How might we become more confident in talking about our experience of God with each other in church, in our work places, school playgrounds and shops, with our neighbours, friends and colleagues?
Many of us don’t feel confident talking about faith outside church on Sunday, perhaps because we think we don’t know enough, we’re not good enough or we wouldn’t be taken seriously. As a result, we don’t talk about God, or about how faith in Jesus Christ has changed us. How do we change that culture of being uncomfortable with ‘God talk’?
Over the past few years, in our diocese we have been using a practice called ‘Changing Lives Conversations’ to help us notice and name what God is doing in our lives. Those conversations really have helped to change the culture for many of our churches and worshipping communities.
A Changing Lives Conversation is a short, relaxed conversation where we express something of what God means to us in the contexts we live and work in every day. The conversation begins with a simple question which is designed to help us notice the presence and work of God in our lives and to name it out loud to another person.
How to use Changing Lives Conversations with a group
- Invite people to get into pairs and give them 4-5 minutes to ask each other the following question. Before you invite people to move into pairs, allow a few moments of silence for everyone to think about their answer to the question:
- How is Jesus/God changing your life at the moment? (The question doesn’t have to be exactly the same as this one, but it should be something which invites people to notice and name where they are experiencing the work/presence of God in their lives.)
- If time allows, invite people to ask each other a follow-up question:
- How can we encourage each other to be everyday disciples?
Further resources
- A facilitators guide in how to use the questions effectively
- A card with the CLC questions on it, for use in groups or as a personal reminder
- Alternative questions to use if the two listed above are unhelpful for any reason
These are produced by the national church and inspired by the way these questions have impacted our diocese.