When we think about sharing our faith with the people around us, we tend to focus on our monologue. What will we say? How will we frame the gospel message meaningfully and accurately? How will we respond to their questions?
These are essential questions to consider, but what if it’s not the best starting point? What if our ability to share the gospel could be improved by prioritizing the asking of thoughtful questions? Is it possible that our ability to tell others about Jesus could be enhanced by genuinely understanding others?
Here are four reasons that asking good questions is an underrated key to sharing your faith.
1. Questions help you understand others
When you read the gospels, you notice that everyone comes to Jesus out of a particular need or interest. Some people come to Him for healing, and others come to Him with questions. But the healings and needs are unique to the individual.
People still come to Jesus with distinct needs. So it’s not always helpful to come at them with a universal approach that doesn’t consider their personal circumstances and desires. The better you understand someone and where they’re at, the easier it is to tailor your approach to their own hurts, questions and life experience.
Taking time to understand where someone is coming from can inform how you approach them and help the message have more of an impact.
2. Questions demonstrate a genuine interest
Sometimes we end up sharing our faith in a really impersonal way. And it can be a little off-putting to others when they feel like we’re trying to sell them something. Obviously, we’re sharing the gospel with them because we care about them, but it can be a lot more meaningful when we can demonstrate that we care.
Questions demonstrate curiosity. Curiosity demonstrates interest. When we’re curious about someone else’s story, we’re conveying that we care and their experiences are important. It helps them feel like we see them as valuable, and this is important. A message about Jesus’ love should be presented by people who show a legitimate interest in others.
3. Questions can provide a natural entry point for sharing faith
Finding the right transition is one of the hardest things about sharing the gospel with someone one-on-one. Jumping into “let me tell you what I believe” territory can feel awkward for you and them.
The better we get at really listening to others and connecting to their fears, desires and unresolved questions, the easier it becomes to share the gospel naturally. We no longer need to manufacture transitions into the faith discussion. Sharing becomes an instinctive expression of our love and concern for them. And when they can see the connection between their story and Jesus’ sacrifice, the conversation feels much more natural.
4. Questions make us better prayer partners and servants
Prayer is a critical element of sharing the gospel. We don’t just talk to others about God but look for opportunities to demonstrate our love and concern by talking to God about them, too. The better we get to know others, the better we understand how to pray for them.
We also have a better idea of ways that we can serve them. When we take the time to pray and care for others, we show them that they matter. And when people sense that we actually care enough to get involved in their lives, they’re much more open to hearing what we have to say about Jesus.
Keeping it all in perspective
When you get down to it, asking questions is about wanting to understand others. It’s not just a technique to get others to listen to you. At its heart, it’s about loving others enough to listen to them, and we can’t fake that. We need to be curious about the people around us and develop an interest in understanding where they’re coming from. When we do that, they’ll be more apt to be curious about us, too.
Download the Jesus Film Project app
If you’re looking for a helpful tool for sharing your faith, check out the Jesus Film Project® app. It offers scores of full-length feature and short films that help communicate the beauty and importance of the gospel—including the JESUS film, which is available in a record number of languages. And they’re all free to watch and share.One reviewer called it “the best world evangelism app.” Download the Jesus Film Project app for Android or Apple now!
