My favorite questions to ask people, especially people who I know are unplugged from church:

What’s going on with you spiritually? and
Tell me about your spiritual experiences.

Then I try to shut up and actively listen, or give some affirmation (uh huh…wow!…etc.), or ask a few questions to draw them out some more (why do you think that’s the case? what else happened? was that a big marker in your life?). These are open-ended questions, and I want the person I’m talking with to be the focus, not me. I want to serve that person by listening (and I usually fail miserably, but I think my efforts are pointing in the right direction at least).

I don’t, however, ask “doyouknowjesusasyourpersonallordandsavior?” or “ifyoudietonightdoyouknowwhereyou’llspendeternity?” (as we all know, we have to say those words realfastandallclosetogetherlikethis because they’re not actually a string of interdependent words that make up a question, it’s actually onelongwordlikethis.

All this begs a monumentally important question, though: if I don’t ask those questions (you know, the right evangelical questions), aren’t I preaching a false gospel and watering down Jesus’ message of repentance? This is an absolutely valid question to ask, and here’s my definitive answer:

Maybe. It depends on what questions I ask or statements I make instead of those. When Peter preached at Pentecost he was clear:

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call” and “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” (Acts 2:38-41)

And 3000 were baptized. But then Luke, Acts’ author, immediately follows that with this:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)

And we like to just focus on the call to repentance. Maybe because repentance is all about them and their sin, and all the believers having everything in common and selling their possessions and goods to give to anyone who had need is more about us and we don’t want to do the hard work of living up to that standard (I’m pointing at myself here). We like to make a call to repentance as the end rather than the beginning.

I’m still working this out. Need to some more thinking and reading and praying and listening about this.