Chicken Evangelism Makes Friends

Make a Friend with Chicken Evangelism

The crowd of ticketed passengers was waiting at the gate for our flight from Portland to Salt Lake City. As is usually the case, we were all avoiding eye contact, yet simultaneously profiling our fellow passengers. Over there was the severely overweight man; I hoped not to have to squeeze into a seat by him. Then there were the women with necklines so low I would be embarrassed to have to sit next to them. There was a foreign-looking guy with scraggly hair and pants so low his belt was actually below his buttocks.  I’ve never seen a man who wore his pants so low.  Fortunately, he wore such a long-tailed shirt that that he was not exposed.  I mused, “I think I could handle sitting next to him.”

I boarded the plane and found my assigned aisle seat, 27C.  A lady came and took seat 27A by the window.  Finally, just before closing the doors, the man with the low pants came and sat down beside me in 27B.  He immediately fiddled with his cell phone so as to avoid any contact.  After a while I interrupted him by introducing myself.  “My name is Ed*,” he returned.  I found out how to spell his name and that he was a Filipino from Manila.  I told him about my trip with my wife to Mindanao and our wonderful experiences in the Philippines.

After the plane took off I asked, “Have you received Jesus Christ into your life?”  He replied affirmatively, yet so vaguely that it left me wondering.  Because I’ve asked this initial question so many times to so many people, I could count on a time tested result. I expected I could make a friend. I expected the man would open up about his life, and he did. As we conversed I discovered that he was born a Roman Catholic, that he had received Christ as a child, (“a long time ago”), and that he had been divorced four years ago.

As the flight continued, I shared parts of my life and my story with Ed.  He began asking questions about my life.  He was very interested in our farm and what else I did.  I told him I was a marriage counselor and we talked about the many benefits of marriage.  He began to open up about how his marriage had fallen apart and how he had tried, without success, to keep it together.  Ed knew I was interested, so he shared his life.  He has a Bible (“I have many Bibles”), he reads almost daily, doesn’t go to church, and has no current job.

Near the end of the flight I asked if I could pray for him.  “Sure,” came his welcome response.  We had talked almost non-stop for the duration of the trip.  Surprisingly, Ed was more interested in my life and me than most strangers I had ever met.

Want to make a friend?  Take courage and simply ask, “Have you received Jesus Christ into your life?”  Ask soon after you meet—ask before you chicken out. I find I have about a five-minute window. If I share Christ in that period, I can do it. If I wait too long, I usually chicken out. When I first began, I was afraid I might offend someone. The opposite turned out to be true. The simple question “Have you received Jesus Christ into your life?” opens the deeper parts of a soul. It’s a way to make a friend, but it’s more than that.

Here’s how it works. When we share unashamedly what means most to us, the other person opens up also. I’ve found again and again that many people will share openly with a caring stranger the things they hide from friends and family.

God’s heart is for the lost. You will be amazed how He will use you with strangers. You can lead people to Christ. You can enjoy new friendships with strangers. God wants to use you. Take courage, try it. Chicken evangelism is fun and never ceases to be an adventure.

If you’re leading people to Christ, I’d like to know how you do it. Tell your story in the comment box below.

*Ed is a pseudonym.