- It's about listening to someone else and gauging his or her interest in the Gospel.
- It's about showing someone what the Bible says and asking them to explain it, not preaching my own ideas.
- It's about giving people who genuinely want to know Jesus exactly that opportunity.
I really like it.
Sure, it's a "method" to some degree. One of the reasons I'm willing to consider it is that it seems very appropriate for Peruvian culture. I'm not sure it would come across the same way in a post-modern culture that doesn't share some of the same underlying values (like the validity of the Bible, for example). Who knows.
I have a lot to say when it comes to a the topic of faith, and I'm grateful for a resource that is more concise than my brain. Generally non-believers don't have time for the 12-hour version and aren't interested anyway. That's another plus of the questions and verses below.
Of course, this is only useful if you're talking to someone who's genuinely interested in the conversation. If the person isn't, you stop talking about it. End of story. My job isn't to "convert" people; it's to be open to conversation about what I believe, these truths that have changed my life forever.
Five questions for conversation:
- Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs?
- To you, who is Jesus?
- Do you think there is a heaven or a hell?
- If you died tonight, where do you think would you go?
- By the way, if what you were believing is not true, would you want to know? (Obviously, if the answer is "no," you don't continue to the next part!)
Seven verses that summarize the Bible's message about a relationship with God.
Ask the person to read the verses and explain to you what they say.
Ask the person to read the verses and explain to you what they say.
- For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
- For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
- In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again'. John 3:3
- Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'. John 14:6
- That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame'.Romans 10:9
- And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:15
- Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20
Five questions to help someone who's interested make a decision:
- Are you a sinner?
- Do you want your sins to be forgiven?
- Do you believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and rose again?
- Do you want to surrender your life to Him?
- Are you ready to invite Jesus to come into your life and your heart?
What do you think? I'd love to hear some opinions on this, by Christians, wanderers, and non-believers alike.
PS- I mentioned a few weeks ago that a team from our church here in Pucallpa set up a booth at a local motocross race for 2 days and talked to people about their faith. After talking about these questions and hearing these verses, 89 people decided they wanted their lives to be about Jesus. Wow! Pray for that bunch in their new lives of faith.
