jWinters.com

Knock knock.

“If you died tonight, would you go to heaven or hell?”

(Sound of door slamming, shot gun cocking, etc)

…

The above is the lead question in an evangelism “help” program called the “Kennedy Method” or “Evangelism Explosion”.  This was, believe it or not, all the rage just a little over a decade ago in most evangelism circles.  (Unfortunately, it still is in some.)

With that kind of a lead question, no wonder the world thinks every Christian is a jerk.

Of course the people who love that question love its blunt force trauma approach to the work of the Holy Spirit.  (“Hey Holy Spirit, ok, I’m going to knock him unconcious, then you tickle him until he pees in his pants and says the sinners prayer or something.”)

It does get right to the heart of the issue, right away.  Of course, so does the pick up line, “Nice shoes, wanna….”

The following questions are designed to help you talk to people who might actually call you “friend” now, or at least people you don’t want to turn off right away.  They’re not as obvious as “So, why do you seemingly WANT to spend an eternity in something like burning sulphur and endless Milli Vanilli tunes pumped in over the PA system?”  Yet, they might just do a better job at getting them to ask you questions about Jesus and your faith:

1. What would you say is one of the most significant experiences in your life? (You should know the person before you ask them this.  It really digs into their personal story, and you should really listen to what they have to say.  Good follow up questions include, “Have you ever known someone who said they had an intense religious or spiritual experience?” and “Was it flaky? or did it seem real?”).

2. What has created the most change in your life? (People have lots of things that change their lives, but often we discount those things as Christians by saying crap like “Well if you got some Jesus, that would change your life.”  Of course it would change their life, but if they equate “change in life” with the last time they got divorced or when their grandmother died, your “change” talk could be taken the wrong way.  Additionally, understanding what has changed them in the past may help you understand what Bible stories and experiences might help them to embrace the change of the Holy Spirit.)

3. What did you want to be when you were a kid? (One of the saddest things that happens to people - Christians and non-Christians alike - is that they give up on the identity that God created them to have.  Usually they stick in some idiot “career decision” nonsense into the place that God had carved out for them.  Not believing in God is denying His affect on your identity, your security, and the meaning of your life.  Our childhood dreams often show us some of the identity He gave us to live in relationship to His Son before we’ve had 25 or more years to do violence to that dream.)

4. How do you hope to be remembered? (People b.s. themselves all of the time into think that they’re a “good person” - at least good enough to get into heaven on their own merits.  Usually it doesn’t take long, however, to show how sin is at work in their lives by seeing their image of what a “good person” would leave behind.  If she wants to be a good mom but she’s doinking a different guy at the club every night - it might go to show that there is some help needed.  The important issue to remember here is that we’re not out to make her a good mom, we’re out to make her a Christian.  The nurturing and loving that a good mom needs is found in the person of Jesus, and the better she knows His love, the better she’ll be.)

5. Do you [knit, drink massive quantities of bourbon, love hot sauce, jog, watch TrueBlood, like coffee, hate Starbucks, etc, etc]? (This should probably be the first question you ask if you don’t know the person real well.  Jesus came to save people, not tally marks.  Don’t try to weasel out of the implication there - He came to save people that He loved so much that He died on the cross so that He could talk to them - FOREVER.  You’re an idiot if you think His approach was “only concerned with their salvation.”  It was concerned with their salvation, that was the ultimate concern, but Jesus didn’t want to save people just to save them - otherwise He wouldn’t have bothered with all of those conversations and that whole faith deal.  Get to know someone who doesn’t know Jesus or actively engage His power for eternal life - don’t worry, the right questions will come.)

Image: Conversation by PetrosD at Flickr