Ron Hutchcraft Ministries - What Kind of Bridges Are You Building?

I don't know about you, but for the most part, people who are far from God aren't coming up to me on a regular basis asking for spiritual guidance to fix their very complex and often broken lives. How cool would it be for someone to come up to you today and say, "Excuse me, I have about three hours of free time this afternoon, and I was wondering if you could show me from the Bible how I could know God personally and how He can help me get through another day?"

Reality says that it will likely never happen. So where does that leave us when it comes to reaching people with the message of Jesus - with those who show no desire for spiritual things? While most attempts to "bring up Jesus" to people who aren't asking about Him, end up pushing them away from the message they so desperately need to hear, I want to offer a few simple suggestions that, when carried out, have proven to become natural bridges into spiritual conversations.

First, be determined to learn how to love lost people in their language, in ways that are felt and meaningful. Since they aren't coming to us, we've got to find ways to get into their lives. And the question to ask is, "What need does this person have in his or her life that I can help meet?" You might have a neighbor who needs help roofing their house, or a friend who needs meals brought to them after surgery or an illness. Maybe there's a married couple who could use a special date night out and you can volunteer to help watch their kids for the evening. It may be as simple as having someone into your home for a nice meal when you find out that they have had a stressful week.

Opportunities are endless when it comes to ways to help others, but here are a few more quick starting points. Be there for them in the bad times. Just this past weekend I was able to lead a family member to Christ who was in the hospital after being diagnosed with a mild heart attack. God opened up their heart to the Gospel through this circumstance, and I was privileged to be there by his side when he was ready to put his trust in Jesus. Also, be there during the good times. Find creative ways to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, etc. with the people you care about and influence. Encouraging cards with a simple Scripture in them can go a long way in providing open doors into spiritual conversations with people later on down the road.

Pray with people when they have a need. Notice I said pray "with" people, don't just offer to pray "for" them and walk away. I've had many opportunities to pray with people in need and I have never had anyone say, "Please don't pray for me." When you pray with people about a need they have, pray for that person out loud by name. This way, you get to live out your relationship with Jesus in front of them, and it may be the first time they have ever heard their name mentioned in a prayer. Keep the prayer short, non-religious sounding (leave out the "Oh mighty, omnipotent God of the universe" stuff), and keep it to the point.

Ask Jesus to help you recognize natural opportunities that come along as a result of your attempts to build relationships with people who are far from God, and then allow God to use you however He pleases as you seek to be a link in the chain of that person's spiritual journey.