Ice Breakers

To many Christians, this is often the most difficult part to witnessing. “How do I even broach the subject without coming off as some religious zealot?” Because of the fear that spawns from rejection or the subsequent shunning, witnessing from believers in Christ just prefer to stay in the woodwork and not jump out of their comfort zone.

This is not what God would want from His children. Be bold and courageous. Gain knowledge that can help you increase the size of your comfort zone. Trust God and yourself! Remember this; you may be the planter, the waterer, or the harvester. You do not know which God intends you to be in any given circumstance. You may NEVER know!

And that is okay. Understand that it is your job as a Christian to witness. To fulfill the Great Commission making disciples of all nations is your charge. You should witness to others without concerning yourself with the immediate results or even the rejection that might come, because the results are God’s job, not yours!

Just opening a person’s conscience to the knowledge of God may be God’s plan for you as the planter for a day in the future of that individual. So measure yourself by the witnessing opportunities taken and not by the results of those actions.

• Seek God’s blessing thru prayer
• Prepare your heart, mind, and soul for the opportunities
• Be bold in speaking to others
• And, pray for those individuals to find God in their lives.

So, how do I open the conversation with another person?

Ice breakers are a great way to open a conversation. They are non-threatening. It brings down the guard of the person you are trying to witness to and invites curiosity into the equation. Everyone likes to share their opinion especially when they can show off their knowledge of a given topic. So what you do is put the ball on a tee and let them swing away. Their defensive posture will subside and open their mind and conscience to hear what you are asking and allow them to think about what you ultimately have to say, because they have allowed you past their shut off valve.

Where do I begin?

Consider each individual you are speaking to. “What possible questions can I ask them that you can be fairly confident they will be able to answer easily?”

Do not be afraid to make up your own ice breakers! However, to get you started here are just a few you could use and the subsequent conversation that ensues.

• (Opening question) “Got a question to ask you; trying to see how many people can answer these questions. Ok?

• (For most adults) “CAN YOU NAME 10 BEERS?”

• (For men) “CAN YOU NAME 10 NFL FOOTBALL TEAMS?”

• (For women) “CAN YOU NAME 10 DEPARTMENT STORES?”

• “That’s pretty good! (If you feel the need to use another ice breaker, use one more.)

• “Do you think that people are basically good?” (They will invariably say that they think that people are basically good)

• “So you’re pretty confident that YOU’RE a good person?”

• “CAN YOU NAME THE 10 COMMANDMENTS?”

Let them attempt to name them all. They will very likely NOT be able to name them all.

• “You seem to know a few. Now, do you think that you have kept those 10 Commandments?” (Let them answer.)

• “Have you ever lied?” (They probably will justify their lying.)

• “So you’ve broken that one. If you lie, that would make you a what?” (LIAR)

• “Have you ever stolen something; anything, even a pencil?” (Again, they will probably justify this behavior of a past transgression.)

• “Whether it is a past transgression, and only a pencil or a diamond ring; does it really matter? The value is irrelevant; the intent is what matters.”

• “So what do you call someone that has stolen something?” (THIEF)

• “Have you ever used the Lord’s name as a curse word or in an act of disgust?” (in other words, not with reverence or in prayer)

• “A person that uses the Lord’s name in vain is a BLASPHEMER.”

•  “So on judgment day, when God judges you by that standard are you going to be innocent or guilty of breaking His Commandments?”

• “Do you think that you will go to heaven or hell?” (if they think that they will go to heaven)

• “So do you think that God will let murderers and adulterers and thieves into heaven?” (should so NO)

• “The Bible says that if you are guilty of one transgression, you are guilty of them all and shall not see the kingdom of heaven.” (If they justify themselves by stating that they have done good deeds.)

• “So you are in big trouble, you would be going to hell wouldn’t you?”

• “Does that concern you?”

•  “Do you know why Jesus died on the cross?” (He died on the cross for our sins, because He loved us.)

• “Do you know how to be a part of that salvation? Do you know what you should do?”

• “If you were on a plane that was going to crash and there was a parachute beside you, what would you do?” (They would put it on.)

• “That is exactly what you need to do with Jesus; You need to repent of your sins, that is confess your sins to Him and turn from your sins, and put your faith in Jesus as your Lord as Savior. Just like that parachute.”

• “We are all sinners and deserve hell, but God loved us so much that He has given us a chance to choose His saving hand and rescue ourselves from what we deserve.”

• “Seek Him (learn the 10 Commandments and read Him), AND repent, you shall have your sins ALL wiped away and can start as a new believer and be assured of your salvation when that day comes!”

• “So what you need to do before you go to sleep tonight is get right with God; tell God you are sorry for your sinful ways, confess your sins and repent of your sins; and I put my trust in Jesus as my Savior. READ YOU BIBLE, Do you have one?”

• “Read it everyday and follow what you read. God will never let you down. He will always be with you through the good times AND the bad.”

Speak of YOUR TESTIMONY:

(Put some thought into your own testimony and experiences that you can share with others. AS THE BIBLE STATES THESE ARE THE BEST WITNESSING TOOLS YOU HAVE!)

• Explain how He has been with you thru some rough time in your life. This will show that person that they will go thru trials just like you, but God will be there to carry you through those times, and that those times do end!

• Stress to them that about a time that you know of personally where someone died suddenly and their fate was sealed forever. Or a close call that you might have had yourself that made you think of the suddenness of death. (This will enlighten them to the fact that their life is a gift that can be taken away even on this very day; Push the idea that most people wake up on the last day of their life, not even realizing that that would be their last day!)

1. Open their eyes to the fact that they need a Savior. (Bypass the intellect, and go straight for the conscience!)(Not necessary to banter intellectual ideology)

The layout previously given and the questions to ask are not as daunting as you think.

It has a flow to it that is easily learned. Just put some time into it. Probably a good idea then, to get familiar with the questions and the layout of how to witness that way you can venture outside of your box and fulfill the Great Commission that God has given you.