Praying for Reconciliation Pt.20

Earlier this week, we looked at the necessity of prayer in evangelism.  If for some reason you haven’t heard our campus pastors teach on 2 Corinthians 5, make sure you check out our Sermon Media page to hear these incredible sermons on the ministry of reconciliation.  Today, I want to offer you some helpful suggestions as you carry out the ministry of reconciliation.

Establish an Ongoing Conversation.  After God begins to open the door for conversations with non-Christians, establish a foundation for discussion.  Our ultimate goal is to explicitly communicate the gospel (e.g. 2 Cor. 5:21), but an explicit gospel message doesn’t necessarily have to be our opening statement.

Discussion Starters.  Literature can be a great resource for establishing an ongoing conversation with a non-Christian.  Just a hint…You should probably stay away from books like Can a Smart Person Believe in God? (Yes, that’s a real book!) Instead, try to find a semi-philosophical subject as common ground.  Here’s some suggestions:
1.  Talk about the meaning of a popular movie.  Discuss the themes in Avatar, The Dark Knight, or even the Twilight series.  Here’s an article that explains why films are good fodder for spiritual conversations.
2.  Use a web article or blog post.  A friend in my small group is currently engaged in an ongoing conversation with his agnostic brother.  Their subject is an essay that discusses Jacques Derrida, the movie Memento, and Christianity. The internet is saturated with blogs and ezines that discuss spiritual topics, providing an opportunity for non-Christians to encounter biblical truth.
3.  Direct them to gospel-centered literature.  Books like The Reason for God and Mere Christianity present the message of Christ in a more contextualized fashion.  I’ve found that many people are open to reading such “spiritual” books, even if they might not touch a Bible.
4.  Discuss God’s Word together.  If your friend is even more curious, start discussing a book of the Bible.  The gospel of Mark is a great place to start.  Mark is brief and action-packed book, and the gospel is overwhelmingly clear.

Ask more questions.  It’s always important to keep the conversation going, and asking the right questions is vital.  I’ve found that I’m often too eager to provide lengthy theological explanations. After all, Jesus Himself often to chose to ask intentional questions instead of revealing direct answers.  In his book Questioning Evangelism, Randy Newman demonstrates how strategic questions can be effective in sharing the gospel with others.

Keep sharing, Summit!  There are still many in RDU who do not know the glorious gospel of Christ.  How will they hear unless we carry the message to them (Rom. 10:14)?  Keep praying for the lost in RDU, and speak confidently as ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor. 5:20)!