building relationships

Our Roadmap Session 1: Why Become a Contagious Christian Lost people matter to God/to us Relational evangelism Session 2: Being Yourself Evangelism Styles Positives (and cautions) of your styles Session 3: Building Relationships Session 4: What’s Your Story? Session 5: What’s God’s Story? Session 6: Crossing the Line Session 7: Putting It Together Session 8: Objection!

Preview Discover how to be more intentional in existing relationships Identify how to build new friendships Discover comfortable ways to start spiritual conversations Write down statements you can use to transition an everyday conversation into a spiritual conversation

Prayer, Community Building Group Leader: The person in your group who laughs the easiest. Lead your group through the following: Everyone acquainted in your group? 2. Talk about a time when you intentionally made a friend. What was the situation? How did it happen?

Building Relationships: Friends and Family People we ALREADY know TRY TO DEEPEN your conversations when you’re together Throw a “MATTHEW PARTY” HAVE FUN first!

Building Relationships: New Friends People we don’t know well, but would LIKE TO KNOW

Four Building Blocks PRAY Build on areas of COMMON GROUND LISTEN Mention spiritual matters EARLY

Three Approaches to start spiritual conversations Direct Approach Indirect Approach Invitational Approach

Direct Approach Usually takes the form of a question or statement Do you ever think about SPIRITUAL QUESTIONS? Where do you think you are on your spiritual JOURNEY?

Video (Lauren and Chelsea) What do you think of the way Lauren started the conversation? Other comments about the approach?

Indirect Approach Uses the topic of an everyday conversation as a BRIDGE to a related spiritual topic

Video, Nate and Paul How did Nate transition the conversation? What did Nate say to continue the conversation in a spiritual direction?

Invitational Approach Transition to a spiritual conversation by inviting your friend to a CHRISTIAN EVENT

Video, Lindsey and Katie How did Lindsey use and invitation to start a spiritual conversation? How did Lindsey continue the conversation? Tips: 1. Offer to pick them up 2. Remind them day before 3. Pay their way 4. Do something before or after event

Activity: Starting Spiritual Conversations Talking with a non-Christian friend, preferably someone from your Impact List: Read each situation Write down a question/statement to move the conversation toward a spiritual topic. Complete as many as possible in the next ____ minutes

Principles for Starting Spiritual Conversations Focus on your friend’s INTERESTS and CONCERNS Be willing to take RISKS Make the most of split-second OPPORTUNITIES

Update your Impact List 1. Write the names of three people with whom you believe God is leading you to build relationships. 2. Identify where each person is on the Readiness Scale: Cynic (hostility) Skeptic (disbelief) Spectator (indifference) Seeker (interest)

Update (and pray for) your Impact List List areas of Common Ground Write down one or two transition statements you might use in a conversation with your friend Determine the next step to take with your friend Relationally Spiritually

Wrap-Up Discovered how to be more intentional in existing relationships Identified how to build new friendships Discovered comfortable ways to start spiritual conversations Wrote down statements for transitioning from everyday conversations into spiritual conversations

Our Roadmap Session 1: Why Become a Contagious Christian Session 2: Being Yourself Session 3: Building Relationships Session 4: What’s Your Story? Session 5: What’s God’s Story? Session 6: Crossing the Line Session 7: Putting It Together Session 8: Objection!

Closing Prayer For the coming week: Review and practice what you’ve learned, asking God for help, guidance, and opportunities Read the Lutheran Witness article(s)