Starting Conversations that Ignite Faith

(0:00 - 0:52)In the early days, I used to think I had to get them saved on the spot, and that's foolish. I was frustrated. It may take somebody as many 20 different times before they finally get the message of God's love, but you know what you do every time you do that? You're in full-time ministry.Everything you say and do is being watched, and you're leading people further to God or further away from God. I mean, that's the truth. Welcome to the Ignite with Barry Meguiar podcast, where Barry's book and passion for spreading God's love are guaranteed to ignite your life.Now listen in and prepare to have your life ignited. Hi, everybody. I'd like to take a few moments to talk about starting conversations and ending conversations, but I have so many people say, I don't know how to start a conversation.(0:52 - 4:53)I mean, do I tell them God loves them? We make sharing our faith so difficult, and mainly because of the preaching of our churches and how we've been told it is difficult and expect to be persecuted and all that. I've been sharing my faith, Karen. I've been sharing my faith for 50 years.We've never been persecuted. We've never offended anybody. We're not fanatics, but when we have the opportunity, and so many of you who are following us, you've gotten really good at sharing your faith in restaurants.That's pretty easy. You kibbutz for the waiter or the waitress while they're taking your order, and then you say one more question. We always ask our server this, might you have anything? We could pray for you guys.We're going to pray anyway. We could add you to our prayer. It's amazing how most of the time they'll say yes, and many times they'll be emotional.But even if they don't, the ones that really have needs are often the ones that say they don't, and you know they really need prayer. And so then not arguing, just say, okay, well, we're glad that things are working out for you. We'll just add you in our prayer and thank God for blessing your life.But I have to say, you're getting good at that for the rest of your life. That's maybe one percent of your life, and you're surrounded by people every day. Most of the people, you do understand, most of the people around you on any given day, probably 90% of them, are lost.And the problem is they're acting like people who are lost. They're Godless, and they're angry, and they're saying things that offend you and all this. Don't pay attention to that.And don't get mad at them. They're lost. They're not evil.They're lost. Starting conversations. Why is it that a conversation about God is more nervous than just talking to people as you're walking through life? Why should it be any different? It doesn't make any sense.You start hyperventing, and we're going to say something, and break out in a sweat, and you're going nervous, and they know it. And it comes across the sales pitch. It doesn't work well, and then you say, I'm not cut out for this thing.But Jesus said, they'll know you're my disciple by your love. You can love on people. I don't care who you are.You can love on people. We all know how to do that. Some of us don't do it enough.Actually, before that, it starts with the countenance on your face. Do you know that, and I'm amazed how when I walk Christians, even Christians walking into church, how often they have a scowl on their face, like the weight of the world's on them. Well, I'm not going to expect that person to tell him about the joy of the Lord.So, if you want to share your faith, if you want to be approachable, you need to be approachable. You know, think of Jesus. The children came to Him.Everybody came to Him. He wasn't unapproachable. People came to Him because He drew them by His love.When you're walking with God, and His love is flowing through you, His joy is flowing through you. People will come to you, and if you don't have that joy yet, you'll get it as soon as you start doing what I'm getting to next. Look for ways to compliment people.First off, when you smile and you're looking at people, they look at you, and you're approachable, and they're looking for somebody to say something happy to them. Most of them are carrying the weight of the world around their backs, and they got a day full, a year, a life full of bad news, and here's this really happy person saying, Hi, how are you? Do you know that conversations start like that? It's so easy, and you look for a way. I find people with tattoos, and I walk up, I say to a big bruiser guy, I say, Can I just ask you a question? I'm intrigued with your tattoo, and I know there has to be a story behind it.(4:53 - 5:00)They light up like a light bulb. Oh, man, and they start, and does that lead to that one? Whatever. You develop relationship.(5:02 - 9:31)Just love on people. People want to be loved. What a beautiful dress that is.I love your, you can do it so easy. I walked through a restaurant recently, and there was a black family with their kids, and they're all well-dressed, and they're having this wonderful meal together. I just stopped.I said, Excuse me, but you're like the epitome of what a family should be. You know what? I said, Kids, do you know how blessed you are to have parents that love you, that take you to a restaurant like this? Their eyes are getting, and the parents are going, Yeah, I'll preach it, you know, and I say, and I've done this with so many families. I would just encourage you, when you pray, act like you think they're praying, and maybe they are.When you pray tonight, be sure to thank God every night for giving you such wonderful parents. Most kids don't have parents like this, that love on you, that love on the kids, and take them to a dinner like this. It's just so amazing, and the parents just can't, they can't thank me enough.I said, just, then I just end by saying, God bless you guys. Have a good day. Walk away.Did I get them saved? No, of course not. I, in the early days, I used to think I had to get them saved on the spot, and that's foolish. I was frustrated.It may take somebody as many 20, 20 different times before they finally get the message of God's love, but you know what you do every time you do that? You're interrupting their thought, because most people don't like Christians. Do you know that? Do you know that most Christians are not Christians because of Christians? They see the hypocrisy. They say one thing and do another.They're in full-time ministry. Everything you say and do is being watched, and you're leading people further, further to God, or further away from God. I mean, that's the truth.Anyway, just find people to love on, and, and ask questions, and you know what? The Holy Spirit's already there before you get there. He's working with everybody around you. You're not, you're not alone, and, and, and when you, when you enter into that person's life in the line at Starbucks, in the aisle at Walmart, and in the waiting room at the doctor's office, wherever you are, instead of being on the phone like everybody else is, and you know, they're usually not all that busy, and you ask a question, they put the phone down, and you engage in conversation.It's so easy. Every time you're not doing it, the Holy Spirit's doing it, and the Holy Spirit confirms your love to them, and then they will open up, and within five minutes, they'll, they'll share with you a need. They won't even tell their best friends, and then the Holy Spirit, I say this over and over and over in our podcast, the Holy Spirit gives you the words to say.It's this promise in Luke 12, 12. He gives you the words to say, and there's God, and there's, there's connection, and there's joy. The life is changing.Your life is changing. You know, God is using you, so it's about conversation, my point. I've said what I just said many, many times, but it's true, and it can happen every day, and it ignites your life every day, so you look for those opportunities, and they abound.Do you know that over 80% of the unchurched are looking for God with all that's going on? Charlie dying, everybody's saying, what's going on? Where's God? The life, the church, the world has come alive. The fields are white for harvest, but the labors are few. There's so few of us that are taking advantage of it.That's the reason for our ministry Ignite, to ignite you. We can ignite America's revival one person at a time if we want to. Do you know that over 70% of the unchurched already have a close friend who's a Christian that they trust? We already have the influence, but right now I'm talking about the ones you don't know.You're just meeting spontaneously, and that friendship forms so quickly. I got out of a car. My friend pulled up randomly in front of a car with a hood up, and a black guy in dreadlocks and tank top and tattoos, and he came around the corner and had a big what I call a sparklers ball he used to put on the big coolers, and he was pouring water in his radiator.(9:32 - 10:13)I just look. Everywhere I look, I just always look for a reason to talk to somebody. Oh, that's cool.Well, that's a great car. What are you working on there? Can I help you? You'd be a helpful person. In this case, I said, is there anything I can do to help you? He said, no, no, no.I have a leaky radiator. Through questioning, I found out that he had just arrived that moment from Alabama. He drove it all the way to Alabama with a leaky radiator.He says, I got this bottle of water to help me, and look, I made it. I got water left over. I made it all the way here.I just arrived. I said, what's the drive for? Why are you here? He says, to get a job. There's no jobs back home, and I have a wife and a son to look after to support.(10:13 - 10:50)A friend of mine has a trucking job, and so he said to come out. I said, do you know anything about trucking? He says, no, I don't actually. I said, are you worried about that? He says, you think? I started a little car waste company a few years ago, and I didn't know anything either.That was where you are now, and I found this scripture that says, trust the Lord with your whole heart, and he'll direct your steps. He says, really? I said, do you know the Bible actually gives you all you need to direct your steps and give you confidence and give you a successful life and give you a place in heaven? He says, really? I said, yeah. In fact, we just have a minute here, but I got a card, and this is how you end every conversation.(10:50 - 12:23)Sounds like you'd like to know more about God. Yeah, I would. Well, this is a website.It's called seekingGod.org. It's amazing, and this will tell you everything you need to know about how much God loves you, has a plan for your life, and has a place for you in heaven. He took this card. He said, I can get that all off this one website, and it's here, kid.I said, yes. That's how much he loves you, and I just said, can I pray for you? And he says, would you? And we hugged each other in that parking lot, and the Holy Spirit came on. We had this incredible prayer, and when I finished praying, I looked at him.He looks at me through his wet eyes. He says, thank you, and he just grabbed me. That took seven minutes of my time.I dare say the rest of his life was affected by that seven minutes in time that I could have just walked off, but I looked for the opportunity, and I used these cards, and you know, you can go to our website, igniteamerica.com, and you can order these free. They're free. Everything's free.You can't give us money. We're here for your ministry, and this will make your face sharing come alive because you whet their appetite. God will give you the words to say it.Now, if you don't have to get them saved, get them where they're interested, and this will take them the rest of the way. How many people can you lead to the Lord? Pastors, you need to be giving these to your people, and you can put on the back the name of your church. Pastors are doing that all over the United States.(12:23 - 13:07)Jack Hibbs, he's putting up with Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills in the back. You know how many he's given out? He's given out 40,000 of these cards to his church members, 40,000 of them. Pastors, if you want to ignite your church, this card will help you do it.The point being, sharing your faith is fun. Just love on people and let God do all the worst, in addition to leading them to Jesus. More importantly, I think, maybe, but yeah, I just say it.It's going to ignite your life. If you enjoyed today's episode, let us know, and don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review to help us reach more listeners. Remember, sharing your faith ignites your faith.(13:07 - 13:10)See you next time on the Ignite with Barry Meguiar Podcast.