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Before we get to the conversations, there are three things you will need to have ready at any moment during any conversation:

  1. Know your one-minute testimony

  2. Know the gospel

  3. Know the offer

Below is a detailed description of each of these three tools. Put some time into learning and practicing these tools. You'll be glad you have them!

Know Your One-Minute Testimony

  1. Every personal testimony consists of three main things: (1) Who you used to be, (2) what God did to reach you, and (3) who you are now because of Him.
  2. Write down ONLY one to two sentences for each of those points (it’s okay to write a third sentence for one of the points if needed). Keep it concise. It’s much easier to add details than to figure out which details to leave out.
  3. Read your written testimony out loud. It should be roughly one minute long. Practice it again and again until you can recite your one-minute testimony.

Know the Gospel

The word “gospel” means “good news.” The gospel message starts before time began and continues well into the future, but the most important components are the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.
  • Jesus’ life – Jesus is somehow both God’s Son and God in the flesh. He walked the earth roughly 2,000 years ago. He showed compassion, healed the sick, raised the dead, worked miracles, served with humility, spoke truth, and taught people to live the same way, surrendered to our heavenly King and the rule of His heavenly Kingdom. Jesus said that to see Him was to see and understand God, His Father.
  • Jesus’ death – Jesus was completely innocent. He never did anything wrong, but He was killed like a criminal—beaten, whipped, and nailed to a wooden cross. Because all humans have sinned against God, we all deserve the same death; but Jesus took our place. The Bible says that Jesus took all our sin into His body on the cross and that when Jesus died, our sin died. When we put faith in Jesus, we are united with Him in His death, and all our sin is removed from us.
  • Jesus’ resurrection – Jesus didn’t stay dead! And the Bible says that if we’ve been united with Jesus in His death, we will also be united with Him in His resurrection. The same Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead—God’s “Holy Spirit”—comes to live inside of you and make you a new creation. God gives you a new life. Jesus called it being “born again” or “born from above.” Your old life is considered gone, and you are now a new person with a new future.
  • Jesus’ ascension – After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to hundreds of people over forty days. Then, after He told His followers to carry on His mission, He ascended into heaven to sit on a throne at His Father’s right hand—a throne that represents the highest authority that exists in all the universe. Jesus is called the King of kings and Lord of lords. If we’re united with Jesus in His death and resurrection, the Bible says we’re also united with Him now. That means He can express His limitless authority through us to proclaim truth and minister healing and miracles with love on His behalf. By surrendering to the King of kings, we become royal members of a new kingdom family.
Read the above gospel presentation over and over again until you feel like you understand the core components listed and can explain them in your own words. Hint: It helps to read it out loud so you can hear yourself saying it.
Practice explaining the gospel to a fellow Christian who can give you real-life experience and constructive feedback on your presentation.
Bonus: See if you can find a way to weave some of Jesus’ story into the second point of your one-minute testimony (how God reached you), turning your testimony into a clearer gospel presentation.

Know the Offer

High-quality, lasting conversions come most often from those who have counted the cost and decided knowing Jesus is worth any price. The goal is not to lower the bar so that more people can come to Him (because such people won’t actually be following Jesus). The goal is to be perfectly honest about the fact that following Jesus will cost you everything.
There’s a reason so many people are willing to give up everything to follow Jesus. The gospel was successfully explained to them, and the news was so good that it made the price (everything) seem unreasonably small.
Helpful things to say:
  • Jesus described His kingdom like a hidden treasure in a field. When a man found the treasure, he hid it again, went and sold everything he had, and used the money to buy the field. It cost him everything, but what he gained from it was worth so much more.
  • Giving your life to Jesus is like signing your name to the bottom of a blank contract, handing it to Jesus, and saying, "Fill in the details however You like. I trust You and commit myself to follow You, no matter what it costs me."
  • When you give Jesus all of your life, He gives you all of His life.
  • Ask the person if there is anything stopping them from giving their life to Jesus today.
Traditionally, many preachers have led people in a repeat-after-me sort of prayer that is popularly called “the sinner’s prayer.” This is fine to do, but understand that it’s only about a 100-year-old tradition that began with the preacher D.L. Moody. But the book of Romans tells us what is necessary for salvation:
Romans 10:9–10 – If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
  • Share this scripture with the person and invite them to speak out loud, “Jesus, You are Lord.”
  • Then make contact with the person—perhaps holding their hand or placing a hand on their shoulder—and pray for them.
  • In your prayer, reiterate that they are forgiven in the name of Jesus, and then tell them in Jesus’ name to “receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). Pray a blessing over them and their new life.
  • And when you say “amen,” celebrate! A great phrase to declare is, “Welcome to my family.”
If you want to have success in evangelism, be ready to share your testimony, a concise gospel presentation, and an offer to receive salvation. Practice the above, and re-read it often. The more familiar you are with it, the more confident you’ll be when the opportunity arises.
You do not need to complete all of the following conversations before you can share your testimony, preach the gospel, or invite someone to salvation. Any one of these conversations could lead to such an opportunity. Use these conversation starters as tools to move your relationship with someone closer to an encounter with the gospel.