How to start a conversation

[amy_elisabeth]

Good 5-6 minute videos to help start conversations with people to share your faith:

http://www.adventuresinchristianity.com/?L=videos.browse

[Sweetlybroken]

Love seeing the young people sharing their faith.
I think for me the 'classic' approach is the easiest. It's amazing how quickly people will open up to you about the troubles in their lives. Gives an open door to share about the Lord. People are really hurting and lonely.

Thanks for posting the videos.

[theroc]

I usually go up to them and say, I go to Baptist University of Americas on the south side, im doing a self project right now and were going around kinda surveying the area and seeing if people believe in an after life and if you do are you good enough to get there, so do you think you can answer that?...sometimes instead of asking about the after life, ill ask them if they can name me 10 brands of beer, then 10 sport teams and then ill ask if they can name the 10 commandments.
Hey this thread can be for all ideas on how to start conversations and I would like to hear from yall and how yall do it b/c I wana get ideas b/c I like to change it up some times.

[Violet]

Good topic...

Always pray and do as the Lord leads.

When we pass out literature in the inner city, I normally say "Hello, would you like a Gospel of John," with a smile on my face. I make sure I look the recipient in the eye and show love and respect with my body language and tone of voice.

We've used Ray Comfort's quiz with the dollar bill approach with great success. We go to a random bus stop or laudromat, gently approach an individual and state that we'll give a dollar prize if they can answer some questions correctly. This leads to a presentation of the Gospel and we always give them the dollar.

Ray Comfort has the better evangelism approach IMO.

With co-workers, get to know them first, show interest in things that interest them and gently share the Gospel as the Lord leads.

[amy_elisabeth]

Anybody start using these approaches who didn't before?

[Solo Fide]

I was taught the F.I.R.E. method. It stands for:

Family
Interests
Religion
Eternity

So you get someone talking about their family- that's easy- almost everyone has some kind of family- and show genuine interest in them.

Then move on to their hobbies and interests.

Now you've got them talking and warmed up to you so then you can bring up what denomination they were brought up in or if they go to church and where.

Which leads to what the Bible says about eternity or maybe better yet- this is where you can share your testimony- a very short testimony, kinda like wetting their appetite- hopefully they will start adking you questions at this point, if not- you can keep asking.

And yes, just like another person said, all the while praying and sensing the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The best method I have found is true friendship,but it requires a whole lot more of you and you can't go out and get like 25 people saved at once. But the bottom line is that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care! Jesus always ministered to a persons need- it helps to open their ears. You can't tell a hungry person about the love of God- you have to feed him first! Then he'll listen.

[Solo Fide]

Oh, and a good statistic to keep in mind- 80% of all conversions are of children between the ages of 5-15 (or something very close to that- like 6-16 or under the age of 18). So don't cross kids off your list of people to talk to- they are the most open to the gospel of all!! You could have your greatest successes in this age group:) And kids are great to talk to- usually very open and easy to get responses from.

[amy_elisabeth]

Solo,

Do you preach the Law before giving God's message of love to a lost person first?

[Solo Fide]

Preach the law? I usually make sure they know what sin is if that's what you mean. And the whole thing depends on how the conversation is going. Adults usually don't have a problem knowing they've messed up before God, with the kids I talk about stuff like cheating, stealing, not be honest or telling the truth. i mean- you have to know you NEED a Savior first, right? I was taught to give people the bad news first- there is none righteous no not one and the wages of sin is death- and I explain what death means- separation from God forever! Then, yes, the good news, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord-along with many other verses.

Did I answer your question? I hope.:hat

[amy_elisabeth]

Solo,

Yes, you answered my question fine :)

I was just worried about this statement you made:

Oh, and a good statistic to keep in mind- 80% of all conversions are of children between the ages of 5-15 (or something very close to that- like 6-16 or under the age of 18). So don't cross kids off your list of people to talk to- they are the most open to the gospel of all!! You could have your greatest successes in this age group.

because 1. most of these "conversions" are not conversions at all - they lead to false hope. Until someone realizes they need to die to themselves, have broken God's laws which would send them to hell, and need a Savior because even their good works won't get them to heaven, they won't be saved. You're talking about little 5 year olds here. I was a preschool teacher and know their understanding of sin is not that it is "exceedingly sinful." Also you said we could have our greatest successes in this age group. We are not successful when someone repents and trusts in Christ. We are successful when we preach the gospel properly: law first, good news second. We are successful when we do it no matter how we feel. And finally, we are successful when we don't care what the numbers are because God wants our obedience to His command to go out and preach repentance and faith (Matt. 28 and Mark 16:15). Do you define success in evangelism by numbers? (I ask because of that statement you made and the statistics you use)