One of our greatest values as a church is to be a people who are actively ‘inviting’ others to the faith by having spiritual conversations with others. Whether it someone we know intimately, or someone we just met; actively looking and listening for opportunities to go deeper. This page is meant to be a place to remind us how to do this, but also a place for us (as a church family) to keep track of our “spiritual conversations.”
One of the common reasons given for why we don’t share our faith with others is that we don’t know what to say. We feel ill-equipped to answer all the questions people might ask us about the Christian faith. But there is a very simple way to overcome this, and it is something encouraged in the Bible.
Rather than facts about Christianity, perhaps one of the most powerful things that we can do is simply tell our story…and that’s something no one can dispute!
How do I tell my story?
Firstly listen to the stories of others. We earn the right to share our story in part by being willing to hear the story of others. A simple question such as “Do you have a faith?” might be a helpful way of raising the topic with others. Listen to their story, seek to understand where they are coming from, and empathize with their position.
*How do I listen? Take a listen to Pastor Trey’s sermon on “listening” here.
Secondly, tell your story, as a story. We need to learn to tell our story, as a story with an introduction, a moment of crisis, and a conclusion. That is, begin by sharing something about who you are (the dreams, plans and ambitions you have), then how you attempted to fulfil them in an idolatrous way (the crisis), concluding with how Jesus fulfils all your longings and hopes and gives you hope for the future.
Be Brief: Tell the whole story in less than 2-3 minutes, or ideally fewer than 100 words. This may seem very short to you, but to your listener it will seem like a long time. Keep the follow up discussion more of a dialogue not a monologue.
Be Clear: Don’t tell weird or complicated storylines. People don’t usually have the tolerance or interest to make sense of things that might have great meaning to you but are hard to understand or can quickly categorize you as a “religious nut.”
Use Common Language: Trey to use ordinary language in your faith story. Compose your story in such a way that it can be understood both by Christians and non-Christians.
Be Humble: Often Christians come across as superior when they tell their stories. What’s important for us to understand is the main difference between people who have found a relationship with Jesus and those who have not, is Christians know they are sinners in need of someone to save them, which means they recognize their continuous need for God. (adapted from the 9 Arts of Spiritual Conversations)
*How do I tell my story? Take a listen to Pastor Trey’s sermon on “telling your story” here.
Finally, tell a story about Jesus. Share a story from the Gospels which really resonates with you and your experience. Is there one account in the Gospels which fits your experience?
*Listen to our sermon series on each one of these three topics by clicking HERE.
How do we keep track of our “spiritual conversations” as a church?
Easy peasy! Just click the button below, and fill out this super short form.