Asking Good Questions: One of the Keys to Effective Evangelism

When sharing Jesus with others, asking thoughtful questions can open doors to meaningful conversations about faith. Good questions demonstrate genuine interest, create opportunities for deeper dialogue, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in people’s hearts.

Questions serve multiple purposes in evangelistic conversations:

• They help build rapport and show that you care about the other person’s thoughts and experiences
• They encourage self-reflection and can lead people to recognize their need for Christ
• They reveal underlying beliefs, concerns, or objections someone may have about what you are sharing
• People like to hear themselves talk so questions keep the conversation engaging and interactive rather than feeling like a lecture

Knowing it is important to use questions to connect, it is also important to use the right type of questions. Use open-ended questions that can’t be answered with a simple yes or no. We are trying to learn what’s in the seeker’s heart so we can determine the best way to connect.

Many people want to revert to “simple” questions like “Are you saved?” or “Are you Christian?”. These are actually not helpful if we don’t know what someone believes about being saved or whether they know what it means to be a Christian.

You should also ask clarifying questions to better understand someone’s perspective. Simple asking them to tell you more or help you understand what they mean opens the doors to better communication and understanding. You can also ask personal experience questions to learn about what they have gone through and what extent they have experienced something.

There is also a time for to ask thought-provoking questions that challenge assumptions.  These can be hard, so we need to know when to use them, but they also force honesty about the bigger questions of faith. Asking “If Christianity were true, how might that change your life?” can reveal exactly what someone is really seeking and whether they are serious about faith and truth.

Lastly, we encourage transition questions. These are questions that turn the discussion towards the Gospel and Jesus Christ. We should always be looking for natural opportunities to focus on where Jesus is in this person’s life and how we might share more. These questions can be as simple as “Who is Jesus to you?” or “How is Jesus transforming your life?”. 

Remember, the goal is not to get easy answers or win an argument but to lovingly point people to Christ. By asking thoughtful questions and genuinely listening, you create space for the Holy Spirit to work through you. As you practice asking good questions, you’ll likely find that sharing Jesus becomes easier and more natural.