“Then Jesus came to them and said: ‘…go and make disciples…’” Matthew 28:18-19
As His parting command before He ascended to Heaven, Jesus told His disciples to go and make disciples. For years, they’d watched Him do just that—often by engaging strangers in spiritual discussions. They’d seen firsthand that the harvest was plentiful (Matthew 9:37).
The same is true today. Every day we encounter people who don’t know Christ’s saving love—who are “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
It may seem daunting—even terrifying—to engage people around us in spiritual dialogue and point them to Jesus. But starting a conversation and turning it to the Gospel can be easier than you might expect—especially in a culture where so many people are looking for something authentic and hopeful to build their lives on.
MAKING DISCIPLES AT THE MALL
To give you an idea, here’s one example of a recent conversation I had:
I was getting ready to head into a store at a local mall when I spotted a young couple.
The man had three crosses on his hat, so I asked him if he was Christian. He told me they both were Catholic.
I asked their names (Antonio and Sophia), and then after we chatted for a few minutes, I asked them both if they knew 100% they were going to Heaven when they died.
She said she hoped so. He said he knew. I asked him why he was so sure, and he told me how he tried his best to live by God’s rules.
Then I asked him, “Antonio, did you know that in order to enter God’s presence in Heaven, you have to be as good as God Himself?” He looked a bit shocked. So did she.
I asked him if I could share with them how they could be 100% sure they were going to Heaven.
They both gave me permission, so I shared the G.O.S.P.E.L. with them.
After asking them if what I just shared made sense, I invited them to trust in Jesus.
They agreed and said a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the free gift of salvation.
One of the benefits of traveling so much is I know a lot of good churches across the nation. Since they live in California, I got them hooked up with a solid church.
Pray for Antonio and Sophia as they begin their new walk with Jesus!
HOW TO ENGAGE STRANGERS
Anyone can share the Gospel with strangers using these six simple steps: pray, see, engage, explain, invite, and connect.
1. Pray every day for God to open up opportunities to share the Gospel.
2. See people, by taking the time to look around you, and be ready to obey the Spirit’s promptings to evangelize.
3. Engage people in conversation by asking questions and listening.
4. Explain the Gospel with simplicity and conviction.
5. Invite them (not coerce them) to put their faith in Jesus.
6. Connect them to a strong, Bible-based church to grow in their newfound faith.
Pray along with me that God will give us daily opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus, with friends and strangers alike.
This article originally appeared on gregstier.org and is reposted here by permission.