Navigating the Four Conversational Sound Barriers

When you travel to another country, one of the greatest challenges you face will likely be the language barrier.

If you cannot read or speak the language of that location, you will struggle to get around, buy food, or even find a bathroom. You will feel lost and overwhelmed. Why is it so frustrating? Because you are facing a major barrier to basic communication.

So before you travel, you memorize some basic words and phrases. That way, when the moment comes, you will have some way to communicate with the people around you. You can just ask, “¿Dónde está el baño?” without embarrassing yourself.

In a similar way, it can be hard to talk to people about Jesus. It can feel like you are facing a language barrier, and you just cannot find the words when the moment comes.

We have discovered four particularly difficult places in a spiritual conversation where most people need a little help. We call them the four sound barriers. These barriers are: Starting a Conversation, Getting Spiritual, Bringing up Jesus, and Asking for a Decision.

We have some simple questions for you to use to help you start a conversation on faith and not get stuck without words to communicate.

Starting a Conversation

Going from no conversation to a conversation is a normal, everyday kind of thing… until it is not. Some conversations just feel impossible to start. Sometimes it helps to just have your first line loaded up and ready to go. It does not need to be fancy. Try some really basic starters:

Hi, I’m _____. Are you new here? I don’t think I’ve seen you around.
Did you see the game/Super Bowl/Olympics/March Madness/World Series/etc. last night? Who did you want to win?
What kind of music are you into?
Do you want to sit with us at lunch? I noticed you have a new schedule.
Hey, I saw your T-shirt. Are you a ______ fan?

Getting Spiritual

Now that you are in a conversation, how do you bring up spiritual things? The easiest way is to just ask a question and listen to the answer.

They may not want to talk about spiritual things, and that is ok. You can always ask their permission, and trust that if they are not comfortable, they will tell you so.

However, it is impossible to know just by looking at someone if they will or will not want to talk about their spiritual life. That’s why you ask them. Try some of these questions:

May I ask about your family’s faith background? Do you believe the same way they do?
Do you ever think about God or want to know more about Him?
Do you go to church (or temple or mosque) anywhere?
If you could ask God one question, what would you ask?
Have you heard of Cru? It is a group of students who get together and talk about how God relates to their lives. Would you be interested in checking it out sometime?

Don't worry about having the right words. Just start the conversation and push through any awkwardness.

Bringing up Jesus

Moving from a spiritual conversation into a conversation about the gospel is a natural transition. You have just talked about spiritual things and now you would like to share your perspective.

There is no need to quiz them to test their Bible knowledge. Instead, you want to be curious if they have unanswered questions about what it means to follow Jesus. Most likely, they will be most interested in hearing your story of faith, rather than hearing all the things you know about God.

From what you know about Jesus, who do you think He was?
Using a scale from 1–10, how sure are you that you will go to heaven when you die?
May I show you a few things that have helped me have a relationship with God?
Jesus has made a big impact on my life. May I tell you about it?
In Cru, we have been learning about how to have a relationship with God. May I tell you what I have learned?

Inviting Someone to Make a Decision for Jesus

Inviting someone to make a decision for Christ can be both the most important question you have ever asked them and a question that is easy to put off. For many of your friends, after a clear presentation of the gospel, it is the most loving question you can ask, as it helps them clarify where they are in their own hearts.

A relationship with Jesus is more than just knowing about Him. We have to choose to follow Him. Can I show you what I mean? (Here, you can draw the two circle diagrams from “Knowing God Personally“)
Have you ever made a decision to ask Jesus into your life? Would you like to do that?
On a scale of 1-10, how interested are you in inviting Jesus into your life?
What is keeping you from inviting Jesus into your life?
Is this something you would like to do right now?

If someone wants to receive Jesus with you, you could lead them through a prayer like this…

“Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”

Reminders for Your Conversations

Take the first step.
Be curious about the other person, show a genuine interest, and be encouraging.
Listen carefully. Care about them as a person and what they have to say.
Ask open-ended questions (those which cannot be answered with “yes/no”).
Don’t worry about having all the right words. Just start the conversation and push through any awkwardness.
Pray for them!

Breaking through these barriers can feel awkward. Hopefully, these questions will give you some basic phrases to help you learn the language of sharing Jesus with others.

Use these, come up with your own, or brainstorm other ideas with a friend. Just keep the conversations moving toward Christ!

Next Step

Go deeper and grow with others by going through our Sound Barrier Series at Thrivestudies.com. It is a four-part small group series designed to help you overcome the barriers to having great conversations about Jesus.

Sound Barrier Series

Evangelism

This article is part of the Evangelism Collection. Read the rest of these articles to get an even better understanding of how to share your faith with students.

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Daniel’s Story

Daniel’s life was a map—Texas to Florida, then back to Texas again. The moves were just moves, until the last one. That’s when things got rocky. That’s when Daniel found himself caught up in a scene he never planned for. Parties. Bad decisions. Nights that blurred into mornings.

One night, driving home from another party, Daniel’s thoughts wandered to a Bible verse – Matthew 16:24-25: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

The words hit him like a weight. Take up your cross. He couldn’t shake it. What was he doing? Where was he going? Right there, on the side of the road, Daniel pulled out his phone and texted his friends, Matthew and Carson: “Hey guys, we need to stop. What are we doing?”

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

The next day, they quit. No more parties. No more empty nights.

But Daniel didn’t stop there. He started talking to others—first his friends, then younger guys heading down the same road he’d just left behind. He wanted to help them before they went too far. And the incredible part? They listened. One conversation turned into another, and then another.

Soon, Daniel found himself leading a group of those same guys—meeting at youth groups, starting Bible studies, sharing verses and stories instead of excuses.

Cru gave him the tools. They showed him how to lead, how to share his testimony, how to handle the logistics so he could focus on the people in front of him. It wasn’t always easy. Not every conversation went smoothly, and not everyone listened. But Daniel stayed at it, because seeing one life change made every hard moment worth it.

It’s not always easy, but seeing lives change makes every challenge worth it.

Last year, there were three of them. Now, there are 17.

Daniel still thinks about that verse from Matthew. Take up your cross. It reminds him that purpose isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up, reaching out, and choosing something better—day after day.

And so Daniel keeps going. Because once you realize what matters, you don’t go back.

You just keep walking forward.

Next Step

Pray and ask God to show you 2-3 areas in your life where you must begin to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him.

Matthew’s Story

Matthew grew up in a small town in South Texas, carrying a lot of frustration about himself. By the time he reached high school, he was really struggling with his self-image, which led to a lot of anger—anger at himself and those around him. He tried to fill the emptiness he felt with family and friends, but nothing seemed to work for long. Eventually, he turned to alcohol and drugs. By the time he was 14, he was drinking heavily, and for the next couple of years, his life felt like one endless cycle of bad habits and broken relationships.

Then, something changed. Matthew had a friend named Daniel who stepped in and encouraged him to take a different path. Daniel told him, ‘Hey man, we need to be better for ourselves, for the people around us, and most importantly, for God.’ Those words struck Matthew deeply. He decided to quit drinking and began working to turn his life around. It wasn’t easy. Not long after, Matthew suffered a knee injury that took away his outlet in sports, and he found himself struggling again. But God had other plans. Matthew ended up attending a Cru getaway—a Christian retreat—that gave him a fresh perspective and renewed sense of purpose. Through that experience, Matthew found clarity, direction, and most importantly, a community of believers who supported him every step of the way.

We need to be better for ourselves, for the people around us, and most importantly, for God.

Now, Matthew is thriving. He’s surrounded by friends who push each other to grow in their faith, and he’s committed to helping others find what he’s found in Christ. When he looks back, Matthew says he barely recognizes the person he used to be. His story shows just how powerful God’s grace can be and how much of a difference a caring friend and the right opportunities can make. If you’re feeling lost, remember Matthew’s story: God can use even the toughest times to draw you closer, ignite your spirit, and lead you into a purpose greater than you ever imagined.

Next Step

Using this testimony worksheet, write out your own story and ask God how you can encourage friends to grow in their faith.

TESTIMONY WORKSHEET

Jaclyn’s Story

Jaclyn struggled with intense anxiety from an early age. As she moved into middle school and high school, she put enormous pressure on herself to succeed in everything she did, feeling like she needed to be the best or she would disappoint herself and those around her. There were many nights when the anxiety was overwhelming—she couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, and felt constantly knotted up inside. Despite knowing about God and attending church occasionally, she felt like a crucial piece was missing from her faith journey. Though she grew up in a Christian household, attending church wasn’t a consistent part of her family’s routine due to busy weekends filled with sports and activities. Without a regular church community, Jaclyn found herself lacking the kind of support system she needed, though she always had the love of her family around her.

In her sophomore year, Jaclyn came across Cru during a lunch period at school. Drawn by the warmth and genuine kindness of the people she met at their table, she decided to get involved. She joined a girls’ Bible study led by a volunteer named Hunter, meeting every week to learn and share. For Jaclyn, this Bible study quickly became the highlight of her week. It offered her a sense of community she had always been looking for, and she grew close to Hunter and the other girls. In March 2022, Hunter asked the group a question that stuck with Jaclyn: “If you were to die today, are you sure you would go to heaven?” This question made Jaclyn realize that she hadn’t fully surrendered her life to God. A few days later, a conversation with her dad, who shared his own testimony of coming to faith, seemed like the final nudge. It was as though God was speaking directly to her through repeated messages, urging her to make her faith her own. She decided to fully surrender, and immediately found a new sense of peace and joy, replacing the anxiety that had weighed her down for so long.

“If you were to die today, are you sure you would go to heaven?”

Since then, Cru has continued to be a powerful influence in Jaclyn’s life. It has provided her with mentors, resources, and the confidence to step out in her faith. She learned how to share her testimony, something that once felt uncomfortable, but now she sees as a way to plant seeds in others’ hearts. Jaclyn has grown in boldness, leading Bible studies and sharing her story with others, trusting that God will use her words, whether or not there is immediate visible change. Through Cru, she found the community she longed for, and it has helped her find the courage to live out her faith openly and impactfully.

Next Step

Using this testimony worksheet, write out your own story and ask God for an opportunity to share it.

TESTIMONY WORKSHEET

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