Often times, spiritual conversations spur from raw, honest questions. “Why did you take my dad so young?” Steve scrawled in a journal. He was posing the question at Nick Peterson’s invitation. Nick asked Steve if he would like to write his most important question for God in a journal.
The question was an opening for Nick to ask Steve about his story and engage in a spiritual conversation on the campus of South Dakota State University, where Nick is on staff with Navs Collegiate ministry. Nick is committed to engaging students and he is always trying new ways to open a dialogue. He asks, “If you knew God existed and He would answer any question for you, what would you ask God?” He then gives students space to write their question in a journal. If they are willing, he reads the question and moves into conversation.
As Nick and Steve talked, Steve said that he knew enough about Christianity but wanted to explore other religions before deciding where to commit. Nick was bold in encouraging Steve to reconsider Christianity, “Can I humbly suggest you don’t know Christianity as well as you think you do, since you had such a hard time answering my question about the main message of Christianity?”
Steve smiled and said, “Yeah, that’s fair.” Nick then invited Steve to read the Bible with him.
Steve was willing and they set up a time to meet the next day. Unfortunately, Steve called to cancel. But Nick was persistent, and Steve sincerely wanted to meet. When they did get together they read through John 1:1-14. Steve had lots of questions about the Bible (“So is it like a story?” “What are these numbers?”) and how it was organized; it was all very new and interesting for him.
After they read and discussed the verses, Steve asked, “What does a person have to do to receive Jesus, to get right with God?” A lively conversation ensued and Steve remains open to keep reading the Bible with Nick.
How can you be praying? Pray that students will meet Jesus as they engage in conversations and Bible reading with Navigators on campuses around the country.
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