We live in a noisy world desperate for connection. As followers of Jesus, we can be a peaceful presence and make a real impact for the gospel with something surprisingly quiet: simply learning to listen.

When we listen with intention and purpose, we run counter to the culture, displaying the humility and winsomeness as Christ’s ambassadors. Listening affirms the people around us, informs us, and enhances the effectiveness of our testimony. 

In my many years as a missionary, pastor, and witness for Jesus Christ, I’ve had the privilege of sharing the wonders of His salvation in all kinds of venues, both formal and informal. Yes, I do enjoy talking! But sharing the gospel with someone who doesn’t yet know Jesus takes far more than just telling them the good news.

Listening is an essential component of effective, God-honoring conversations about spiritual matters. It sends a loving message to the person right in front of us that “I care about you, and I care about what you think.”

That kind of active, intentional listening starts with asking good questions. If asking good questions doesn’t come naturally to you, don’t worry, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Email us for a list of proven conversation starters that can help you open the door to meaningful dialogue.

In witnessing conversations, our initial goal is simple: discover who people are and understand their spiritual orientation. In other words, find out what they believe and why. Our ultimate listening goal is to discern whether they are open to hearing the truth claims of Jesus.

If you have regular touch-points with someone, you can take your time. Focus on building rapport and trust, knowing you’ll have plenty of opportunities to test the waters with direct spiritual questions.

On the other hand, if you’re “witnessing on the way,” you might only have a single conversation with someone you may never see again. In those moments, your questions will naturally need to be more direct and pointed, such as: “Who do you think Jesus is?”

As we listen, we begin to discover the other person’s God-paradigm, meaning their personal view of God and spiritual reality. Whether someone is an atheist, an agnostic, or a believer in a higher power, personal god, or supernatural being, everyone holds some perspective on God and spirituality.

Active listening unlocks this paradigm, informing our witness and helping us thoughtfully contextualize the gospel. Look to the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:22: “I have become all things to all people, so as to win some to Christ.” His example shows us that he met people right where they were, which meant he had to listen first to understand where they were coming from.

Notice how the Apostle operated. In the Jewish synagogues, he reasoned from the Scriptures, i.e., the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament. But when addressing the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers of Athens on Mars Hill, he adjusted his approachand started with their own culture: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:22-23).

Following Paul’s example means taking the time to understand the hearts and minds of those we hope to reach. Like Paul, may we know our audience and speak gospel truth into their reality, for listening in witnessing will bless our witness, bless our audience, and glorify the Lord!

“So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak…” James 1:19