Starting Conversations that Ignite Faith

In the early days I used to think I had to get him 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. They're in fourth-time ministry. Everything you say and do is being watched and you're leading people further, further to God, further away from God. I mean that's the truth. Welcome to the Ignite with Barry McGuire 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 something to say. I don't know how to start a conversation. They don't want to do it. Tell them who God loves them or just we make share your faith so difficult and and mainly because the preaching of our churches and how we've been told it is difficult and expect to be persecuted all that. I've been sharing my faith here. 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 and and so many of you over following us, you've gotten really good at sharing your faith in restaurants. That's pretty easy. You keep it with the waiter, the waitress and while they're taking you harder, then you say one more question that 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 and 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 even know they really need prayer. And so then not arguing to say, okay, well we're glad that things are working out for you. We just add you to our prayer and thank God for for blessing your life. So, but obviously 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 in 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. What? Why isn't that a conversation by God is more nervous than just talking to people as you're walking through your life? Why shouldn't 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 to the sales pitch. It doesn't work well. And then you say, I'm not going to 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. So, I was doing 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 scalpel on their face, like the way to the world's on it. Well, I'm not going to expect that person to tell me about the joy of the world. 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, 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 way to the world around their backs. And they got a day full or a year on life full of bad news. And here's this really happy person saying, Hi, how are you? Do you know that conversation start like that? It's so easy. And 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 they light up like a leg bowl. Oh, man. And they start. And does that lean to that one? Whatever you develop relationship. Just love on people. People want to be loved. Come on. What a beautiful dress. That is. I love your what you can do. It's so easy. I walked through a restaurant recently. And there was a black family where they're their kids. And they're all well dressed. And they're they're having this wonderful meal together. I just stopped. And I said, excuse me, you're like the the epitome of what a family should be. I said, kids, do you know, bless you are to have parents that love you, that take you to a restaurant like this. Their eyes again. And the parents are going, yeah, preach it, you know. And I say, and I've done this with so many fans, I would just encourage it. When you prayed, I 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 have taken a dinner like this. It's just so basic. And the parents just can't they can't thank me enough. I said, just in by saying, God bless you guys have a good day. Walk away. Take him save. No, of course not. I in the early days, I used to think I had to get him saved on the spot. And that's foolish. I was frustrated. It may take somebody's mini 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 hypocrites and say one thing and do another. You'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. You're listening to this podcast. So I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet drivers who switch and save with progressive save over $900 on average. They make it super simple. Pop over to progressive.com, answer some questions, and you'll get a quick quote with coverage options tailored to your choices. Plus, you'll see which discounts you may qualify for like the online quote discount or savings for paying in full. In fact, 99% of progressive auto customers earn at least one discount. See if you could save when you switch to progressive. You'll feel good about making a savvy choice. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little extra cashback, progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates, national average 12 month savings of $946 by new customer surveyed who saved with progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary. Anyway, just find people to love on 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 when you when you enter into that person's life in the line at Starbucks and the aisle Walmart and in the waiting room at the doctor's office where we are instead of being on the phone like everybody else is. And you know, they're usually not all busy. And you ask your question, they put the phone down and you engage in conversation. It's so easy. Every day you're not doing the Holy Spirit's doing it. And the Holy Spirit confirms your love to them. And then they will open up within five minutes now. They'll share with you. I need they won't even tell their best friends. And then the Holy Spirit, I say this over and over and over our podcast. The Holy Spirit gives you the words to say it's this promise to look 1212. He gives you the words to say. And there's gold. And there's there's connection. And there's joy. The life is changing. Your life is changing. No, God is using you. So it's about conversation at my point. I've said what I just said many, many times, but it's true. It can happen every day and ignite your life every day. So you look for those opportunities. And they abound to know that over 80% of the unchurched are looking for God with all this going on, Charlie dying here, they were saying, what's going on? Where's God? The life of the church, the world has come alive. The fields are white for harvest, but the, but the laborers are few. They're so few, this are taking advantage of it. That's the reason why ministry ignite, take nice you. We can ignite America revival one person at a time. If we want to, do you know that over 70% of the unchurch 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 just meet his spontaneously. And that friendship formed so quickly. I got on a car, my friend pulled up randomly in front of a car with a hood up. And a black guy in a dreadlocks and, you know, tank top and tattoos. And he came around the corner, big, what I call a sparklux ball used to put on the big coolers, you know, and he was pouring water in the radiator. And I just look everywhere I look, I just always look for a reason, look for a reason to talk to someone, oh, that's cool. Well, that's a great car. Well, what are you working on there? Can I help you? You be a helpful person? This case, I said, is anything I do to help? He said, no, no, I have a leaky radiator. And through questioning, I found out that he had just arrived that moment from Alabama, he drove it all the way to Alabama with the Ray, with the 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 when I have a wife and, and a son to look after to support. So 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, you worried about that? And he says, you think I says, you know, I, I started a little car race company a few years ago, but I didn't know anything either. I was where you are now. And I found this scripture says, trust the Lord, your whole heart, you'll direct your steps. He says, really, I said, yeah, do you know the Bible actually gives you all you need to direct your steps to give you confidence, 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. Sounds like you'd like to know more about God. Yeah, what? 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 to have it. He took this card. He said, I need that all of this one website. And it's here again, I said, yes, that's how much he loves you. And I just said, kind of pray for you. He says, would you? And we hugged each other in that parking lot. And the whole spirit came on. We had this incredible prayer. And when I finished praying, I looked at him and 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 is affected by that seven minutes in time that I couldn't just walked off, but it looked for the opportunity. And I use these cards. And you know, you go to our website, igniteamerica.com, and you can order these free. They're free. Everything free. You can't give us money. We're here for your ministry. And this will make your face sharing come alive, because you wet their appetite, telling you talking God will give you the words to say, now, if you don't get him 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? Passers, you need to be given these to your people. And you can put the back on the back, that name of your church. Passers are doing that all the United States Jack Hibbs. He's putting up with Calvary Chapel Cheeto Hills in the back. You know, how many it's giving down? He's giving up 40,000 of these cards to his church members, 40,000. Passers, you want to ignite your church? This card will help you do it. The point being, share your faith is fun. Just love on people and that guy do all the words. And in addition to leaving it to Jesus more brightly, I think, maybe, but I just am. It's going to night your life. You're listening to this podcast, so I know you've got a curious mind. Here's a helpful fact you might not know yet. Drivers who switch and save with progressive save over $900 on average. They make it super simple. Pop over to progressive.com, answer some questions, and you'll get a quick quote with coverage options tailored to your choices. Plus, you'll see which discounts you may qualify for, like the online quote discount, or savings for paying in full. In fact, 99% of progressive auto customers earn at least one discount. See if you could save when you switch to progressive. You'll feel good about making a savvy choice. Visit progressive.com and see if you can enjoy a little extra cashback. Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates. National average 12 month savings of $946 by new customers surveyed who save with progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary.