THE HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRY OF CRU

Main Menu

Turning the Conversation to Christ

Twitter
Facebook
Email

How often have you felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit to share the gospel with someone you know but you think, “I just don’t know how to bring it up.”  One thing that helps is having some questions ready for the situations you encounter.  Being prepared can actually help you be more relaxed and able to listen to the other person rather than worrying about what you are going to say next.

In the book of I Peter, the people were afraid for their lives because they were being persecuted for their faith. In I Peter 3:14-15, Peter challenges them to “not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence…”.  So the Lord tells us in His Word to be prepared to share His message.  Of course, the best preparation is to be prayerful for opportunities.

AFTER AN OUTREACH EVENT

There are some questions you could ask students immediately after the speaker shares a message at an outreach.  Whether the speaker shares the gospel or not, you could ask these questions to gain some understanding of what the person is thinking about God and a relationship with Him.

FOUR QUESTIONS:

  • What did you think of the speaker/concert/message?
  • Did it make sense to you?
  • Have you ever heard how you could know God in a personal way?
  • Would you like to hear how you can begin a relationship with Him?

Obviously, there may be other questions you ask in between each of these questions to help bring more clarity.  Memorize these questions so you have them “in your back pocket” to use easily.   After you ask these questions, use a tool like “Connecting with God ” to share the gospel with the student (s).

DURING A CASUAL CONVERSATION

There will be many opportunities to share Jesus with students just simply from having a conversation with them.  As you talk to them, prayerfully look for some common ground or a need in their lives where you could bring up the importance of having a relationship with God.

Just by going on campus, I met Sarah at a Coke machine.  She and her friend were friendly as I chit chatted with them for a few minutes.  As I walked away, I prayed for Sarah and Bethany.  Over the next few weeks I would run into Sarah after school in the hallway or at athletic events.  I would say “Hi” and catch up with her.  After a few times of meeting her, I said “Hey, Sarah, you know I work with Cru High School.  I would really like to share with you more of what Student Venture is all about.  Would you be interested in meeting with me for coffee and maybe bringing Bethany or another friend with you and we could talk more?”  She agreed and we met. (see Follow up article for some guidelines on how to set up an appointment with a student).  As we sat in a coffee shop, I asked the girls these questions:

“If you have ever taken a psychology class or read a Seventeen magazine, you know that a person is made up of several dimensions.  We have the physical, emotional and the spiritual.  (I drew a triangle showing the three parts).  Many times we neglect the spiritual side. By that I mean a relationship with God.  Do you ever think about God?  What do you believe about Him? (I let them respond).  Can I share with you what the Bible says about a relationship with God and how we can begin a relationship with Him?” 

The girls said yes.  They still had a lot of questions as I read through the “Connecting with God” booklet with them because they had never heard the gospel before.  So I asked them to meet for four more weeks where we could go over the questions they had.

WHEN STUDENTS SHARE NEEDS OF INTERESTS IN THEIR LIVES

You can begin to share with them about the Lord by asking questions like:

  • I deal with that a lot myself. Can I tell you how I have been able to handle that situation?  I have learned to depend on God.
  • (When someone expresses insecurities) You are really valuable.  No matter what anyone thinks of you, God thinks you are so valuable.  Can I share with you what He says about you and how much He loves you from the Bible?
  • (When someone expresses hurts) Can I share with you where I have found hope (for life)?
  • Do you feel satisfied?  It may feel like these things are satisfying, but I know of something that will meet the deepest needs and longings of your heart.

From there you could transition to sharing the gospel with questions like these:

  • Would you like to know God in a real and personal way?
  • Can I share with you something that has changed my life? (Share your 3 minute testimony)
  • What do you believe about God? Can I share with you what the Bible says about God and how to know Him?
  • Do you ever think about God or spiritual things?
  • What do you think it means to be a Christian?
  • Would you mind if I shared with you what I’ve learned about knowing God personally?

HELPING A PERSON EXAMINE THEIR PERSONAL BELIEFS ABOUT GOD

We can ask them the following questions that were created by the founder of the organization “Evangelism Explosion” to help someone determine where his/her stand.

  • If you were to die tonight how certain are you that you would go to heaven?  (on a scale of 1 to 100%)?
  • If God asked you “Why should I let you into heaven? What would you say?”Or you could ask, “What makes you ___% sure?” and  “On what basis do you think you will go to heaven?”

I have used these questions many times and people are very willing to answer them.  From here I simply ask, “Can I share with you what the Bible says about how you can be 100% sure you will go to heaven?”  If they agree, then I go through the gospel with them, often using “Connecting with God.”

Finally, just ask the Lord to show you which questions to use in which environment.  Choose the questions you feel most confident using and even reword them to fit your style.  As we pray for opportunities, step out in faith taking the initiative to care about students and to share the gospel, God will open doors and we will see students know the Lord.  He promises to bear much fruit through us as we depend on Him.  (John 15).  Heaven will be so exciting as we see all those who trusted Christ as He worked through us.

You May Also Enjoy These Articles

What they’re saying about Cru

How to Lead a Small Group

So you want to lead a small group Bible study? But you’re wondering, “What do I do? What will I teach? Will the group even listen to me? Can I really do this?” Sure you can! Here are some thoughts that will help begin your small group.

Some Thoughts on Leading Small Groups

1. Teach the basics.

It’s a blast to help new Christians grow in a close-knit setting. Make sure to teach the basics of the Christian life and give training in basic ministry skills. The best part of all is helping the group develop a heart for reaching others for Christ.

2. Realize your impact is far-reaching.

Small group studies are a big part of a growing campus outreach. Your campus will benefit big time from your small group. Know that you will be helping to reach the entire school through the training of your group. Your students’ hearts will also begin to desire to help fulfill the Great Commission. By leading a group, you will offer important accountability and intimacy that the students want. Your study will also provide a non-threatening place to discover truth. They’ll love digging into the Word and seeing how it applies to their lives. The best part is seeing the students begin to lead others because of the impact you make in their lives.

3. Interact and give assignments.

Jesus showed us an example of small groups through his relationship with His 12 disciples. He interacted with them and gave them assignments. Paul even learned from Jesus’ example. Paul explained:

  • “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom . . .” (Colossians 3:16).
  • “The things that you heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). (This is an example of discipling group members to multiply spiritually.)

4. Evaluate the needs.

Think through these important things before you begin your small group Bible study. Begin evaluating the needs of each person in the group. Based on their needs, you will decide on the study’s content and begin to plan your lessons. Then make arrangements for your first meeting. As you get to know the people in your group, you’ll find out more needs and topics you can cover. After some time of leading the group, evaluate your progress and how the students are doing.

5. Reach out to new students.

What! You don’t have any students to lead yet? That’s okay. It’s fun to reach out to new students. Consider doing your own outreach to gather students.

6. Identify and respond to specific needs.

These students have needs (boys, girls, school, dating, parents), but you won’t know them automatically. Talk with them individually. Ask questions and make a list. Note things that will accelerate their personal spiritual growth. Maybe you’ve noticed that a certain student struggles with guilt. Bingo! Do a study on forgiveness for this student. Another student in the group is a brand new Christian; she knows nothing except that she loves Jesus. You will need to focus on the basic foundations of the Christian faith for this student.

7. Split into two groups if necessary.

As you spend time with the students, you may find they are at different maturity levels. Because of this, you might want to split into two different groups. However, the relationships within the group may be more important; in this case keep them together.

8. Find appropriate materials for your study.

Once you’ve figured out the students’ needs, find material that relates to their maturity level. It will be helpful to find material that is already written. This will save you time. Another benefit to using pre-written material is that the students can use the same material in the future for leading their own studies.

9. Plan out a location and meeting specifics.

Pick a good time and place to meet. The home of one of the students is often good, especially if that student is a leader. Let students know how long the Bible study will last. People have busy schedules, and this makes their week’s planning go a little smoother. Call them in the middle of the week to remind them of the meeting. Parents will appreciate being informed also.

10. Include key components as you schedule out your study.

A schedule of your typical study should look a little like this: Spend about 15 minutes letting the students share and interact with each other, maybe over some refreshments. After pulling the group together, open the time in prayer, and spend the next 30 minutes in Bible study. You will catch the group’s attention by starting off with a creative activity. Give the students an application at the end of the study and then spend the next 10 minutes in conversational prayer.

11. Be flexible.

Keep in mind that as you discuss the lesson with the students, things don’t always go as planned. Be flexible and help point them back to the central truth of the study.

12. Create an environment of acceptance.

During your meeting, you want to create an environment where the students will know they are accepted and that the lesson applies to specific areas of their lives. Do this by encouraging good questions, being enthusiastic, and making sure you are familiar with the material.

13. Be real.

Allow the students to get to know you as a real person. This is where they will be able to see Christ in you.

14. Build relationships with others in the group.

  • Some ideas for building relationships between you and your group are:
  • Be an encourager. Think the best of others.
  • Show special kindness. Learn to be a giver of your time and your possessions.
  • Find out what their interests are and do the things they want to do. Put them before yourself.
  • Go places together. If you are planning any kind of activity (shopping, recreation, doing some work for someone) invite one of the group members to go along.
  • Call them. Let them know you are thinking about them.
  • Exercise or work out together.
  • Study together – both schoolwork and Bible study!
  • Eat together. Going out to eat is a great time to have fellowship and talk.
  • Attend Christian activities together. Select gatherings that will be helpful for their growth.
  • Write or e-mail them. Let them know how you are doing and that you are thinking of them.
  • Share personally what God is teaching you. Don’t be afraid to share some of your own needs.

15. Take them with you on evangelistic appointments.

You will be an encouragement and teach them more than you could in a Bible study by letting them see you live out your life. They will develop a heart for telling others about Christ too!

16. Get your students involved in a church.

Many of the students you work with may not attend a church, or go to one that is not teaching God’s Word. Depending on their situation, you will want to get students involved in a church that will nurture their faith. Be sensitive to parents. Make sure you communicate with the parents first before taking them to your church. If it is a family tradition to attend church together, encourage the student to be a missionary to those in the church who don’t know Christ.

17. Debrief after each study.

After each Bible study, take time to determine the effectiveness of your time together. Make a few notes on things that could have been done differently. Ask yourself, “What specific needs came up? Which students need to be drawn out at the next meeting? How effective were the learning activities? What did and didn’t work well? Did they retain the main point of the lesson? Did they leave the Bible study wanting to know God and His word?”

18. Pray for and evaluate each student.

Pray specifically for each student. Ask God to help them understand and apply the lesson. As time goes by and the students begin to grow, observe and evaluate their personal progress in three areas:

  • Do they have a growing dependence upon, and love for Christ?
  • Are they growing in love for one another?
  • Do they have an increasing compassion and concern for a lost world?

Got Questions?

You’ve got some more questions, don’t you?

Q: What do I do if a student asks a question I can’t answer?

A: Don’t be afraid of students asking questions. Encourage it. Don’t fake an answer. Refer the question to the whole group and see what kind of responses follow. Explain that you don’t know the answer, but would be more than happy to find the answer for the next meeting.

Q: What do I do if the students want to study a topic that isn’t found in basic disciple-ship materials (i.e. Revelation, cults, etc.)?

A: Keep in mind that the overall purpose of discipleship is to “present every man mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). Students need to first know the basic truths of their faith. But don’t discourage their interest in other issues. Sometimes short studies on different topics would be good.

Q: How do I handle a student who tends to dominate the discussion, or a student who never says anything?

A: Talk with the student privately. Tell them how much you appreciate their interest and enthusiasm. Explain how important it is for everyone to have a chance to share. With really quiet students, it helps to understand why they aren’t involved. They may feel uncomfortable about giving their comments. Get them involved by asking them specific simple questions.

Q: Some of the students seem to be losing interest in the group. What can I do?

A: Here are a few questions to ask yourself. First, are you “scratching where they itch?” Take some time to honestly ask students about what’s happening in their lives. As you receive their responses, make appropriate adjustments. Typically, students respond to loving, directive, serving leadership. Second, have you communicated the vision and purpose for the group? Perhaps they need to hear again from you why you’re giving your time to lead the group.