How to Turn a Conversation to Christ

The good news of Jesus connects to all parts of our lives. Therefore, there is potential within any conversation to turn it to Christ. If this is true, why do we find it so hard to bring up Jesus in our everyday interactions with the people around us, even with the students to whom we are ministering? How do we begin to cultivate habits of obedience in telling people about Jesus and hearing their beliefs?

Getting in Position

So you find yourself in a conversation with someone who is not yet a believer. Good job getting that far! Starting this connection is half the battle.

Now that you are conversing with another human being, you want to direct the conversation toward Jesus and His gospel. In this Go to the Campus video, Kevin and Mark share that there is a touchpoint for the gospel in every conversation and that the gospel should be shared at the first good opportunity.

Every conversation can pivot to spiritual truth if we are creative, prayerful, and Spirit-led. Within the conversation, focus on discovering the felt needs of the person, and when you see that opportunity, do not hesitate or talk yourself out of it.

During a Casual Conversation

There will be many opportunities to share Jesus with students simply by having a conversation with them. As you talk to them, prayerfully look for some common ground or a need in their lives where you could bring up the importance of having a relationship with God.

I met Jaylen at a coffee shop. He and a few of his friends came to hear about what Cru offered at his school and I’m pretty sure he came just because he was interested in one of the girls. As I walked away, I prayed for Jaylen.

Over the next few weeks, I saw him a few more times at coffee shops and got his phone number. I said, “Hey, Jaylen, you know I work with Cru. Would you be interested in meeting with me for coffee and hearing what Cru is all about?” He agreed and we met.

As we sat in a coffee shop, I asked him about his spiritual background. He mentioned that he went to church as a child, but stopped after his parents split up. I asked if he had ever read the Bible and heard about what Jesus offers to us. He said that he had never owned a Bible, and that he had heard about Jesus but couldn’t explain what He means to us.

I shared a Cru tool called Made To Thrive with him, and we read through Isaiah 53 in the Bible that I gave him. He indicated that he wanted to follow Jesus, but he still had a lot of questions. Because we have approached the subject once, we are able to easily revisit who Jesus is in our next conversation.

Once you identify where a person is experiencing the God-sized hole in their life, you can share how Jesus has helped you in that specific area.

After an Outreach Event

There are maybe two or three times a year that you can host a guest speaker to come to your school, or take a group of students to a Christian concert. This is prime time to dig into what the students are thinking about the message.

Whether the speaker shares the gospel or not, you can ask questions to gain some understanding of what the person is thinking about God and a relationship with Him.

Four questions:

What did you think of the message/concert?
Are there any questions you have about the event or message?
How do you think we can know God in a personal way?
Would you like to hear how you can begin a relationship with Him?

Obviously, there are other questions you can ask in between each of these questions to help bring more clarity. Check out our helpful tool called Navigating the Four Conversational Sound Barriers for more great question ideas. Memorize these questions so you have them “in your back pocket” to use easily.

If the student is interested, use a tool like Knowing God Personally or your personal three-minute testimony to share the gospel with the student.

After a Shooting, Loss, or Trial

In our broken world, tragedies, shootings, and natural disasters happen far too often. These are times when many people are seeking answers and justice. We believe that God offers both.

Take a risk and ask the student their thoughts on the tragedy and how they think God views what happened and how people are responding. Ask if they know about God’s perfect love and justice displayed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Gen-Z’ers want to discuss what’s going on in our world and they have thoughts about how to fix it; but they likely don’t know how much the gospel of Jesus has to say about justice and restoration.

Using Evangelism Tools

Cru has many wonderful evangelism tools to help us in this process. While some, like Knowing God Personally or The Four Spiritual Laws, are focused on sharing the gospel in a brief manner, other tools are designed to simply begin a quality conversation that moves into spiritual territory.

Here are three tools that will be helpful as you begin Jesus conversations.

Snapshot Cards: a perfect tool for artistic or creative students. It uses 52 dynamic images to help people visually explain their thoughts on God and life. BONUS: it comes in a playing card edition to make it even more conversational.
QuEST Survey: a great way to initiate with anyone, or to start deeper conversations with someone you already know. It is five simple questions that start very shallow and fun, and progresses to more serious spiritual questions at the end.
Perspective Cards: perfect for the deep thinker, this helps students put words to understand their worldview, and gives you an open opportunity to share yours.
Exploration Questions: This is a great list of questions to help you transition a conversation toward Christ. Choose a few, memorize them, and try them out in your next conversaiton.

The gospel is the one antidote to a million different ailments, and Jesus is the great physician who came “to seek and to save the lost.”

Revisiting the Conversation

Once you have talked about Jesus one time, you can always begin a new spiritual conversation by saying, “remember that talk we had about Jesus?” Down the road, it is easier to resume the conversation once the ice is broken.

High school students are dynamic; they are always adapting, changing their minds about many things daily. Just because a student has no interest in following Jesus today does not mean they will never be interested. Be lovingly persistent—their eternity may be at stake!

Jesus Is Vital to All—Some Just Don’t Know It Yet

The gospel is the one antidote to a million different ailments, and Jesus is the great physician who came “to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) Pastor Tim Keller said that “the gospel is not the ABCs of Christianity. It is the A-to-Z.”

It’s not something that you learn at the beginning of your walk with God, and then move on from. We each need the gospel daily. If we model daily dependence on God for all of our needs, people will be drawn to the beauty and freedom of this new life in Christ.

The Gospel provides:

Healing for the Brokenhearted. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)
Peace for the Anxious. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)
Security for the Insecure. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2)
Purpose and Meaning for the Academic.“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Satisfaction for the Searching.“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
Freedom for the Oppressed. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

Once you identify where a person is experiencing the God-sized hole in their life, you can share how Jesus has helped you in that specific area. “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.” (John 3:17) God invites us into this saving work! Share “the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15)

The next time you find yourself in a conversation with a student, remember that God is on your side, and that the gospel is relevant to every single person on earth.

Next Step

Consider a student you have met but have yet to bring up the spiritual side of life. Choose an appropriate question or tool from this article, and use it the next time you see that student.

Conversations

This article is part of the Conversation Collection. Read the rest of these articles to get an even better understanding of how to have great conversations with students.

From Grief to Purpose: Finding God in the Storm

Growing up in a Christian home, she always knew about Jesus, but her relationship with Him didn’t feel personal until tragedy struck in eighth grade. Transitioning from homeschooling to public school had already pushed her out of her comfort zone, and anxiety loomed as she struggled to find her place. Then, during the fall of 2020, both her parents contracted COVID. While her mom recovered, her dad’s condition worsened, leading to months of uncertainty. She vividly remembers the day he left for the hospital and the long, heartbreaking journey that followed. Despite moments of hope, her dad passed away on February 20th, 2021. At just 13 years old, she faced the devastating reality of losing her father—a loss that shook her world and her faith.

In the midst of that grief, she began to see God’s hand at work. During sleepless nights and moments of overwhelming sorrow, God surrounded her with people who cared—friends, family, and a community that embodied His love. Though the pain of loss didn’t disappear, she found comfort in the truth that this life is not the end. Inspired by Paul’s words about eternity, she started to see her father’s passing as a reminder of the hope we have in Christ. That hope spurred her to action. On a family mission trip to Thailand, she met students leading Cru groups at their schools, and the seed was planted to start something similar back home. Despite initial uncertainty, God provided resources, opened doors, and brought others alongside her to launch Cru at her school—a ministry that has been thriving for nearly a year now.

"Anxiety loomed as she struggled to find her place."

Her story is one of resilience, faith, and transformation. Through unimaginable grief, she discovered the depth of God’s love and the strength found in trusting Him. The loss of her dad deepened her desire to share Jesus with others, knowing firsthand how essential His presence is in life’s hardest moments. Cru has given her a platform to do just that—to tell others about the God who redeems brokenness and uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Her journey reminds us that while pain is inevitable, God is sovereign, faithful, and able to bring beauty from ashes.

Next Step

Check out Christina's Story and consider how God might use an international mission in your or another student's life.

christina's story

The Six Milestones Every Student Needs to Grow in Faith

Why These Milestones Matter

If we are not careful, students can float through our ministry without ever taking real steps forward. They might show up every week, but never really grow or take ownership of their faith. Milestones give us a simple, clear map for helping them keep moving. They help us answer the question, “What’s next for this student?” and give students the courage to take that step.

When we guide students from milestone to milestone, we are not just helping them stay involved. We are helping them grow into strong, confident followers of Jesus who are ready to lead and influence others.

Share Christ with a Student Who Doesn’t Know Jesus

Before anything else, a student needs the chance to hear the good news of Jesus in a clear and personal way. This is where it all begins. Many teenagers have never heard the gospel explained in full, even if they have been around church. Take the time to share about God’s love, our need for forgiveness, and the hope we have in Christ. The first step in their journey is not about them sharing their faith — it is about them hearing it for the first time.

Helpful Resources:

Lead a Student Through Their First Follow-Up

When a student says yes to Jesus, it is just the start of something new and exciting. The first follow-up meeting is where you can help them understand what it means to walk with God daily. It is also a chance to build trust and start a discipleship relationship. This step anchors their new faith and helps them grow instead of drifting away.

Helpful Resources:

Help a Student Understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit

Helping students understand the Holy Spirit is a game-changer. Too often, new believers try to live the Christian life in their own strength, and it leaves them frustrated. Teaching them about the Spirit-filled life shows them how to depend on God’s power for both living and sharing their faith. This is when students start to realize that God is not just calling them to do hard things — He is empowering them to actually do them.

Helpful Resources:

GodTools App (go through the Satisfied tool with them)
Holy Spirit Booklet

Holy Spirit Study in Thrive Studies

First Evangelism Experience

Many students have never had the chance to talk about their faith with someone who doesn’t know Jesus. Taking them out to share, whether on campus, at an event, or in the community, changes that. At first, they might feel nervous, but once they see God working through them, it can be life-changing. That moment when a student realizes, “God just used me to help someone understand the gospel” — that is the spark that often leads to a lifetime of ministry.

Helpful Resources:

Challenge to a Cru Training Event

There is something powerful about getting students away from their normal routine and into an environment filled with worship, biblical teaching, and friends who are chasing after Jesus. Conferences give them the space to grow, hear from God, and take big steps of faith. The bus ride there might be full of nerves, but the ride home is usually buzzing with stories of what God did. Over and over again, we have seen students return from these events ready to lead and make a difference.

Helpful Resources:

Conferences Page

Challenge to Spiritual Leadership on Campus

Teenagers are capable of more than they realize. The world constantly challenges them to step up in sports, academics, and clubs, but sometimes the church forgets to ask them to lead in ministry. Giving students real leadership opportunities — leading a Bible study, speaking at a meeting, planning an outreach — unlocks their potential and sets an example for younger students. Over time, this creates a culture where leadership is expected and contagious.

Helpful Resources:

Student Leader Section – GoToTheCampus.com

Wrapping It Up

These milestones are not a checklist to rush through. They are a pathway to help students grow, one step at a time. Every student you know is somewhere on this journey. Your role is to encourage them, challenge them, and walk alongside them as they take the next step. The goal is not just to build a ministry — it is to build students who live on mission for Jesus for the rest of their lives.

Want to dig deeper? Check out our full conversations about the Six Milestones in these YouTube videos.

Next Step

Write down the names of every student in your ministry. Identify their current milestone and decide how you can help them reach the next one.

The Priceless Project: Impacting Girls in Public Schools

The Priceless Project: Impacting Girls in Public Schools

The Priceless Project is a powerful small-group resource designed especially for girls, offering a safe, encouraging space to talk about identity, value, and purpose. It’s already making a difference in public schools, giving students a chance to connect, grow, and be reminded of their worth.

One of its greatest strengths is flexibility. The Priceless Project comes in two versions:

A Bible study version for church, youth group, or Christian school settings
A public school version with the same strong themes but without Scripture references — making it ideal for campuses that might not allow explicitly faith-based content

The public school version can be a great way to get in the door on a campus that’s difficult to access. It allows you to mentor a group of girls who need it, build relationships with them, and meet real emotional and social needs in a way that schools welcome.

Priceless Project

from Emily French

Why use The Priceless Project?

Creates a safe, respectful space for girls to share and be heard
Meets real emotional and social needs in public schools
Builds leadership and peer-to-peer mentoring skills
Easy to use, with free resources and an app for facilitators
Proven track record in schools through partnerships with teachers and administrators

All digital resources are free for Cru. Use the discount code PricelessCru at checkout. All physical books are available for purchase at iampriceless.me.

A free Priceless Project App is also available for Apple and Android — with digital curriculum, playlists, blog posts, and a safe space for facilitators to connect with the girls they lead.

You can learn more, explore the curriculum, and order resources at iampriceless.me.