1. Author of Initiating Spiritual Conversations
Jeff Wilcox
Author of Initiating Spiritual Conversations

2. I mentioned that I know my friend from church
I mentioned that I know my friend from church. And I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what’s your church background?

3. And once church has been brought up in the conversation, it doesn’t sound out of place at all to ask more questions related to spiritual things.

4. Questions like if they still go to that church and if not, why not
Questions like if they still go to that church and if not, why not. Or how that church how explained how to have a personal relationship with God. Or what they taught about Jesus.

5. Their answers to these questions will tell you quite a bit about where they currently are spiritually.
And the more you know about where they are spiritually, the easier it will be to discern what biblical truths they need to hear.

7. A Built Up Witness Pastor Dave Jansen July 29, 2018
Series: Rooted and Built Up

9. And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus
as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let
your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
--Colossians 2:6-7 (NLT)

11. How do you lead
the people
you love to Jesus?

12. How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?

13. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
1. Devote yourself to prayer

14. Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that
God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
--Colossians 4:2-4 (NLT)

15. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
1. Devote yourself to prayer

16. 1. Devote yourself to prayer

17. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently

18. Devote yourselves to prayer...
--Colossians 4:2 (NLT)

19. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently

20. the whole will of God. I can assure you
Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you
his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following
the whole will of God. I can assure you
that he prays hard for you and also for the
believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
--Colossians 4:12-13 (NLT)

21. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently

22. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently
B. Watchfully

23. Devote yourselves to prayer
with an alert mind...
--Colossians 4:2 (NLT)

24. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently
B. Watchfully

25. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently
B. Watchfully
C. Gratefully

26. Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
--Colossians 4:2 (NLT)

27. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently
B. Watchfully
C. Gratefully

28. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently
B. Watchfully
C. Gratefully
D. For clarity

29. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
--Colossians 4:4 (NLT)

30. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently
B. Watchfully
C. Gratefully
D. For clarity

31. If someone asks about your hope as a
believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.
--1 Peter 3:15 (NLT)

32. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
A. Persistently
B. Watchfully
C. Gratefully
D. For clarity

33. 1. Devote yourself to prayer
How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
1. Devote yourself to prayer

34. How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?

35. How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
2. Be wise in how you live

36. --Colossians 4:5 (NLT) Live wisely among those who are not
believers, and make the
most of every opportunity...
--Colossians 4:5 (NLT)

37. How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
2. Be wise in how you live

38. Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin. As you were instructed before, make Mark welcome if he comes your way. Jesus (the one we call Justus) also sends his greetings. These are the only Jewish believers among my co-workers; they are working with me here for the Kingdom of God. And what a comfort they have been!
--Colossians 4:10-11 (NLT)

39. How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
2. Be wise in how you live

40. How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?

41. 3. Have a spiritual conversation that is gracious & attractive
How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
3. Have a spiritual conversation that is gracious & attractive

42. --Colossians 4:6 (NLT) Let your conversation be gracious
and attractive so that you will have the
right response for everyone.
--Colossians 4:6 (NLT)

43. 3. Have a spiritual conversation that is gracious & attractive
How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
3. Have a spiritual conversation that is gracious & attractive

44. hear about him unless someone tells them?
How can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they
hear about him unless someone tells them?
--Romans 10:14 (NLT)

45. 3. Have a spiritual conversation that is gracious & attractive
How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
3. Have a spiritual conversation that is gracious & attractive

46. Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along
Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you. I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your own people. He and Tychicus will tell you everything that’s happening here.
--Colossians 4:7-9 (NLT)

47. 3. Have a spiritual conversation that is gracious & attractive
How do you lead the people
you love to Jesus?
3. Have a spiritual conversation that is gracious & attractive

49. After you have read this letter, pass it on to
the church at Laodicea so they can read
it, too. And you should read the letter I wrote
to them. And say to Archippus, “Be sure
to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you.”
HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. Remember my chains. May God’s grace be with you.
--Colossians 4:16-18 (NLT)

51. COLOSSIANS 4:3-6
3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.