4 Tips for Being a Spiritual Builder

Keith Davy with Evangeline Vergo

1) Ask someone who recently became a Christian how God overcame their spiritual objections. Listen specifically for how God used friends and family in that person's life.

2) Look at the list of 3 people you wrote down in part 1. Ask at least one person on the list, "What is stopping you from accepting Christ?" Pray for God to remove that person's obstacle each day this week.

3) Read Acts 17:16-34 and think through the following questions:

What were the Athenians' obstacles? (verses 16-21)
Where did Paul begin? (verses 22, 23)
Where did Paul end? (verse 31)
How did he connect the two? (verses 24-30)
What was the result? (verses 32-34)

The key principle: An effective builder begins where the person is at, ends with Jesus and connects the two effectively.

4) Find a Christian friend to role-play with again. Together, brainstorm at least 4 common spiritual obstacles. Then take turns being the person who is spiritually stuck and the person who is using gentle persuasion to help. Use these three steps in each conversation:

Step 1:

Seek to understand the issue and why it is important. Good questions will help you, such as, "What is it that keeps you from considering Christ?"

Step 2:

Let the person know you understand the issue. Express your understanding so she knows you have heard her. "What I hear you saying is…"

Step 3:

Affirm the significance of the issue. He needs to know you consider the issue significant as well. "I see what you mean. I don't want to minimize what you're saying, but can I share something that has helped me?"

When you affirm a genuine understanding of an issue it brings you beside the person, rather than against them, as in a debate. It places you in position to help them overcome the obstacle, if they are willing.

Honor Restored

In honor-shame cultures the main existential problem is shame: this is where the need for the gospel is most keenly felt, and where the good news of the gospel is experienced as truly good news. While many gospel tracts focus on a person’s guilt before a righteous God, this one centers on our shame before a holy God.