On April 20 we celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Christians hope in a risen Christ who has defeated death forever. “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead … Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:20,54).
Many people around us are searching for hope—something to anchor their lives on that won’t ever fail or disappoint them. Only Jesus can meet their deepest longings. Our gospel message is an urgent message of hope. So how can we build bridges from everyday conversations to ones about spiritual topics?
First, we can pray God helps us care about others by listening well to them. Proverbs 18:13 says, “He who answers before listening—that is his folly and his shame.” We don’t want to dump-truck the gospel message on others. We want to interact with them.
Good questions can help us transition to spiritual topics and the gospel. If you aren’t in the habit of asking serious questions, you can preface one of these by saying, “I’ve been working on asking good questions lately. Do you mind if I ask you one?”
Questions about life that often lead to spiritual topics:
- What prompted you to pursue your career in ________?
- What do you think makes some people happier than others?
- How have you seen good and evil in your life? Or, What are some ways you teach your kids right from wrong?
- What concerns you most about your future?
Questions that involve sharing how God has transformed your life:
- Maybe someone shares about a difficulty in her life, and that opens the door for you to share about a similar one in your life. “Can I tell you about a struggle in my life?”
- Or, after you’ve shared your story: “In my story I mentioned how my faith played a big part in how I dealt with _______. Do you consider yourself on a spiritual journey?”
- “Because I’ve had struggles, I realize everyone else has some kind of struggle, too. How can I pray for you right now?”
Questions that help us discover how others perceive God or Christianity:
- What is your understanding of the core message of the Bible or the Christian faith?
- Who would you say Jesus is/was based on your religious background?
- If God gave you the opportunity to ask him one question, what would you ask and why?
It’s interesting to hear how others perceive God and the Christian faith. If someone shares negative experiences, listen and commiserate. In some cases, the other person may say, “What do you think is the core message of Christianity? Aren’t all religions about being good people?”
When we talk with others who become curious about the Christian message, we want to be ready to explain it. Basic elements of the gospel include …
- Christ died on the cross to rescue us from God’s wrath over sin (1 Cor. 15:3-6, Ephesians 2:1-7).
- Jesus was then raised to life, appeared to many witnesses (1 Cor. 15:3-6) and defeated the power of sin and death.
- The Bible says only those who have a personal response of faith in Jesus become his children and receive salvation (John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8-9).
You are surrounded by others who need the life-giving hope of a relationship with Christ. Ask God to use you to ask questions and listen well to those around you. Choose questions that fit your personality and the situations and people you encounter.
Prepare to listen well and proceed further if the other person seems open. Depend on the Holy Spirit to guide your conversations. God delights in using you to be salt and light in a weary world.
—Nancy Holliday is the editor for Sacred Story Ministries.
Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash
