SPIRITUAL CONNECTION:IT’S ABOUT BRIDGE BUILDING

Lois Schaefer

Purpose of this Session

• Encourage you to tell the stories of your spiritual journey

• Understand the need for receiving permission throughout witnessing

Listen

Most people do not listen with the intent to understand. Most people listen with the intent to reply. Stephen R. Covey (author, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People)

Golden PauseBe sure to give time for a person to process information and/or respond.

What Do People Crave?• Physical hunger• Emotional hunger• Spiritual hunger

Deb Burma, Living a Chocolate Life - Session 3

What are they craving?• When people are lonely?

Craving Love

What are they craving?When people are experiencing strife?

Craving Peace….….because the world

is full of strife

What are they craving?• When people are anxious or

afraid, dissatisfied or depressed?

Craving Comfort….

ListenOn what do people

base their hope?

Spiritual CravingsGalatians 5:22

• Love• Joy• Peace• Patience• Kindness

• Goodness• Faithfulness• Gentleness• Self-control

John 4:7-30;39-42

Build RelationshipsJesus said to her,“Will you give me a drink?”

Woman at the well, “Where can you get this living water?”

Jesus answered her, “…the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Spiritual Connection

Personal Connection

Jesus told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

Woman, “I have no husband.”

Objections, deflections“Sir,” the woman said, “…Our

ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

Jesus answered, “…God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Conversion

The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus declared,“I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

TestimonyThen, leaving her water jar, the woman

went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?”

(They came out of the town and made their way toward him. . . Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony.)

What was she craving?

Spiritual CravingsGalatians 5:22

• Love• Joy• Peace• Patience• Kindness

• Goodness• Faithfulness• Gentleness• Self-control

How did Jesus respond?• He listened• He treated her deflection with

respect• He answered questions• He gave a message of hope

#1 ListenListen to their

• Desire• Discomfort• Hurt• Needs

Listen - BridgeConnect to their need with a similar experience. Lead into how God helped you during that bridge-experience and gave you (peace, joy, hope…whatever you identified as is missing in their life).

#2 ClarifyingWhere you share a bridge-

experience, clarify that you understand what they are saying. For instance, the value of ‘good’ – what does it mean?

#3 Open Questions• Who• What• When• Where• Why• How

#4 Spiritual DiscoveryCommon conversation starters can

evolve into • What are your spiritual beliefs?

• At times like this, upon what inner resource do you draw?

#4 Spiritual DiscoveryIf your conversation is progressing well, consider using spiritual track questions:

What part has God played in your life?

Spiritual DiscoveryEncourage them to think.Other party: “How could Jesus let this happen?”Your response: “What do you know about Jesus?”

#5 Permission QuestionsAlong the way, you might ask:

Would it be okay if I were to tell you more …

#6 No Means NOIf the person says, “no”, then do not proceed.

#7 ConcludingEncourage a response.

Does what I am saying make sense to you?Would you like to know how I finally found (peace, joy, etc.) in my life?

ConcludingAfter telling your testimony, follow with, “What do you think?”

Probe more to see where they are in their understanding.

#8 CommitmentWould you like Jesus to become a part of your life, too?

Are there any dangling questions that would prevent you from trusting in Christ right now?

#9 Your Testimony• What event in your life has

caused you to say, “thank you, God!”?• How has Jesus changed my life?• What does my faith mean to me?

#9 Your testimony

Event 1 Event 2 Event 3 Event 4 Event 5 Event 6 Event 70

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

My relationship with God

My relationship with GodP

aren

t die

s

Gra

d H

S

Colle

ge

Mar

ried

Child

bor

n

Lost

Job Ga

ve m

y lif

e to

Jesu

s

9 Your testimony

Event 1 Event 2 Event 3 Event 4 Event 5 Event 6 Event 70

1

2

3

4

5

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7

8

My relationship with God

My relationship with God

#10 Jesus NarrativeTell about Jesus.

Our Problem: Separation from God

Through the ages individuals have tried to bridge this gap in many ways

God’s Solution: Jesus Christ!

Your opportunity:to believe in Jesus Christ!

My Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8TBoR-GSso

To tell you my story….IS TO TELL OF HIM!