As believers, God desires that we live our lives in pursuit of His glory and His mission. This requires sharing the good news of Jesus with others, but to do this, we must first find people who are willing to listen to the gospel message. So here are a few tips for finding opportunities to start spiritual conversations, whether you’re at the coffee shop down the street or in a hut in a remote African village.
Prayer is the Foundation
You can be part of someone’s faith journey, but it’s important to recognize that the Holy Spirit is the one who works in people’s lives to draw them to the Father through Jesus Christ. That’s why every person desiring to be missional should always ground their days and their spiritual encounters in prayer.
“In no other way can the believer become as fully involved with God’s work, especially the work of world evangelism, as in intercessory prayer.” -Dick Eastman
You can pray for opportunities to arise to share the gospel, for those you meet to be open to the gospel message, and for clarity in speech while sharing about Jesus Christ and your faith. All of these prayers recognize God’s part in the process and also make you more aware of opportunities to share the love of Christ with the people God leads you to.
Start the Conversation
God can work in mysterious ways, but it’s not very often that someone will simply walk up to you and ask you about Jesus. You will most likely have to make the first move.
You must be intentional about engaging with those you come across each day. The clerk at the grocery store, the person in front of you in line at the coffee shop, the woman who sits next to you on the train. Each of these people represents an opportunity to engage in conversations that present opportunities to share your faith. But they may be waiting for you to start.
“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” -1 Peter 3:15
Let Go of the Pressure
Your conversation may lead to an opportunity to talk about Jesus and the redemption found in Him. When it does, you may suddenly feel the pressure to get the story right or to tell them the exact right thing, but you don’t have to feel that way.
When you finally get to share the gospel, you have to remember that it’s the Holy Spirit’s work in your life and the other person’s life that has brought you both to this point. You may be the tipping point, but you may also just be part of their journey into faith. Ultimately, the Holy Spirit is the active agent in salvation.
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” -Ephesians 1:13-14
Pray for the Holy Spirit to equip you with the right words and to open the other person’s heart to the truth. If they don’t make a decision to follow Jesus, it doesn’t automatically mean it’s your fault. They weren’t quite ready, and the Holy Spirit is still working. If they do accept Christ as their Savior, you can praise the Lord that you had the opportunity to be a part of their story.
Ultimately, all we can do is what the Lord asks of us—share His message of love by looking for opportunities to engage in spiritual conversations—and He will take care of the rest.
Evangelizing the Lost
East-West is committed to leveraging creative platforms to strategically spread the gospel among the unreached. Our goal in sharing the good news is to ultimately connect new believers to local churches where they are discipled and sent out to continue the mission in their communities.
