A Time to Tell?

Mon 02,2026 | By admin

QUESTION:
When is it appropriate to share material in a Q Place group that directly explains the Gospel? Or does Q Place only recommend self-discovery resources?

When we started our group with “Dan” and “Sara,” they appreciated being able to discover what the Bible says for themselves rather than being told what to believe.

Our group went through the Gospel of Mark together, and then Acts and Foundations for Faith, plus John, Romans, Genesis and Philippians, as well as countless discussions on many spiritual topics. Along the way, Dan & Sara both decided to follow Jesus and got baptized. Grateful for our group, one day Dan asked me why more Christians didn’t start groups like ours. He loved having the chance to explore for himself without being pushed to believe what someone else said.

So I was surprised how excited Dan and Sara were about a little book I gave our group members for us to discuss in response to questions that had been raised.

The book was The Reason Why: Faith Makes Sense, by Mark Mittelberg.

The Reason Why is based on a classic bestseller by Robert Laidlaw, written a hundred years ago to explain in a thoughtful and accessible way why he was convinced that faith in God is reasonable. Mittelberg updated and expanded Laidlaw’s topics. It contains timeless spiritual wisdom, answering questions like Is there a God? Can the Bible be trusted? Are we accountable to God? Who is Jesus? and more.

Our questions for each chapter of this book discussion were simple:

What stood out to you?
What didn’t make sense?
What do you still have questions about?

I had planned to spend one meeting discussing this short, readable apologetic book and then move on to the next Bible discussion.

But Dan and Sara could not wait to get our discussion going that first day, and they were adamant that we spend more time in it! So our group decided to discuss one chapter a week.

“That little book lit me on fire!” exclaimed Dan.

The foreword had immediately attracted Dan’s attention. Written by Ken Blanchard, internationally known business leader and author, it begins, “In many ways I’m a latecomer to the Lord.” Dan is also latecomer to the Lord, and as a businessman, he already knew of Ken Blanchard!

The ministry of Q Place uses the inductive or self-discovery approach. We believe asking questions is usually the most powerful way to engage in spiritual conversations. In our groups, people can self-discover who Jesus is and don’t feel like you are pushing them to become a Christian.

In fact, one of our favorite go-to resources when a group participant is clearly seeking is our Bible discussion guide called Foundations for Faith, which walks people through the gospel message from Genesis to Jesus. Many Christians have invited a friend to go through Foundations for Faith one-on-one with them, and as a result, the person has put his or her faith in Jesus.

But there are times when a more direct, shorter approach is appropriate and useful.

How do you know when it’s time to use other materials?

Readiness in Group Participants

Always watch for readiness! Pay attention to the questions people are asking. The self-discovery approach can prime the pump for people to engage heartily with content that is a presentational—whether spoken or in print.

As 1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect….”

In my story above, our group was asking questions about faith, and I knew The Reason Why addresses those questions in a clear, engaging way. The time was right because everyone was primed and ready to engage with the content!

You might have found a different resource that lays out the gospel in a way that you find compelling or that deals specifically with questions of life, God, and the Bible.

If you have a Q Place group, you are building trusting relationships and engaging in discussions that raise questions. As a result of the safe environment in your group, participants may be more open to something that spells out answers for them: an event, a book, a brochure, a movie, or another trusted resource. You can ask group members if they would be interested in reading the book or going to the event together and then taking a session to discuss it.

Often just one person in your group may be ready for material that is laid out clearly and directly. My colleague Jan saw this readiness when a participant in her Q Place group knocked on her door one day. It was almost time for “Allison” to pick up her children from school, but she asked Jan if she had a little time to talk.

A neighbor had invited “Allison” to their group when they were going through the book of Mark together, and Allison had come to the group every week since then.

On this day, clearly something very important was on Allison’s mind. Jan invited her in and asked how she could help. Allison said,

“You and several other women in the group have something that I don’t have.”

It was obvious to Jan that the Holy Spirit was drawing Allison to Christ. Because of the time constraint, Jan decided the quickest, clearest way to explain the difference in her was with Steps to Peace with God, a booklet by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

When Jan asked Allison if she had enough time for them to read it together, she instantly said yes! When they finished reading through the pages, Jan didn’t want Allison to be late picking up her children, so she told her that if she wanted to accept Jesus into her life, she could take the booklet home and pray the prayer at the end.

“Is there any reason I can’t do this now?” Allison asked. “This is too urgent, and my kids can wait!”

Obviously, the Holy Spirit was at work, and Jan was delighted to usher Allison into the kingdom of God right then!

Over the following weeks, Allison told her best friends, her Jewish husband, and eventually all the women in their group about how Christ had touched her life, and she continues to walk with God and grow in her faith.

A booklet like this can be helpful for people to understand the gospel in a nutshell, especially after they have self-discovered who Jesus is in a group and don’t feel like you’re pushing them to become a Christian.

Readiness in Acquaintances

Jan has many stories of using the same booklet, Steps to Peace with God, when someone she has just met shows signs of readiness. She keeps several copies of the booklet in her purse, and she knows the time is right when she senses God’s prompting and spiritual hunger in the person she is talking with.

How does this happen? The interaction always starts as Jan is noticing, praying, listening, and asking questions with someone she encounters. And then she often finds herself in a spiritual conversation. When she senses God’s prompting and spiritual hunger in the person she is talking with, she gives them a copy of the booklet. Sometimes she realizes that prompting after the conversation is over, and she walks back to the person.

“The Holy Spirit gives me the words that apply to what we’ve discussed and to introduce the booklet, explaining the relationship that I have with Christ that is offered to anyone.”

Sometimes Jan has also reconnected with the person who received one of her booklets, inviting them to lunch and to her Q Place group. So, that direct gospel tool can also prime the pump for an invitation for people to see the message of the Bible for themselves in a group.

Readiness for Group Participants to Share their Faith

We love to see group participants become group facilitators, providing the way for their friends to see the message of the Bible for themselves. But readiness to start a group can take time, and a tool such Finding Peace with God or The Reason Why can give group participants words and confidence to share the Gospel with others when they recognize readiness or an opportunity.

For example, Jan gave a woman in her Q Place group Finding Peace with God when her dad was dying, and she was able to give it to him and know that he had the chance to see and understand the message of Jesus before he died.

In my own group, several members ordered copies of The Reason Why, to give to their friends and family!

In the past, Dan has struggled to explain his new-found faith, but this book has been helping. Dan told our group, “I especially liked the conciseness, clarity, logic, and the evidence-based case to make points. The ‘businesslike case’ led the reader to the decision point. Is it a deal or not? Yes or no? No excuses! Let’s close the sale or read again and then buy in.”

He ordered several copies and, as the Lord leads, has given them to long-time friends and family who have rarely discussed religion. He sent the book across the country to his friend Tom, a new Christian. Tom loved the book so much that he also ordered six more to give away.

Not everyone has been receptive, though, and I am not sure Dan and Sara themselves would have been as receptive to The Reason Why before our group got started. And this leads back to the value of providing an inductive way to share our faith.

The Surprising Benefits of the Inductive Approach will help you understand why we promote this approach, but now you can also see that we do believe there is a time and purpose for a direct approach. An inductive approach can effectively prepare the way so that a direct approach tool can have so much more impact!

Fran Goodrich
National Field Leader & International Collaborator

Editor’s Note: While supplies last, The Reason Why: Faith Makes Sense is available free through Q Place’s Resources Site.