A longtime work friend of my husband’s recently visited us. He’s a Christian who is zealous about proclaiming the gospel to “save people from going to hell.” As he shared his passion for evangelism, our eyes began to glaze over from the wall of words he uttered. 

Sometimes Christians can be so on fire to share the gospel with anyone within earshot that they speak on and on, reciting every Bible passage they’ve learned about sin, repentance, and salvation. They think they can “talk” the person into believing.

Most people who don’t know Christ aren’t won over by wordiness. But they may be drawn to someone who takes a sincere interest in them by asking questions and listening.

Asking questions was one of Jesus’ greatest teaching tools. He didn’t tell everyone the answers; he led his listeners to conclusions by asking them questions. (See Matthew 16:26 and 22:20,21.) Questioning is a powerful teaching method because it stimulates critical thinking. Good questions make an audience want to find answers.

Another of Jesus’ greatest teaching tools was modeling. He practiced what he preached. He didn’t just tell us to pray; he frequently withdrew to pray (Luke 5:16). He didn’t merely talk about loving sinners; he had dinner with them (Matthew 9:10-12). When people see faith in Christ modeled, they are often curious to know what we have that they do not. 

Our ears and our lives can pave the way to eventually opening our mouths with the good news of Jesus.