How to Evangelize to Strangers
Opening an evangelism encounter can be intimidating. But you can learn how to evangelize to strangers. God commands us to make disciples in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). He chooses to use us in evangelism (Romans 10:13-15). And God guarantees the success of the mission (John 6:37-40). None of the seats at the Great Banquet table in the kingdom of God will be empty (Luke 14:15-24). So let’s get busy.
This post is intended to give you some creative ideas. You can share the gospel boldly and have fun doing it.
Here are Ten Ways to Open an Evangelism Encounter with a Complete Stranger
1. Use the New 10 Commandments Lie Detector Kit:
You walk the stranger through the 10 Commandments while using the lie detector. Ask a stranger, “Have you ever stolen anything?” And if you think the stranger is lying, the lie detector buzzes. But if you think the stranger is telling the truth, the lie detector beeps in agreement. You control the lie detector responses remotely. But it appears to be scientifically calibrated because it includes sensors and a fake app for voice stress monitoring.
Once they realize their sinfulness, you point them to the Savior. And you have fun while sharing your faith. This one will cost you about $35. But you have got to see this to believe it. Here is a video demonstration of the New Lie Detector Kit.
2. Give me any Three-Digit Number. It points to the Gospel.
The stranger picks a three-digit number. And you process that number with a few simple calculations. Surprise: no matter what number the stranger picks, it leads to Romans 10:8-9. And you already know Romans 10:9: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved.
After they read Romans 10:8-9, you can ask them a couple of questions. Do you know the gospel? Have you repented and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone? There is no cost for this one because you can use any piece of paper. And here is a quick video demonstration: How to Share the Gospel Using Simple Math.
3. Rebus Puzzles: We use rebus puzzles on a whiteboard to attract people at the University of Cincinnati and Miami University.
Rebus puzzles are word pictures that represent a common phrase. People are intrigued by the puzzles because they are clever. And you can provide a few hints to help them solve the puzzle. But once you have the conversation going, it is easier to bridge to spiritual matters. Because a whiteboard is cheap you can get started right away. And here is a short video of our Evangelize Cincinnati University Ministry. We use rebus puzzles on the whiteboard to open evangelism encounters with total strangers. Rebus puzzles help you learn how to evangelize to strangers.
The answer to the first puzzle in the picture above is Big Baby. The second answer is “get over it.” Because people love to solve puzzles you will have fun and learn how to evangelize to strangers.
You Have Never Tried These Three Ways to Open an Evangelism Encounter
4. Bible Glasses: These bible glasses allow you to cite any Bible verse on demand. Your stranger picks any random verse from a Bible. And they are amazed that you can cite the full verse accurately. How does it work? You get a little help from a Bluetooth device that is concealed in the frames of your eyeglasses. And a little help from a friend who whispers the selected Bible verse into their phone. See the Rich Ferguson Video. Impressive. Note: the video includes a variety of applications but we focus on Bible knowledge only. Bible glasses are not cheap but they are worth it.
5. Folding Dollar Bill Trick: I use a pair of $1 bills that seemingly turn into a $2 bill and then a $5 bill just by folding and unfolding the bill. And this trick always gets a smile. But I continue the magic by “turning” the $5 bill into a million dollar gospel tract. Now that the gospel tract is in their hand, I read the opening question: “Do you think you will go to heaven when you die?” And the only cost is the currency which is folded up. So here is a quick video of the folding dollar bill trick.
6. Play the Name Game: I use Dorothy Astoria’s The Name Book to introduce spiritual things. People love to 
learn about their given names because they get to talk about themselves. And this book contains spiritual connotations for each name. So here is the approach:
- Q) “What is your name?”
- A) “Joseph.”
- Q) “Oh, this book says Joseph means wise and understanding. Do you consider yourself to be wise and understanding? What do you think happens after someone dies?”
I once played the “Name Game” with a woman named Renee. Her name means “born again.” You will be surprised how many people’s names tie back to scriptural themes and topics and people. Because the book only costs about $15, you can easily try it. Here’s a video illustration of the “Name Game.”
Use a Gospel Tract
7. Million Dollar Bill
First, ask this simple opening question: “Did you get one of these?”
Then offer the person a million dollar bill gospel tract. You might say, “It is a million dollar bill with a million dollar question on the back. Here’s the question: Do you think you are going to heaven when you die? How about you? What do you think?” A stack of 100 will cost you about $6 at the Living Waters store.
8. Curved Illusion Tract: I also love the curved illusion tract from Living Waters Ministry. People are confused when you first show them the trick. And the best part is that you give them the trick to share with others. A stack of 100 costs about $10 at the Living Waters store. So here is a quick video of the curved illusion trick.
Identify a Person “Wearing a Conversation”
9. People with Tattoos: If you see a tattoo, compliment the person and ask a question about it. You can say, “I like your tattoos. Which one is your favorite?” And many tattoos are about lost relatives. And some are about death. They beg the question: “What do you think happens after you die?”
10. People Wearing a T-shirt with a Point of View: Maybe they are wearing a T-shirt featuring the University of Kentucky, marijuana, or a rap artist. I just say, “I like your T-shirt. Are you a fan of…”
May God bless you as you ”Go into all the world and share the gospel with all creation.” Mark 16:15
If you enjoyed this post on How to Evangelize to Strangers you may be interested in other articles from Evangelize Cincinnati.