I was asked how do you start a conversation with people about the gospel? Gospel conversation comes out of genuine conversations. You must first find a common area and built a level of trust.  

There is no one question that will open the door to the gospel. There are many ways to approach the gospel, but not one way is more successful than another.  My friend uses “what is your spiritual life like?” This works for her most of the time but not all the time. I have seen her having a conversation with people and never bringing up the gospel. She was following the Holy Spirit on the timing and when to bring the gospel up. 

Some others opening line can be:

• To whom do you pray? (direct)
• What has God done for you? (direct)
• Where does God fit in your life? (direct)
• Tell me about your father? (indirect – how they view their earthy father is how they might view father God)

It is not the opening questions but it is their answers and how you respond next that will make a fruitful conversation or not. I have learned over my life in ministry that if someone is uncomfortable they may throw out and obscure answer or an answer that is meant to shock. This answer purpose it to cause the other to retreat or begin an argument. Giving the one that gave the answer the needed justification for ending the conversation without going spiritual deep. 

Do not act shocked or become judgmental of their answers. Make your conversation a safe place for them to be real and true to how they are.  Remember Jesus accepted you the way you were and the lack of knowledge you had about the kingdom 0f God. 

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:37 ESV

The long game or short game.  

A long game may be developing a relationship with a person you know you will see again and again.  You have some short but meaningful conversations building a relationship and trust over time. Then the day comes when you can bring up the deeper questions about salvation. I have been building this conversation with a waitress I have been talking to her about her kid and the new baby she had. I asked her at times if there was something I could pray for her about. just recently she has friended me on social media, now she has asked me in her life I can have a deeper conversation with her.

The short game is the person you may see once have a short conversation with and may never see again, people at a gas pump, in a line at a store, etc. With these people you may just sow a seed of the gospel and/or pray with for them for something. Knowing that a seed was sown will produce in time, continue to pray for the day someone else reaps them. 

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ‬‬

Matthew‬ ‭28:18-19‬ ‭ESV

It is not our responsibility to get people to say a prayer of salvation it is our responsibility to make disciples.  If we just get them “saved” and they end up withered away did the kingdom advance. You would not collect up vegetables from a garden and do nothing with them. Once you reap a harvest you need to go on to process them, cleaning, preparing, and even cooking them, that all can enjoy. 

When I was a little kid I would go fishing with my dad. It was so exciting to catch a fish, my dad would take it off the hook and I was back in the water just that fast. Once we got home he would process all the fish as I watched. Then it came one day told me “You catch them you clean them.” Its time we began to clean them and not just bring them to another to process.

The era for us to just bring friends to church and allow others to disciple them is over. Over 60% of the unsaved people in the United States will not come to church even if asked. We need to take responsibility for disciplining the one we have in our sphere of influence and we reap for the kingdom.

APPLICATION

• Step out and have conversation with the unsaved and allow the Holy Spirit to guide the conversation.
• Know if you are in a long game or short game.
• “You CATCH them you CLEAN them” take responsibility for making disciples