On Tuesday, Chris and I visited our neighbours to drop off some gifts they could take back to their family in India.
As we chatted, I asked Ragu* about his computer projects at work, and before long, we were deep in conversation about technology—comfortable, familiar territory for both of us.
Meanwhile, Chris and Sunita* were having a serious conversation about something that had happened at Sunita’s workplace.
As we left their house, I couldn’t shake a nagging thought: I hadn’t said a single word about Jesus or even Christmas.
What held me back? It was the same thing that often traps me—the comfort of sticking to familiar topics.
The next day, I read an email from Tina, who leads Evangelism in Australia. She shared six simple conversation starters for Christmas. One idea stood out: explaining Christmas traditions.
Armed with this simple idea I found it very easy to talk about Christmas and Jesus with many people during the rest of the week.
Here are a few examples:
- Do you know why Christmas trees are evergreens?
- Do you know why we put a star on top of the Christmas tree?
- Can I tell you about my favourite Christmas ornament this year? It’s the bell, because it reminds me of hope.
- What is your favourite ornament on your Christmas tree. Why is it special to you?
- What are some of your favourite Christmas traditions? What do they mean to you?
These simple questions opened doors to talk about Jesus in natural, engaging ways.
Tina has lots of other great ideas. I’d encourage you to check out her podcast, starting with this episode: Conversation Starters to Share the Gospel at Christmas.
Let’s Pray:
Lord Jesus,
Keep us from getting stuck in the comfort of familiar conversations. Help us break free and see opportunities to have meaningful talks this Christmas. Remind us of the wonder of Your coming to earth to save us. Thank You for the traditions that surround Your birth. Show us how to use these symbols to point people to You.
Amen.
------------------------------
Have a great week talking with people about Jesus.