How can you prepare to start spiritual conversations?

By Susan Freese

Maybe you’ve thought, where do I even start? I want to share Jesus in my conversations but I don’t know how to begin.

Or maybe you’ve let fear hold you back. Perhaps you’re afraid of sounding inauthentic or you just don’t know what to say.

Starting spiritual conversations does not need to be complicated or intimidating.

You don’t need a fancy formula or a step-by-step handbook.

These four steps will help you prepare to share and deepen your relationship with Jesus at the same time.

Prepare yourself to start spiritual conversations:

1) Pray

It is hard to do anything of spiritual significance for someone else before praying for them. Ask God who in your life He wants you to reach.

You can pray:

Lord, who in my life is far from you? Lord, who in my community is searching for you?

Lord, when do I share?

Lord, how do I share?

Lord, connect me with them.

Through growing your prayer life–your dependence on God, your life changes and authentic spiritual conversations will flow from your desire for others to know Jesus as you do.

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Colossians 4:2-6 NIV

2) Power

From the moment you receive Jesus as Savior (Forgiver) and follow Him as Lord (life Leader), the Holy Spirit works in you and through you. He becomes your “missions director” to give you the hope to which God has called you and the power to proclaim His love to others (Eph. 1:18-19).

You are made new and unleashed as God’s ambassador at very the same time (2 Cor. 5:17-21). When you obey God’s prompt to share, the Holy Spirit will be there to do the rest.

The Holy Spirit will even give you the words to say.

“for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”
Luke 12:12 NIV

3) Personal Relationship with Jesus

When you have a daily, life-giving relationship with Jesus, you are motivated to share Him with others. Not because you have to share, but because you get to share God’s grace and love. Whether or not you share, Jesus loves you.

Through deepening your friendship daily with Jesus, you trust that He is the One responsible for everything in your life. “Everything” includes those people He places in your path. But sometimes loving the person God puts in front of us is difficult. We need to abide in Christ to allow God’s love to flow through us.

If you would like to learn to abide in Christ, our 50-day journey through Your True Story teaches you how to abide in Christ, how to fulfill your purpose, and how to live each day together with God.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 NIV

4) Proclamation

It’s easier to start spiritual conversations when you’ve considered God’s grace and His work in your life (your testimony). Prepare to give an answer for why you live your life for Jesus, and share the impact on your life as a result of following Him.

Learn how to give your testimony in 15-seconds by visiting our article, Master How to Share Your Testimony in 15 Seconds. Practice, practice, practice.

Once you get comfortable sharing Jesus in a couple of quick sentences, you can move toward starting more spiritual conversations with others. It gets easier each time you share.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”
1 Peter 3:15 NIV

Watch this short video to learn even more about each of these steps and several easy ways to approach preparing to start spiritual conversations . . .

Download and use the Listen, Learn, Love, Lord Tool from our free printable resource page to help you prepare to share.

Be intentional in your relationships to start spiritual conversations. Build relationships, pray for their hearts to be open to the gospel, trust God’s timing, and learn to watch for the opportunities He will provide opportunities to start spiritual conversations.

Remember these simple steps:

Pray
Power
Personal Relationship with Jesus
Proclamation

By focusing on these four steps, starting spiritual conversations will begin to flow authentically from you as you share your life experience with others and invite them to know Jesus as you do.

Next learn how to use everyday objects to point others to Jesus—read and download The Spiritual Conversation Starter Guide.