“Evangelism is a conversation between two people who are nervous,” acknowledged pastor and former seminary professor Matt Queen to a room of quiet laughter. Queen recently spent an hour helping a roomful of New Mexico Baptists explore how they could approach the gospel in everyday encounters and conversations of life.
Using the quote from an unknown author, Queen spoke during a breakout session at the 2024 New Mexico Evangelism Conference. Queen, a former evangelism professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and the new pastor of Friendly Avenue Baptist Church, Greensboro, North Carolina.
Queen arranged his session around three questions:
- What is the main thing standing between you and getting the gospel into your conversation?
- What is an opportunity to share the gospel?
- What are some specific ways you can get the gospel in your conversations?
Common hinderances
Queen addressed some common hindrances to talking about the gospel. Some common hindrances include rejection, lack of confidence and feeling untrained.
Acknowledging those issues, he asked during the Feb. 26–27 event, “Are you willing to be obedient?”
“Disobedience gets in the way of getting to the gospel,” he explained. Obedience, he said, was the first critical issue to consider. Second, Queen asked, “Do you want to share the gospel?” “Getting to the gospel in our conversations has a lot more to do with ‘want to’ than [with] ‘how to,’” he said. “We can [always] talk about the things we want to talk about.”
Queen illustrated his point by asking how many people like to talk about sports. He acknowledged the many raised hands with a question. He asked, “Did you get training for that?” “No,” he said. “You just want to talk about it, so you do it.” He said the same thing should happen with getting the gospel into our conversations.
Opportunity
Addressing the second main question, “What is an opportunity to share the gospel?” Queen asked the group, “How many [of you], if given the opportunity [to share the gospel], would take it? Most people in the room raised their hands. Opportunities to share the gospel are “a lot more common and conspicuous than we think,” he noted.
Queen described and illustrated the following opportunities from his own life and experiences.
- Extended time with another person.
- When someone visits your home or workplace.
- When you experience an interruption in your day.
- An inner impression to share the gospel with a person.
- Interacting with someone wearing a cross.
- Interacting with someone who has tattoos.
- When you are using public transportation.
- When you see an isolated person thinking intently.
- Praying before a meal in public.
- Engaging with a person who needs help or assistance.
- Participating in a church evangelistic event.
Starting spiritual conversations
Queen noted that starting spiritual conversations is typically easier than turning conversations spiritual.
The key question was, “What are some specific ways you can get the gospel into your conversations.” Queen listed ways to begin a spiritual conversation directly rather than start with a non-gospel conversation and shift its focus. To illustrate, he conducted a role play with a random attendee, engaging him in conversation, then awkwardly switching to spiritual things. He offered the following spiritual conversation starters.
- Make a comparison (e.g., a postal worker delivering mail, “I have a message to deliver to you.”).
- Ask a reverse question when you already know their answer (example: “What do you think happens to people when they die?” Then, tell them what you know.).
- Ask a leading question and keep asking them questions until they return and ask you a question. Once they ask you a question, use it to start a gospel conversation.
- Identify a need in their life.
- Use a holiday to start a conversation (examples: Christmas and Easter).
- Use a catchphrase (examples: “Has anyone taken the time to tell you God loves you?” or “Have you heard any good news today?”).
- Use a prop or a tract (example: bracelet with colored beads, a gospel tract like Steps to Peace with God or others).
Be sincere
Queen encouraged people to avoid gimmicky approaches and to be sincere. But, he reminded the group, “The best way to do evangelism is the way you actually do it.”
Audio recordings of all breakout sessions and keynote sermons delivered during the NMEC are available at listen.bcnm.com.
Queen’s breakout session is also available directly from him in video, PowerPoint and a listening guide. Interested individuals can request those materials from him by contacting him at docmbq@gmail.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Kevin Parker and originally published by the Baptist New Mexican.
