Conversations are not so difficult once the ice is broken and someone initiates – but initiation is the hard part. God’s Word tells us several times to “be ready” to represent our Lord wherever we find ourselves. Preparing questions to ask in our relationship networks is wise. Let’s take some time to prepare some questions for the people we see on a regular basis. There are just a few questions here to help get you started. Follow up questions are much easier, or just ask “why”?

After you have asked several questions, (maybe several conversations down the road), one of the best ways to bring up spiritual things is to share your personal story of what God has done in your life. You might have time for only a 30 second version, or you might have time for a longer version, be prepared for both.

• Observation questions are great, what do you notice about their house, family, pets? “Good morning, I noticed some new flowers, where did you get them?”
• Does your family need anything?
• How are you doing during Covid?
• How’s your family doing education during Covid? What resources are you using?
• Want to come over for dessert tomorrow evening?
• Would you like to come over for coffee tonight?
• It’s a great night for a walk
• Do you or your family play any sports?
• Have you found a great place for hiking?
• Could I borrow a shovel? Screwdriver? Drill? Etc….
• How did you find those flowers? Remodeler? Roofer? Playset?

• Would you like to grab lunch this afternoon?
• Can I get you anything from the store?
• How’s your family doing during this Covid thing?
• Does your family have any plans for _____ break?
• How do you get your work done from home? How do you manage the interruptions?
• Where are you going on vacation?

(you already have a relationship with friend, so you can be more direct)

• What are you doing this weekend?
• When can we see each other again?
• How are you handling the relationship with your wife, husband, kids, in-laws?
• Can we meet for lunch / coffee – I really need to tell you something
• Tell me what happened? I am so sorry.
• Can I share with you how I was able to deal with such a hard situation? Invite them over for coffee, dinner, firepit, etc…
• Share an EveryPerson.com article that relates to a situation you are discussing

(family relationships can be both very friendly and easy or very difficult, you will know how far you can go in each unique situation)

• I’d love to see you again, can we get together next week sometime?
• Ask about their jobs, families, schools,
• Bring up a personal experience you have had at work or play. Why was that fun or difficult?
• Empathize with them over something hard going on in their lives
• Share something you have learned in life that you did not know
• Share something from church that you heard or experienced that has helped you. Could it be helpful to your family too?

If you are asked: “What do you do?” you can say something like this:

• “My day job is working for a software company, but one of the most satisfying things I do is engage with people about their spiritual journey. I volunteer with a website that deals with difficult questions of life” – and then you can give them the “Everyperson.com” card.
• “I am involved in a community of people (a faith-based non-profit) that helps with problems in our community (you can list some things your church or organization does to serve your community, homelessness, food insecurity, human trafficking, fatherlessness, 3rd grade reading levels in under-performing schools). Meaningful relationships, changed lives, and giving people an opportunity to make a difference is important to us.”

Depending on the circumstances, you could continue with these questions or weave them into the conversation:

• “Do you think much about these issues?”
• “What gives you hope when you face the challenges of life?”
• “What is your biggest fear?”
• “Do you think about spiritual things much?”
• “What words would you use to describe your life spiritually?”
• “What was your religious background as a child?”
• “If you could know God personally would you be interested?”
• “Why do you think people believe in God, go to church, pray? Are any of these things important to you?”
• “Has anyone ever simply described what a Christian is or isn’t? Could I share my perspective with you?”
• “If Jesus were standing before you and would ask this question, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’, what would your answer be?”
• “Sometime, I would like to hear about your spiritual journey. Would you be up for that?”

If you are asked during the conversation: “How did you get involved in these kinds of things?”

• Answer (contextualize your answer to fit your story) Here’s my example: “Spiritual things didn’t interest me very much earlier in my life. Then about (# of years ago) my perspective completely changed.” (Stop, don’t just keep talking, see if they are interested. Perhaps they’ll ask another question.)

If you are asked: “What brought the change?”

• Answer: (Share a line from your story). I used to be an atheist. // I was challenged by (“this book” “this person”, “meeting these people,” “hearing this”) to really pursue the concept of truth. // I met some people that broke my paradigm. // I read some things that changed my mind. // I discovered my concept of God was completely wrong.

If someone says: “I’m a good person. I grew up in the church. I even pray sometimes.”

• Answer this: “If you would arrive at Heaven’s gate (let’s say), and God would ask you ‘Why would I let you in?’, what would your answer be?”

I noticed some framed Arabic calligraphy in their living room:
Me: ”That is a beautiful piece of art! Do you mind if I ask, what does it mean?”
Friend: “Oh, those are the ninety-nine names of Allah!”
Me: “That sounds like a great thing to be reminded of. Do you have a favorite?”
Friend: “There’s ‘Giver of Peace,’ ‘The Almighty,’ ‘The Creator’… But I guess my favorite would be ‘Allah Ar-Rahman.’ We say it every time we pray. It means God is all-merciful.”
Me: “That’s beautiful! We call God merciful and compassionate as well. How have you experienced God’s mercy?”
Friend: “Every day I wake up is a gift from Allah.”
Me: “Agreed. I have also specifically experienced God’s mercy through my relationship with Jesus and having my sins forgiven by him. Do you know what Christians believe about that?”

The cashier had a tattoo of praying hands holding a rosary.

Me: “Great tattoo. That’s good work!”
Pizza guy: “Oh thanks, yeah I’ve had it for a couple years and I’m saving up for some more.”
Me: “Do you pray, then?”
Pizza guy: “I try to… it’s actually my abuela’s hands on here, because I know she prays for me. But you know, she hates that I got ink.”
Me: “Sounds like she’s kind of a big spiritual influence on you.”
Pizza guy: “Definitely. God listens to someone like her… not like me. I’ve done too much crazy stuff to be on his good side!”
Me: “You know, the Bible says that we can go to God’s throne with confidence, because Christ is our representative, like our advocate. When we know we dishonored God, Christ still gives us his good name to go straight to God and ask him for forgiveness.”
Pizza guy: “I never thought about it like that!”
Me: “Hey, I’m in the neighborhood and you know I’m here a lot. Sometime maybe I could hear more of your story!”

– asking a person, if I could sit at his table, due to lack of space… After a few minutes of conversation, I asked:
Me: “What you do?”
Him: “I’m an IT guy. What about you?”
Me: “I’m helping young people find their value and purpose and show how to build lasting relationships. One thing I focus on is helping to build their emotional intelligence.”
Him: “Hm… very interesting.”
Me: “Yeah, it is. Do you mind if I ask you a question that I ask from these kids, too?"
Him: “Yes.”
Me: “What is your biggest fear?”
Him: “Losing my kids.”
Me: “Oh, man, I can understand that, I have three kids.”
Him: “I have one.”
Me: “What works for you to overcome your fear?”
Him: “I pray or go to a mass.”
Me: “Oh, are you a Catholic?”
Him: “Yes.”
Me: “Do you mind if I ask another question?”
Him: “Go ahead.”
Me: “Let’s say you die and go to Heaven’s gate. Saint Peter will be standing there and asks you this question, ‘Why would I let you in?’ … What would your answer?”
Him: “I’ve prayed and tried to be good.”
Me: “What if your best is not good enough?”
(You could weave in, “As I understand the Bible, that’s not going to be good enough for either of us” and go on to share your personal story.)

Me: “Thank you for serving our country. How often do you have a chance to go home?”
Soldier: “Every 6 months.
Me: “What’s the most difficult thing about serving in the military?”
Soldier: “Being away from my wife and kids.”
Me:“Wow, that’s a huge sacrifice! How do you cope with that?”
Soldier: “It’s hard, very hard, it can be very lonely.”
Me: “There were times in my life when I really struggled with loneliness. It took a while to overcome that pressing emptiness in my soul. What helps you to overcome that feeling?
Soldier: “I try to keep myself busy. What helped you to deal with it?”
Me: “There was a time when my father left me and I completely felt betrayed and lonely… (from this I shared part of my personal story).”

When he was done, we had this conversation:
Me: “I noticed that you’re wearing a Saint Christopher medal.”
Computer Guy: “Oh yeah, I have to. I travel so much.”
Me: “Yeah, I understand that. Could I recommend to you that maybe you go over the head of St. Christopher to someone higher up, to God? Because God cares about you. He also wants to help you, and to guide your life, and take care of you. Maybe no one has ever shared with you how you could have this kind of relationship with God. May I give you this card? It has a website that will explain how you can know God in this way.” (I gave him a business card with EveryPerson.com on it.)
Computer Guy: “Wow. Thanks so much. I will definitely look at this tonight. That’s so kind of you. I will definitely look at this. Thanks again.” <

the girl next to me opened an enormous, hardbound book of Horoscopes. She took the book, nearly put it in my lap, and started this conversation:
Astrology Girl: “Which sign are you?”
Me: “Well, I’m a cancer.”
(She immediately flipped to that page and we started reading together.)
Me: “Ok, yes this is true of me, and this, and this. Oh gee, not this one at all. You know, here’s the thing about this. Some of this fits me and some doesn’t. But when it comes to my life, I want something I can fully count on, all the time. I’ve concluded that God exists, and that he knows me completely, because he created me. He knows everything that’s true about me. And even better, he offers to guide me in life. He offers to guide anyone who will begin a relationship with him. He gives insights and his wisdom for some major areas of our lives. AND he’s fully reliable. Here’s a website that explains how you can have a relationship with God like that.” I write down, EveryPerson.com.
Astrology Girl: “Thanks very much. I really appreciate that. I’ll take a look at it.”

I’m standing outside the front door of the hotel with a group of people and this woman asks me: 
Convention Woman: “Are you with our convention?” 
Me: “No. I’m with a website that takes on the hard questions about life and God…like why life is so hard, evidences for God’s existence.” 
Convention Woman: “I’m an atheist, but I’m searching.” 
Me: “Well, you will LOVE this website. It gives you reasons to believe in God and shows you how you can begin a relationship with him. Let me give you a card to it.” 
Convention Woman: “Thank you so much!” 

The man next to me asked:
A man on flight: “What do you do?”
Me: “I’m with a website that takes on the hard questions about life and God…like why life is so hard, evidences for God’s existence.”
A man on flight: “I have a friend who’s been trying to get me saved for two years.”
Me: “What’s your hesitation?”
We talked for two hours. I heard all of his concerns. He asked me how his life would change if he did ask Jesus into his life. He had questions about Jesus’ deity, the Bible, what it meant to be in relationship with God, etc. At the end of the flight I said:
Me: “You can’t ask Jesus into your life just because your friend wants you to. You need to know it’s true. You need to really get your questions about God answered. Here’s a card to a website that will fully give you reasons to ask Jesus into your life. Spend some time on it and make a decision.”
A Man on flight: “Thanks. I will.”

2nd man on flight: “Hi. What kind of work are you in?”
Me: “I’m with a website that takes on the hard questions about life and God…like why life is so hard, evidences for God’s existence.”
2nd man on flight: “Hm…how did you get into that?”
Me: “I was an atheist. I met a Christian whose life I admired. For 1.5 years I asked her questions. The evidence she provided outweighed the evidence against God. I asked God into my life and he changed my life.” [My testimony in 17 seconds]
2nd man on flight: “I’m an atheist. What convinced you?”
Me: “Mostly it was the earth’s position to the sun and the properties of water. They were too precise to be just chance.”
At the end of the flight I gave him a card to EveryPerson.com. And I wrote on the back of it, “The Spiritual Adventure Pack” – a series of 7 emails written specifically to atheists/skeptics. He was very appreciative.

Taxi driver: “It’s really hard to find riders now. Uber has really cut into our business, and I worry about my family.”
Me: “I can imagine. I bet that’s scary. You know, when I’ve been worried about the future, I find that God is able to guide me and take care of me. I’m wondering if anyone has ever shared with you how you can know God like that. May I give you a card to a website that will explain how you can go to God and know that he hears you?”
Taxi driver: “Thank you so much. That is so kind of you.”