A short history of personal remote communication
Humans have been communicating in printed form for hundreds of years. After the printing press was invented, the development of the telegraph was just a matter of time, allowing printed messages to be sent over long distance. The telegraph was happily replaced by the telephone, which became extremely popular as the fastest way to communicate person-to-person. The first telephone was patented in 1876 and by 1960 there were some 160 million phones in the world. But the telephone was quickly improved upon, in the form of the cell phone.
The first cellular network went online in the late 20th century, and just a few years later there were millions of cellular phones in service. Today, there are nearly 20 billion mobile devices operating worldwide. One of the most popular ways to use those devices is the “old-fashioned” printed form of digital communication known as texting.
Literally trillions of texts are sent every day. It is the most widely used data application in the world and it is a powerful tool for evangelism! Texting is a great way of staying in touch with someone you are trying to reach with the gospel. But there is a catch. Gone are the days of the white pages. People guard their cell phone numbers and with good reason!
How to tactfully and respectfully get someone’s number
So how do you tactfully and respectfully request someone’s cell phone number? Here are some ideas:
Serve them. Whether you are watching a neighbor’s house, dog-sitting, or mowing a lawn while someone is on vacation, asking for a phone number to let them know how things are going in their absence is a reasonable request and a simple way to obtain a cell phone number.
Share with them. “The power has been out for a few hours. Do you guys have a generator? You are welcome to plug into mine. Can I text you if I need to get ahold of you in the meantime?
Give them your number first. “May I give you my phone number so you can text me when you are done or if you need anything?”
Ask for their help. “We are leaving town for a few days and our elderly parents will be staying at our house. Would you be willing to text me if you see anything amiss?”
Invite them to something. “We’d love for you to join us. May I text you some of the details as the event gets closer?”
Volunteer your phone for a photo. “Let’s get a group photo and I’ll text it to everyone.”
A few words of caution
Always be appropriate with respect to gender and age considerations. It might make someone uncomfortable if it seems that you could be asking for their number as some kind of solicitation.
If you do text, remember that texting can seem impersonal, can be overdone and annoying, and can easily be misunderstood.
Ways to use texting for evangelism
If you do want to use texting for evangelistic purposes, here are a few suggested ways:
Tell them you are praying for a challenge in their life. Texting a brief note that you thought of them and prayed for them can really encourage someone and soften them to the gospel. “Hey, I’ve been thinking about the concern you shared with me a few days ago. Just wanted you to know that I have been praying and asking God to intervene on your behalf!”
Remind them of your invitation to do a Bible study together. “Looking forward to seeing you this evening. I think our Bible study is going to answer a lot of questions!”
Text a random show of appropriate appreciation: “Hey Joe. I was just thinking about how thankful I am to have a colleague you. Just wanted you to know I appreciate your extra effort this week!”
Share something that reminded you of them: “Just saw this and it reminded me of you! I appreciate your friendship and the opportunity to share my faith in Jesus with you.”
Depending on the progress of your evangelism efforts with the individual, sending small gospel truths or Bible verses may be helpful to keep the conversation going. “Hey, remember our conversation last week about God’s grace? Here’s another encouraging verse on that topic I thought you might enjoy!”
These are just a few ideas. Certainly, you can come up with more. But the point is this: find an appropriate way to get their number, then use that access cautiously and respectfully to enhance your relationship and advance the conversation about Jesus!
Proverbs 25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”
Brad Stille is the Lead Pastor at First Baptist Church of Wixom, Michigan and serves as an Exchange Trainer. Contact Brad about leading an Exchange Training Event or to discuss this article at [email protected].