When doing personal evangelism, there are several possible ways to turn the conversation to spiritual things. Note that there is no simple and all around comfortable way to talk about God, Jesus, and the Bible. People know deep down that God exists and that they are deserving of God’s wrath (Romans 1:18-20, 32), so talking about Jesus is not going to be like talking sports. But, whether you are speaking with an old friend or a total stranger, the following questions might help transition the conversation to the gospel:
Do you have a religious preference or persuasion? This is very unthreatening and open-ended, which is good when speaking with new acquaintances.
Have you ever thought seriously about spiritual things? This is a great question because it is open-ended which allows for a lot of information to be shared which helps in coming up with follow-up questions.
Do you go to church?
Do you know what Christianity is all about?
Have you seen The Passion of the Christ? What do you think about the Da Vinci Code? Talking about current religious events in the media works well.
Have you ever read the Bible? Why or why not? This is a good one for getting to know where unsaved friends or relatives stand spiritually.
Here is a gospel tract. Do you know what a gospel tract is? When opportunities to give out tracts arise, this can be an effective conversation starter. Many of the younger generation don’t know what the gospel is, and some have never seen a tract before.
Have you ever thought about life after death?
If you died tonight and stood before God and He asked you why He should let you into heaven, what would you tell Him? (from Evangelism Explosion)
Are you sure you are going to heaven when you die? This is important because many devoutly religious people don't know for sure because their religion doesn't offer them certainty.
Did you know that Christianity is different from all other world religions? This question works as a lead-in to explaining that only Christianity is founded upon faith rather than works to make a man righteous.
Have you ever come to a place of repenting from all of your sins and trusting in what Jesus did on the cross to save you? Sometimes, as with a dear relative or long-time friend, a pointed question like this is needed.
The Good News