Recently we were spending time with friends when someone suggested an exercise we should try. They said, “Imagine you are on an elavator and someone asks  “Why are you a Christian?” We were given 20 minutes to come up with a 30-second response that would concisely answer the question before the elevator doors open, the person steps off, and your window of opportunity is gone. There were many good answers and I have been thinking about them ever since.  

What would I say if I had such a small window of time to convey such a huge message? How could I instill in the unbeliever’s heart this precious truth in a way that they could not but believe also?  Is my demeanor such that someone would feel comfortable approaching me in the first place? Do I study God’s word enough to be ready with a biblical answer to questions about my faith? As Christians we are to be ready at all times to answer those who question us, but are we?

In thinking on this and discussing it with friends, I found there are many  different approaches that could be used. One person said they would use the 30 seconds to invite the person out to lunch; then they would have the time needed to tell them about Jesus. 

Others had written down their own summarized versions of the Gospel message but when they read them, I noticed with some amusement that hardly any of them were only thirty seconds long. There’s so much content to share; condensing it down that far is hard. I picture myself holding the elevator door open so it won’t take off, and talking as fast as I can (’cause there’s one more thing I wanted to say) while the other passengers shake their heads and wish they had taken the stairs. 

So in thirty seconds, what would I say in answer to the question, “why are you a Christian?” Here is what I have come up with: 

We all are sinners, and sin separates us from God. But God made a plan to take away the barrier of sin and bring us back to him. He gave His own Son as a sacrifice for us, and we only need to believe in Him to be saved and have eternal life. Because He loved me enough to die for me, I’ve given my life to Him, and that is why I am a Christian. 

There is my 30 second summary. I’m sure it could be greatly improved. I would love to hear your thoughts-(feel free to comment!) but truly I think one would need at least 30 minutes to effectively get this message through to a person who is unfamiliar with it.  

For this reason, inviting the person to lunch seems like a good plan. Or exchanging phone numbers and encouraging the person to contact you with questions would be an option…?

Food  for thought… how are we doing in the area of spreading the gospel? How am I doing? Christ loved me enough to die for me; am I living for Him and bringing souls to the kingdom? 

Why are YOU a Christian?