In Liberia in 1956, President William Tubman asked me to conduct a series of evangelistic meetings in his country. Recently reelected to office for another term of four years, President Tubman had arranged a week of festivities to follow his Inauguration Day. The evangelistic meetings were to begin the week after those festivities. Another evangelist and I were soon in the process of preparation.

Because of our affiliation with the President, we received invitations to all the inaugural affairs. After Inauguration Day, we attended as many festivities as possible.

But I received one request that I had to pray about. It was an invitation to the Inaugural Ball. Since there would be dancing and heavy drinking of liquor, I questioned whether it would be wise for me to attend.

Then I asked God, "Lord, I'm confused What should I do?"

The Holy Spirit responded with firm clarity: "Go!"

So I went. The President and his wife were there. Also present were diplomats, military officers, government officials, and leading business people - all beautifully dressed in silks, satins, and uniforms.

The Inaugural Ball began with a Grand March. It was pleasant to watch the dignity of the dancers' precise movements. But I still wondered why God wanted a minister to attend this ball.

The Grand March was soon completed. Participants dispersed, and individually began to drink or dance.

At that point I decided it was time for me to venture out. I picked up my glass of ginger ale, and went to talk with people who remained sitting at various tables.

I spent the main portion of that evening at three different tables. One was the table of a Russian delegation of diplomats visiting Liberia. With the help of an interpreter I found that the leader of the Russian delegation was interested in knowing about Jesus. While others danced, we talked one hour about Christ.

Liberia's Secretary of State sat at another table. After introducing myself, we conversed for a long time about the importance of Christ in one's life.

The Chief Justice of Liberia's Supreme Court was at a third table. We began our conversation with areas of mutual interest, and later talked at length about Christ.

After the Ball was over, I realized that the Holy Spirit had been speaking thru me. That night I had been able to have significant conversations about Christ with at least three spiritually open people.

A few days later, we began a series of evangelistic meetings that swept the country of Liberia. The Chief Justice came to one of those meetings. He was miraculously healed, and became a strong Christian.

Liberia's Secretary of State Started to regularly attend our downtown church. He later became a faithful Christian, and would often pray for two to three hours. One day he commented, "I want to thank you for talking to me at the Ball. That led me to come to church. It is there that I have learned how to pray to God."

Three months later we received news of the visiting Russian delegation. After his return to Moscow, the leader I had spoken with was chosen to be one of five main rulers in Russia.

There is much talk in today's world. People discuss a wide variety of subjects: money, weather, jobs, religion, politics, personal feelings, food, and family.

The Christian is to be careful in conversation. Spoken words are a vital element in any outreach. Scripture urges, "Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word, nor unwholesome or worthless talk ever come out of your mouth; but only such speech as is beneficial to the spiritual progress of others...that it may be a blessing to those who hear it" (Ephesians 4:20, AB).

The Bible later encourages, "Let your speech at all times be gracious, seasoned with salt, to know how you ought to answer anyone" (Colossians 4:6 AB). Like salt is vital to human life, the Christian is to let his conversation be essential and focused, in order to solve people's specific problems.

One responsibility of the Christian is to develop the kind of conversation that reaches out to people, and points them to Christ. There are three principles in developing significant conversation.

Show Positive Interest.  Learn how to listen. Discover the other person's interests and involvements, and what topics he or she enjoys discussing.

God commended himself after the days of creation by saying, "It is good" (Genesis 1:4-25). It is important to build support through genuine praise and appreciation. Christ often took special interest in the poor and sick. It is essential to show positive care and concern.

One famous American President became a personal friend to every dignitary he met. Before a foreign diplomat came to visit, the President would discover and study the diplomat's hobbies or areas of personal concern.

When a diplomat met the President, they first talked on an official, political level. But that changed. The President praised the diplomat for any special achievements. Then the President began discussing the diplomat's hobbies or areas of concern. H would attentively listen as the diplomat responded. Through that President's expression of positive interest, he built friendships that endured. The remainder of his life.

Locate Needs. Any need is an opportunity for the power of God to be released. Significant conversation locates primary needs, and makes the Gospel relevant to those needs. In order to do this, it is sometimes necessary to become vulnerable to the other person.

I have heard testimonies of many home cell unit leaders. Most cell unit leaders have had problems and needs that only the miraculous power of God could solve.

When those home cell leaders talk with non-Christians, they are careful to show positive interest. If a home cell leader finds someone with a specific need, often that leader will respond, "Oh, I had the same problem. Then I became a Christian. God has helped me fill my needs and solve my problems. He can do the same for you."

In serving as a minister in many parts of the world, I have not found people automatically open and hungry for the Gospel. But I have found people with problems. If I showed those people that the Gospel could solve their problems, then they were ready to receive Christ.

Depend on the Holy Spirit. Many people are hurting and in need of comfort and encouragement. Many want to cry to God, but do not know how to pray. Many are full of fear, desperately desiring faith.

The Holy Spirit is the Christian's ultimate guide in talking with those people (John 16:13-14). Only by depending on the Holy Spirit can the Christian launch into significant conversation.

Through developing Spirit-directed significant conversation, personal testimony becomes a vital reality. The Gospel message is written on hearts open to God. And Christ becomes a living Person to each individual that the believer encounters.

Article copyrighted 1981 by "World of Faith" magazine, Winter 1981, Volume 3, No. 1, Pages 6-7. This magazine is no longer published, but has been replaced by "Church Growth," available at P. O. Box 7; Seoul 150, Korea.