Author info: As a recent graduate with her degree in Cross-Cultural Studies from Toccoa Falls College, Brittney has been on staff with Chi Alpha at American University since Fall 2015 with her husband, Josh. This small-town Georgia native has embraced urban life, and become part of the big city. She has a heart for international students and a passion for exploring new cultures - specifically trying new international foods. In her spare time, Brittney enjoys taking short trips to new places and scouring local thrift stores for a new project. She is passionate about having deep conversations, and about creating home wherever she is. You can connect with her via our AU Chi Alpha Staff Page.
As campus missionaries working at American University, we are continually challenging our students to have deeper and more meaningful conversations. Often our default is to remain in the realm of small talk, surface level interactions become our normal, and in turn we suffer from a deplorable lack of depth in our daily interactions with those around us. There are many reasons that could be pointed out that create this culture of relational complacency, but I believe that we are often battling a simple lack of knowledge. We must realize that as Christians, when we allow ourselves to indulge in relational complacency, we not only penalize ourselves, we miss opportunities to engage others in gospel centered conversations. Simply put, we are missing opportunities to share the love of Jesus with those that we come in contact with on a daily basis!
We often find that students, once engaged and challenged to overcome the anxieties that cause them to disengage initially, are simply unsure of how to ask questions that create a gospel centered conversations. As XA staff we all individually have our go to questions to engage students in deeper conversation, and to help us personally take our relationships to a deeper level with those that we are walking with in discipleship relationships. Whether in conversation with a believer or a non-believer, we believe that there are a few questions that can help anyone to have greater success in creating conversational and relational depth that opens windows for the gospel. It takes a bold step to take a surface level conversation to a deeper level, but we know that the rewards can be great.
We would love to share several of these simple questions with you below:
Questions to ask non-believers or those who you are unsure of their religious background:
“Do you have much of a spiritual background?”
Their follow up questions include:
- “Does your background have any impact on you now?”
- “What people have most shaped your beliefs?”
- “What’s most influenced you to come to your current conclusions?
“What do you think about Jesus?”
Other related questions include:
- “What have you heard about Jesus/ Christianity?”
- “Are you a spiritual person?
- “Have you ever thought about God in your life before?”
Questions to engage believers on a deeper level:
“What are you learning in your time with Jesus this week?”
Other related questions include:
- “What are you learning in your bible reading this week?”
- “Do you have a devotional time? Tell me more about it.”
“How does your Christian faith impact your life on a regular basis?”
Other related questions include:
- “How does your faith effect your work life?”
- “In what ways do you practice your faith regularly?”
- “How big of an impact does your faith have on your relationships?”
We hope that these help you to engage someone within your influence on a deeper level this week!
Published on July 27, 2016 • Short Link: http://bit.ly/2ak2M1n
