Nothing is more powerful than sharing our faith in public, especially at a restaurant with our blood relatives; especially our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When your grandchildren hear you ask the waitress a personal question. It will immediately bring up a spiritual conversation that will be intentional.
“We are going to pray over our food and give thanks for the food; how can we pray for you?” Whether it is a waitress or waiter, it will elicit a response that shows appreciation, astonishment, or doubt, BUT the waitress or waiter will respond.
Many will give you a personal request like, “I just learned my son has cancer,” or “I am working because my husband wants a divorce.” Some may respond they don’t have any needs. The this latter group, I usually reply, “Would you like to make more money this week in tips?” Of course, they respond “yes.” When you leave the restaurant, you can tell her you will “pray for her to get the biggest tips she has ever gotten today. Make sure to give God credit.”
Step two when leaving the restaurant is to say the following when waitress or waiter brings the check,
1- “Can I ask you a personal question?”
2- “Can you point to the exact time you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior?”
I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYONE THAT WOULD NOT LET ME ASK A PERSONAL QUESTION WHEN I ASKED.
We men win battles at work, invest in God’s Work, work hard to give love to our wives and children, plus attend men’s Bible Studies because it makes us better Christian Men. Could you and I do something this week at least once? Try these two questions on a waitress, a patient, a client, a nurse, a doctor, a child, an adult, or a loved one whom you are unsure of where they stand in their relationship with Jesus.
1- “May I ask you a personal Question?” – They always give you permission
2- “Can you point to the exact time you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior?”
There are two replies you will encounter:
1- “Yes”- and give you the time and circumstances they accepted Christ
2- “No, I can not.” – You can then say, “Would you like to know how to do it?”
There are two replies you will encounter:
1- “No, I don’t want to know.” Thanks, and move on to the next opportunity
2- “Yes, Please tell me.” You then can share how to become a Christian
These two questions are non-threatening even with our blood relatives or close friends. These two questions get to the heart of evangelism.
We men win battles at work and invest in God’s Work. We work hard to give love to our wives and children, plus attend men’s Bible Studies because it makes us better Christian Men. Could you do something this week at least once? Try these two questions on a waitress, a patient, a client, a nurse, a doctor, a child, an adult, or a loved one whom you are unsure of where they stand in their relationship with Jesus.
Here are two stories told to me after sharing at a men’s retreat and challenging men to try these two sentences:
Story One:
A salesman got on a plane in Columbus, flying directly to San Francisco. He told me he promised to try those sentences going and coming from San Francisco. On the first leg of the trip, he was on the aisle, and a man sitting in the middle seat chatted with him about sports as he was also an OSU Buckeye Fan. He used the acronym F.O.R.M. (Discussed in Chapter ____) to build a relationship with him. After about an hour, he asked him if he could ask him a personal question and if he could point to the time he accepted Christ as his Savior. The man replied he did not know how to do it.
My friend then asked, “Would you like to know how?” The man said, “Yes.” My friend then led the manic about an hour later, to pray the prayer of salvation at that time. He used the same technique four more times in San Francisco with varying results, with one wanting to pray to accept Jesus as Savior.
On his return trip to Columbus, he was sitting on a window seat, and a man sitting in the aisle seat in the same row began a conversation. Just before the plane took off, a woman sat in the middle seat, and she put earbuds in her ears, closed her eyes, and relaxed. When the airplane took off, he talked to the aisle person bout his life, again using the F.O.R.M. format. After about an hour, he asked the two questions. The individual’s reply was that “I am Catholic, and all Catholics go to heaven.”
With further discussion, the man told the other man how to accept Christ by making him Lord of his life. The man replied, “I am happy with my position and I am certain all Catholics go to heaven, so I don’t have to discuss it anymore.” With that remark, the lady sitting between them took out her earbuds. She took her index finger and pushed on the aisle man’s chest, saying, “I have been listening to this conversation, and I want to tell you that no one gets to heaven because they are part of a group. You only get to heaven by doing as this man asks you to do. You are wrong in your thinking. Why won’t you do it?” To which he replied, “I am happy with my Catholic beliefs and am going to watch a movie.”
Some day God may rewind that time in the isle man’s life in heaven and show him where he rejected asking Jesus to be his Savior. What a thrill that my friend gave him the opportunity to accept Christ.
Story two:
A man told me he was going to see a high school friend he had seen for twenty years at their thirty-year reunion. Upon meeting and talking with his friend, we renewed old events they had done together, and the waitress brought the food. My friend said, “We are going to bless this food; how can we pray for you?” To which the waitress said,”I can’t believe you are asking me this. I have never been this worried. We just learned yesterday that my son has cancer. That is the only thing that is on my mind. May I stay here at the table when you pray for my son?” My friend asked what her son’s first name was to make the prayer more personal.
After the waitress left, his high school classmate asked, “What was all of that?” “Did you become a Pastor or something in the last twenty years?” My friend replied that he always blesses the food and those who prepare the food, as well as any prayer request from the waiter or waitress.
The next words were, “Can I ask you a personal question?” His high-school friend replied, “Yes, you can.” He then said, “Can you point to the exact time you accepted Christ as your personal Savior?” “No,” was the reply. “Would you like to know how to accept Jesus?” “Yes, I would.” One hour later, his high school friend prayed to accept Christ as his personal Savior.
Usually, the waitress or waiter will bring the check for the food, so we can ask them the two questions as well before leaving the restaurant. But this time, the waitress dropped off the check as she was walking by the table during a deep conversation.
When my friend went up to pay the bill, the waitress was at the cash register.. She asked, “May I please give you a hug? You blessed me so much by praying for my son.” After he hugged the waitress, my friend asked her this question: “Would she like to know how to accept Jesus as her Savior? She said, “I just want to do it. How do I do it?” She prayed the prayer of salvation at the cash register.
Leaving the restaurant, my friend and his high school friend went outside and said, “Are you sure you are not a Preacher?”
Duke’s story in Hotel in Chicago. Story Three
I arrived late to Chicago and stayed at a small Hyatt hotel. I asked if I could get something to eat. They said the only thing open was the bar for a small pizza. I went to the bar and ordered a small pizza.
Just as I was waiting on my pizza, a man named Kyle sat down, and we started talking. Of course, I used the acronym F.O.R.M. to get to know him. Upon asking him for a time and date, he told me he could point to that time he gave his life to Jesus.
I then looked at the bartender, a Korean individual, asking if he could point to a time he had given his life to Christ. He replies, “I have been listening to you men talk about Christ, and I don’t even know anything about Him.” I asked if he would like to know. He asked, “Can you give me something to read?” Of course, I got his address and later sent him my book, “How to Start a Kingdom Conversation.” On two occasions, I texted the bartender, “Have you read the book I sent you?” He has not.
I have been given permission to share with you a text I got from Kyle about a month later:
Duke, I was thinking about the question you asked me in Chicago about the day I gave my life to the lord. If I remember correctly, I answered a few months ago. After reflecting, I realized that’s when I truly found God. When I was no longer blind and was awakened by the lord. I could feel him pulling on me and I believe that is why the lord brought me to you. You see, I had been trying to talk about my passion for the lord with others but was struggling and needed help. Then I met you and you gave me a book on how to start a kingdom conversation! I knew then it was not by coincidence but my prayer was being answered. After returning home, and seeing gods works,I can now better answer your question. I was always a religious person, but the exact time I truly found god and accepted Christ as my Savior and gave my life to the lord was on Sunday, January 21st, 2024. I was born again and baptized in the waters of a local church by my pastor. I realized Christ has been knocking on my door and I finally came to answer to let him fill my spirit with his love. I wanted you to know that although it was a brief point in time you touched my life and I wanted you to know that I will continue to spread your message to others throughout my life’s journey! I’m blessed to have met you and I wish you all of the best. Thank you for being a light of truth in this world. Until we meet again!.
One month later I got another text from Kyle:
Hey Duke, I wanted to let you know my wife, son, brother, and sister have all decided to get baptized this Sunday!! They see and feel gods love pouring on them. I’m so proud of them. God is good! Keep in touch my friend. Kyle
Kyle and I now pray for each other and each other’s family members by name.
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