Can I be honest? Sharing the gospel in everyday conversations is something I have to work at EVERY DAY. On this topic, there are no days off for me. Discouragement creeps over my soul faster than the sun evaporates morning mist. Still, I want to grow. With God’s help, I’m committed to becoming a more faithful follower of Jesus.
More time with more truth vs brief encounters with a brief gospel.
It’s easy to convince myself that this one conversation won’t change the eternal spiritual condition of my new conversation partner. I know and understand people need more time with more truth as opposed to brief encounters, but maybe this one conversation is part of God’s master plan to expose my new friend with more time and more truth.
Using a gardening metaphor, if God’s Word is the seed, what if God doesn’t intend for me to harvest the fruit in that conversation? Rather, God intends for me to water the seed, to pull a weed or nurture the surrounding soil.
Here are three words that serve like a bridge to help you share the gospel in everyday conversations:
Affirm Restate Redirect
Affirm.
When a person tells you of a challenge or difficulty in their life, affirm what you hear them say. Responses like the following should be part of our conversational dialogue:
- “That cancer diagnosis for your mom must be difficult on her, you and the family.”
- “Yeah, moving is a challenge for anyone. How’s your family handling the change?” Or…
- “I know you’ve lived in our community for ten years, has anyone invited you to church?”
Restate.
Restating a difficulty or challenge in a person’s life is a great way to continue a conversation at a deeper level and is a great segue into the gospel. For instance…
- “What I hear you saying is that your family’s lives are going to be turned upside down if the cancer treatment doesn’t work?”
- “I remember moving wasn’t easy on us either, what’s been the biggest stressor for you?”
- “I hear you. Are you saying that trying a church and not having it work was disappointing?”
Redirect.
Takes a meaningful point of the conversation and helps them see the “God-points” in their life. Cancer isn’t simply bad luck. Moving didn’t just mean a better school district or a better salary. One’s church attendance or lack thereof is a meaningful connection point to redirecting to God. Here are three redirects to the Theme of themes that could take you into everyday gospel conversations…
- “You all have had to think about a lot of unpleasant and painful realities. Could I tell you about my God and how he helps me through uncertainties in my life?”
- “Moving can be unsettling. Recently I was reading my Bible and I was reminded that God is with us in the difficult times, easy times and even unsettling times. Do you feel like God has been with you during this transition?”
- “I know you’ve tried church, but how would you describe your relationship with God? Warm and growing? Or cold and distant?”
Finally, as a Christian, here are three convictions that are embedded in my soul:
- There are no chance relationships. None. My address or place of employment are by divine decree.
- God is at work everywhere. God does his deepest work in unseen ways.
- God uses weak Christians with a strong gospel.
Christian, go forward today with this three-word gospel bridge: affirm, restate and redirect.
Joel Mosier is the Lead Pastor at GraceLife Baptist Church in Cypress, TX and serves as anExchangeTrainer. Contact Joel about leading an Exchange Training Event or to discuss this [email protected]