Pioneer Christian Monthly - February, 1998

Spiritual Conversations
Kyla Ward

"If you could ask Jesus Christ one question, what would it be?"

"If you ever want to know the difference between Religion and Christianity, just let me know."

"Sometimes I wonder if God really has an opinion on how I live my life. Do you ever feel that way?"

"Sorry, I can't make it tonight; I'm going to a party at our church."

"Have you heard back from the doctor about those tests you went for last week?"

Some spiritual conversations look more obvious than others. I admit that in my initial thoughts regarding the content of spiritual conversations, I came up with requirements such as quoting scripture, mentioning that I would be praying for someone, sharing my personal testimony, or explaining the full Gospel of Christ. Though such elements may all be part of a conversation that would be considered spiritual, it has been most liberating to discover that some very ordinary conversations can lead in some very extraordinary directions.

Not too long ago, I was speaking with a friend of mine about new movies that were playing in the theatres. She had been watching an Oprah show about the film Dead Man Walking. This very simple conversation about what was showing at the Odeon quickly found its way down the path to a discussion about concepts such as forgiveness, justice, grace, and redemption. As the conversation continued, I found myself silently offering up a prayer of thanksgiving for how creatively God opened up an opportunity to share about His forgiving nature.

Opportunities for spiritual conversations present themselves to us every day; however, most Christians find themselves either too scared, unaware, or unprepared to make use of them. The example that we find in the person of Jesus Christ is someone who is prepared and intentional in receiving the opportunity to change a conversation about drinking water into a conversation about eternal life.

The first step each of us can take to model Christ's example is to decide to look for opportunities as they arise. It is important that in our efforts to explore "deep" topics, our friends are not subjected to a friendship that becomes totally contrived, waiting for the perfect opportunity to share about Jesus. Instead, each of us should simply agree to watch for opportunities that arise naturally and authentically within our relationships.

The second step in developing spiritual conversations is take a risk. Just a small risk. When you recognize that there is an opportunity to gently move to a spiritual topic, be willing to step out. Resist any temptation to preach or dominate the conversation. Instead, with gentleness and respect, really enter into dialogue with your friend. Be sure to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading and to the signals that your friend is giving you. One of the best ways to communicate respect is to be the one to end the conversation before it becomes uncomfortable.

The third step is to follow up the conversation with prayer. Pray for more opportunities to discuss matters of faith. Pray that the truths that you touched on will ring true in your friend's heart and mind. Pray for the protection of your friendship. The fourth step is to repeat the whole process, watch, and wait for the Lord to transform your friendships.

The most amazing truth that I have discovered about evangelism is that God enjoys asking you to evangelize people whom you already like! When, in the context of authentic relationships, you put these steps into practice, you will be blessed to see a richness and depth developed in your friendships, which you may never have discovered if you never said those first few words. Use whatever words you like--whatever words suit you--and watch how God will use them to reveal Himself.

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