We all learn in different ways, and this means we all learn about faith differently too. This ultimately shapes how we share Jesus with others. Mission Styles is a tool designed to help you recognise how you are naturally wired to share Jesus, but it also equips you to share your faith with your friends. It allows you to speak their “language” by deepening your understanding of how they respond to the Gospel.
What is ‘Talk With Me’?
Talk With Me people are relational as they want to connect with you on a personal level. They not only want to share their story, thoughts and feelings with you, but they want to hear yours! They are keen to know what you think and why. This is because engaging with people more deeply is how Talk With Me people learn and grow; they will articulate their thoughts more clearly and come up with their best ideas when processing with others. A Talk With Me will often be found in conversation with others, asking questions, displaying openness, reflecting back and taking it all in. They want to know if the Christian faith is personal. They discover more of who Jesus is and that he is alive today when they realise he knows and cares for them, and that they can know him intimately. Hearing how God is working in people’s lives captivates them. Talk With Me people need ways to connect with others as well as the space and time to ask questions, share deeply, and freely process.
‘Talk With Me’ in the Bible
On the road to Emmaus, two of Jesus’ followers encounter him on the day of his Resurrection, however they do not recognise him. However, the deeper they go in conversation they gradually realise who he as they wonder “were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Jesus spends time talking to a Samaritan woman at the well, showing her care and attention as he converses with her despite Jews and Samaritans typically not associating. As he listens to what she has to say, he shares who he is and prophetic insight into her life. This conversation is a transformative experience for the woman, and she comes to believe Jesus is the Messiah and goes on to share her testimony with other Samaritans.
‘Talk With Me’ in a Nutshell
They want to know and be known by Jesus.
Faith is primarily exercised relationally.
They most relate to Jesus when he is engaging people personally with the Kingdom.
Your ‘Talk With Me’ Friend
*Tina can often be heard Facetiming her friends. She finds it easy getting into a deep meaningful conversation with people, and seems to also form a genuine connection with everyone! Tina is keen to hear about different people’s experiences and opinions; whilst she loves getting to share about herself she equally loves it when somebody has a fresh insight they feel deeply about (even if she doesn’t necessarily agree with them!) Tina is great at asking both thought-provoking and fun questions – when you first met her at Uni she asked way more interesting questions than just ‘Where are you from and what do you study?” She always seems interested in how you are doing, chatting with you about what you’re excited or anxious about. She is regularly catching up with friends at the SU Coffee Shop and is usually the one to initiate a pub trip. Going to the library is as much a social occasion as it is a study opportunity for her. Tina is obsessed with personality tests like the Enneagram as she loves understanding more about herself and other people. Tina wants to do a job that involves getting to work with a range of people. On a night out, she thrives when chatting to people in the smoking area and seems to make a new friend every time she goes to the loo. She likes chatting with you about church and faith, and is very intrigued about the personal relationship you say you have with Jesus. She is open to hearing stories of what God is doing at the moment and seems to experience some level of awe when you do. She happily and frequently asks you questions about who Jesus is and was one of the first to ask “Why are you a Christian and when did you start believing?”
Talk With Me Mission Ideas & Top Tips
Want to discover what Mission Style you are?
*Name changed to protect identity.
