Some of us find talking with others very easy and some of us find it quite a challenge. In our endeavours to reach out to those who do not know Christ personally, we will without doubt have to engage in conversations. We will find ourselves in many conversations with unchurched people. Some of the areas that we need to consider are: cultural relevancy in conversations ( CR ); our ability to start general conversations ( GC ); our willingness to start spiritual conversations ( SC ); confidence in sharing our personal story ( PS ) and our ability to share God’s story in conversations ( GS ).
Be Confident To Share Your Personal Story in Conversations (PS) The story of God in your life is a wonderful tool to reach out to others with. Everyone has a different story or testimony. Some were brought up going to church and some came to know Christ later in life. No matter what your story, it is wonderful because it’s your story of God in your life. When we look at our story we notice themes or topics that reoccur. An example of this may be ‘fear’. One may have feared many situations in life, however when coming to know Christ they noticed that this left their life and they became confident and reliant on God in all circumstances. These themes will often relate to unchurched people, they are points of connection that we can use in conversation. We often have the opportunity to share parts of our story and occasionally we are presented with the option to share our entire testimony. It is a helpful exercise to write your story out and condense it to three minutes . Three minutes is short enough for people to actively listen and long enough to arouse more interest. Dividing your story into three one minute segments is a great way forward. One minute on your attitudes, actions, church background and relationships before considering Christ or before walking whole hearted with Him. One minute on the circumstances surrounding your decision to follow Christ or put your whole trust in him and one minute on the changes in your attitudes and actions since following Christ. Always use language that others can understand when sharing your story. With your personal story written out and practiced up, you can be confident to share when appropriate.
Be Practiced up To Share God’s Story in Conversations (GS) What an incredible story it is that God has provided a way of forgiveness for humanity and the option to know God personally. Knowing God’s story is vital for us to be effective with our outreach. Four key points to remember when sharing God’s story are: God has revealed and is revealing Himself (Rom 1:18-20): God is seeking lost people ((Luke 15): God has prepared our encounters (Acts 8:26) and God is responsible for the results. Always remember to put God’s story into language that others can understand when you tell it.
God’s Story God is loving, holy and just. Humans were created good but became sinful (Rom 3:23). Humanity deserves physical and spiritual death (Rom 67:23) and is spiritually helpless (Isaiah 64:6). Jesus is God who became man (John 1:1-15); He died as our substitute (1 Pet 3:18, 2 Cor 5:21) and offers forgiveness as a free gift (Eph 2:8-9). Humanity must respond (John 1:12); we must ask Jesus to be our forgiver and leader (1 John 1:9, 1 Pet 3:15). The result is spiritual transformation.
Praying a prayer of salvation with people The word of God tells us that the harvest is ready now (Jn 4:35). This is good news for us. There are people out there that are ready and prepared by God to make Jesus the leader of their life. There are some basic questions you can use to assess where people are at and then pray with them if appropriate.
- Have you come to that point of asking God’s forgiveness and leadership in your life or are you still in the process of thinking it through?
- Where would you say you are in that process right now?
- Is there any reason you wouldn’t ask God for His forgiveness and leadership right now?
Depending on the response you get, you may have the pleasure of praying with someone. Lead the person in the prayer, they can simply repeat after you as you bow your heads in reverence to God.
- Prompt them to ask for God’s forgiveness
- Prompt them to ask for God’s leadership
- Give thanks
The next step is to do all you can to connect that person to a community of Christian believers where they can be discipled and nurtured.
Sample Discussion Questions - Take one minute of silence to think about themes that occur in your personal story. Discuss these?
- Sketch an outline on paper of your story broken into three one minute segments. Pair up with another and discuss your outline. Finish this up in your personal time.
- What challenges you the most about sharing God’s story?
- Have a go at trying to tell God’s story out loud and then pray aloud a prayer that one could repeat after you in a salvation situation.
- Finish with prayer for friends, family members or work associates who are not Christians.
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