Share the Story of the Bible in 3 Minutes

     If we're even remotely thinking of heading off to reach the unreached in foreign lands with the beautiful news about Jesus, a great start is to get good at sharing that story where we are today. Maybe you already know some people who would be open to this.  Pray lots yourself, get a bunch of believing friends to pray for you ... and then ask that open person if you could share the story of the Bible with them in three minutes.  

     Remember, the most important part of this is asking them at the end something like, "What do you like about this story of the Bible, and what is hard for you to accept?"  Listening can be the most important evangelistic skill. Leave more space than I did so you can actually write down their concerns or objections on the paper or napkin.  Then ask questions to clarify what is really on their heart about that issue.  If they're misunderstanding something, maybe after that bit of good listening the Spirit will show you a creative way to answer them. If they really understand and really don't like it, then you know. Hopefully though, this will just be another step in many gracious exchanges.

     I've found that this napkin story plays like an accordion, especially if I pause after the three minute version to ask for a reaction. Based on their questions and concerns, it can potentially get stretched out into a wonderful exchange, often uncovering blindspots that they've never considered before. As you help them navigate these, you might even find that you are gaining new insights into how to explain God's story ... and that story may get even more exciting for you personally as you explore how to answer from new angles!  Please leave a comment if you find one that popped out of your heart in the middle of such a conversation.

     If your friend gets to the end of your extended accordion discussion and they're still feeling overwhelmed by the massive amount of data (the Bible is a pretty big book!), then you might have the opportunity to ask them if they'd like to try reading the Bible with you sometime. If you're not sure exactly how to go about doing that, check out www.dbsguide.org ... there's a brief video you could show your friend and lots of supporting stuff to help you understand how to get something simply started.