The On-Ramp for Spiritual Conversations

The other day after playing hockey at lunch, a discussion broke out about what I “really” do.

I’ve been playing ball hockey with these guys a couple times a week for years now—they know I’m a pastor and that I consult with churches—but something about our conversation on this particular day made them ask, “What do you really do?

So I gave them the straight up answer: I work for a ministry that empowers the church as well as individuals to have meaningful spiritual conversations with those who may believe differently than they do.

They were puzzled and said, “Like how?”

I answered their question with another question, asking this: “What kind of involvement have any of you had with the church?”

And they were off and running.
Right there.
In the locker room.
We had a lively discussion.

Now that’s what I call locker room talk!
One guy said he gave up on church long ago—it was way too boring. He talked for quite awhile.

Another said his mother was a Jehovah’s Witness and he was raised that way, but has nothing to do with it now. He continued describing his own impressions and feelings about the “faith” he’d grown up with.

My other buddy said he had no memory of ever having been to a church.

I sat, marveling. There they were—all sharing, all listening to one another.

And all I had done was asked one simple question.
Isn’t that interesting? Just one question allowed me to facilitate a 20-minute conversation.

As followers of Jesus, we may all understand that it’s important to make new disciples, but have you ever found yourself asking how it’s even possible to get into the kinds of conversations that bring people to Jesus?

Let us help you.
Q Place’s free Spiritual Conversations Assessment will help you discover a benchmark for where your possibilities lie, give you concrete ideas of how to proceed, and provide a way to look back to see how much you’ve grown in the following three areas :

• Heart – What do you believe about being a disciple and making new disciples?
• Skills  – There are many activities that work together to stir up conversations about God with those who believe differently. How are you doing with those?
• Readiness – What is your current level of readiness? Are you able to facilitate a discussion about God as revealed in the Bible?

Spiritual conversations continue.
I look forward to seeing these guys every Tuesday and Thursday. But I look forward to our time together for more than exercise and camaraderie. I know that every conversation holds with it the promise for a spiritual conversation, an opportunity to listen, and perhaps the chance to share yet another facet of the Good News.

_____________________

Jeff Klein loves hockey and talking about Jesus.
He’s also Q Place’s National Church Partnership Director
and co-host of Q Place’s radio ministry, Walk the Way.