spiritual truths. Let’s do the same and use everyday objects to teach everyday people the gospel story everywhere we go. I have a long ways to go. We are all at different stages in our sharing Jesus with others journey. I am comfortable with passing out outreach cards but not as comfortable asking my waiter/waitress if I can pray for him or her. God can grow me to the point where asking a simple question to a waiter/waitress will become common place. Here’s another example of my witnessing growth:
Last week, I needed to get my car battery replaced so I made my way down to the local auto parts store. Mario was the name of the store employee I came into contact with. Through conversation, I found out where Mario was from and that he liked working outside. In replacing my car battery, Mario got some reprieve from being inside all day because he was able to venture out into God’s creation. With the sun shining and trees in the background, I talked to Mario about creation as God’s country. Mario was meticulous in his work and I thanked him for rescuing my car and restoring its battery. Before leaving, I made sure to mention to Mario that like my car battery, Jesus restores us all from the fall of sin by coming to our rescue and restoring us.
You may think this conversation came easy to me, but inside I was freaking out. I felt God calling me to speak up for his name but I wasn’t sure how. I remembered the verse that if I was ashamed to speak of him to others, he would be ashamed of me in his glory (Luke 9:26) and felt some positive pressure. Then things didn’t go as planned. I was able to get creation in, but the conversation came to a standstill and I felt the Holy Spirit say wait. In the end and with the help of a friend, I was able to present the gospel in conversation! Could I have done more? Sure. I could have asked Mario if he understood the gospel and if he wanted to accept Jesus as Lord, but perhaps I would have freaked out even more. We have to grow into sharing our faith, practice sharing, and become comfortable in and with the evangelistic process.
I am convinced that in today’s social-media driven world, we will need to become effective conversationalists for the sake of the gospel. This is true for the virtual world but even more so for the real world, where people are craving for real community. Dr. Reid provides five practical ways to engage people in conversation: (1) Share your life story! (2) Ask good questions like “what is your faith background?” or “What does a real Christian look like?” (3) Affirm and encourage unbelievers because they are still made in God’s image, (4) Speak to the person’s mind and heart, and (5) Connect to people beneath the surface by finding out their passions and pains and then allow them to open up to you.
It’s a challenge to start a conversation using an everyday object and then transition it to the gospel story, but it’s a challenge you can overcome with the help of the Holy Spirit!