C – Create an Interest

Last week I mentioned that Richard and Tina invited us over to their house for a seafood feast.  We ate a lot of seafood in Oregon, where I grew up, but the Balmain Bug was something totally new to me.

While the women were in the kitchen boiling the bugs, Richard and I were alone the living room.  I recognized that once the food was cooked our total attention will be on the seafood.  So here is my one chance to see if the conversation will move to C (Create an Interest in the Gospel).

I start off by asking Richard what his plans are for the year.  Then his five year plan and his ten year plan.

He has each of those nailed.  He and Tina are a young couple and they have definately  thought things through.

Then i ask him what his thousand year plan is.  This startles him.

“You know Richard, you are going to be dead a lot longer than you are alive, so what is your thousand year plan?”

Then I shared my thousand year plan, and asked if he would like to meet with me a couple times over lunch to go through something called “Christianity Explained”.

Before I could get an answer, the food came out.  Later in the week I called Richard to get his answer.  It was a very positive, “yes”.

================================

Around Easter I often create an interest by asking people, “Have you read the Easter Story lately?”

They usually say “no”.

Then I ask it I can draw a few pictures to point out the highlights.

I am not much of an artist and I think that works to my advantage.  I make a tic-tac-toe board and then begin to fill it in while we talk.

I like this approach because it keeps us talking back and forth.  Here is how I do it.

There are lots of ways to create an interest in the Gospel:

• Alan likes to ask people “Have you had much to do with Christian things?” and then followup with “And what did you think about it?”
• After Paul has listened to a person share how they are going, he will often say, “That reminds me of a story from the Bible.  Can I share it with you?”
• Earl takes a much more direct approach: “Have you heard ot the Four Spiritual Laws?  Can I share it with you?”

What have you found effective? How do you Create an Interest in the Gospel without being weird?

Let me know and I will share it with others next week.

Let’s pray:

“Lord Jesus, I can think of nothing more interesting than you and what you have done for us.  Give me creative ideas on how I can share my excitement with others, so that they too will glorify you and accept your offer of forgiveness and eternal life.  Thank you for your Holy Spirit who will bring ideas to mind and give me the boldness and sensitivity that I need.  Amen.

Next week we move to the street evangelists’ favorite letter.  See you then.