The Spiritual Conversation Anyone Can Have

I talk to a lot of sincere Christians. This kind of conversation often comes up as we talk about disciple-making. “I want to make disciples of more people, but I don’t know how to start the conversation or begin. It always feelsa bitawkward.”

I hear this more thanalmost anythingelse — frommature Christiansin the US and Canada and from leaders in diaspora communities in Europe who are working with newly arrived neighbors. The starting point feels like a barrier.

It doesn’t have to be.

Starting a Conversation Is Simpler Than You Think

Theevangelisticconversation thatspreads naturally and reproduces through anyone is not a formal canned speech. It is not a theological interrogation or a carefully structured argument. It is a genuine question asked with genuine interest: “Would you want to explore what the Bible says about this together?”

That’s it. The first step is building curiosity, not converting someone.

What follows is equally simple. You find a story in Scripture — one that connects to something the person is already thinking about or experiencing. You read it together. You ask the standard questions: What does this say about God? What does this say about people? What do we need to obey? Who can you share this with? And then you listen.

The conversation does the work. You don’t have to have all the answers. Youdon’thave to be a theologian. You justhave tobe one step ahead and genuinely curious about what God might say to this person through His Word.

Who Can Have This Conversation

This is where I want to push back on a quiet assumption that keeps a lot of people from starting. Spiritualconversations arenot reserved for the pastor, the trained worker, or even for the person who has been a believer for twenty years.

A brand-new believer in Thailand who had been following Jesus for three weeks led her first DBS group before she could answer most theological questions. Shedidn’tneed to answer them. She needed to ask the right ones. And she did.

I see the same thing in diaspora communities across Europe and North America — first-generation immigrants who have come to faith and immediately begin having this kind of conversation with family members, neighbors, people from their home country who are now in the same city. They are not waiting until theyare morequalified. They are having spiritual conversations with what they have.

The One Thing That Makes It Work

There is one thing that makes this conversation reproducible: you build the expectation ofsharing intoit from the beginning. Before you close, you ask, “Do you know anyone else who might be interested in knowing about this? Could you share what we just discussed with them?” Not someday. This week.

Thosequestionsarewhat turnsa good conversation into a multiplying one. Without it, the discipleship stays between two people. With it, it starts to move.

These kinds of spiritual conversations are available to you. Right now, with the people already in front of you. You do not need a better setting or a more prepared moment. You need a genuine question and a willingness to listen to what God does next.

I was talking to someoneI’mmentoring the other day. She told me about a colleague who had expressed interest in Christian music. Perfect opportunity to ask these questions and see ifshe’dlike to read the Bible together with her. This work friend has some kind of faith but has never been discipled to make disciples.I believe that will soon change!

That question — “Who are you going to share this with?” — is one of many things we explore together in the Dare to Multiply community. Come join the conversation atmultipliersmindset.com/dtmmembership.

Something to Think About and Discuss:

• What has felt like a barrier to starting spiritual conversations in your context? Does this article shift that at all?

• What resonated with you most?

• Who is one person already in your life you could have this kind of conversation with this week — and what passage or Bible story might you start with?

Share in the comments below or on our Dare to Multiply community.