Why Conversations Matter

Did you know the average person has around 27 conversations every day?

That’s nearly 10,000 conversations a year — about everything from the weather to what’s for dinner. We talk all the time. But how many of those conversations really count?

Every once in a while, one of those ordinary conversations turns into something sacred. A friend opens up about a struggle. A coworker asks a deep question. A neighbor mentions they’re going through a hard time. In that moment, God may be opening a door for something eternal.

That’s what Paul is reminding us in Colossians 4: God often works through simple, everyday conversations to open doors for the gospel. You don’t have to preach a sermon—you just have to pray, pay attention, and speak with grace and truth when God gives you the chance.

Here’s the reality: God doesn’t just use pulpits to change lives—He uses people.

He uses your words, your kindness, your courage in ordinary moments to point others to Jesus.

As we begin this series, “Conversations That Count,” here’s the question: How can you turn your everyday conversations into opportunities for eternity?

If you have your bibles, go with me to the book of Colossians. I will be reading from chapter 4. I want to start with verse 2.

Paul wrote the letter to the Colossians while he was in prison (Colossians 4:3, 18). Even though he was in chains, his heart was focused on the gospel going forward. The church at Colossae was made up mostly of new believers living in a culture full of competing ideas—Greek philosophy, Roman power, and Jewish legalism. Many false teachers were trying to mix Christianity with other beliefs, claiming that faith in Christ wasn’t enough.

So in the first part of the letter, Paul reminds them that Christ is supreme and sufficient—He’s the image of the invisible God, the head of the church, and the source of new life.

Then, as he closes the letter (in chapter 4), Paul shifts from theology to practice.

He tells believers how to live out their faith in the real world—especially around those who don’t yet know Jesus.

That’s where Colossians 4:2–6 fits in. Look at verse 2.

Colossians 4:2–6 NIV

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Paul outlines four key ingredients that turn ordinary talk into powerful, gospel-centered conversations.

1. Conversations Begin with Prayer

In our passage Paul talks about prayer for 3 times. He says, “Devote yourselves to prayer… pray for us, too… and Pray that I may proclaim it clearly.”

Before you have a conversation with people about God, you need to first talk to God about people.

Paul tells the church at Colosse to devote themselves to prayer. Devote yourselves implies a strong passion for prayer.

How many times do you say a little prayer before you do something? Like when you travel on a trip, get on an airplane, or have a big meeting at work. We should also talk to God and ask Him who we should have a conversation with. I don’t mean every conversation you have, but when you go to some place intentional, looking for opportunities to talk to someone.

Paul tells them, “Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ.”

He wanted the church to pray with them to have opportunities to minister the Gospel. If you ask, God will give you opportunities to talk to someone about your faith in Christ.

Why is it we become so nervous when we go to share our faith?

Shouldn’t our faith be a part of our natural conversation. If a friend tells you they aren’t feeling well, use that as an opportunity to pray. Tell them, “I believe in the power of prayer, is it okay if I pray for you?”

I believe the saddest thing today is people outside the church know more about what we are against than what we believe. Our conversations need to be impactful and they will if we begin those conversations with prayer.

What does a farmer do before he plants seeds in the garden? He has to till it and prepare the soil for a harvest. If he went out and just scattered seed, some would grow, but others would just be wasted. Pray is what tills the heart before you plant the seed into a person’s life.

Today, I want you to build a prayer list of people you long to see come to Christ. It could be anyone that you have in your life that you want to see come to faith in Jesus. It could be a relative, a neighbor, or co-worker. Begin the list my praying and asking God to help you have opportunities to share your faith with these individuals. And start praying for them to soften their hearts to hear the Gospel message.

2. Conversations Open Doors

Remember verse 3. Colossians 4:3

Colossians 4:3 NIV

3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.

How many of you remember the gameshow, Let’s Make a Deal? I know they have revived this show recently. They would bring the contestant down to the front and present to them three doors. Usually there was two prizes behind two doors and a clunker behind a third. Those doors represented opportunities on this show. As believers, we need to pray for opportunities. Pray for doors to be opened. God is the one who opens doors for you. If God opens the door than you can guarantee that there is not a clunker behind that door.

Every conversation you have in life can be a divine appointment if we are attentive. We need to slow down and ask God to reveal those opportunities to us.

Imagine this: You sit down with a friend or coworker for a casual cup of coffee. The conversation starts the way it always does—talking about work, family, sports, or the weather. Nothing deep, nothing dramatic. But then, almost out of nowhere, your friend mentions something personal. Maybe they say, “I’ve been really struggling lately,” or “I don’t know what to do next.”

In that moment, something shifts. The atmosphere changes. A simple conversation about coffee turns into a sacred moment.

That’s what Paul meant when he said, “that God may open a door for our message.”

We don’t force those moments; God opens them. Our job is to stay prayerful, present, and ready when He does. Because often, the most meaningful gospel opportunities don’t happen on a stage—they happen at a table. Over coffee. In the break room. On the back porch.

When you approach every conversation with the mindset, “Lord, is this the door You’re opening?” you’ll start seeing divine appointments in the most ordinary moments.

This week I want you to approach daily interactions with expectancy. Be alert and ask God, “Lord, is this the door You’re opening?”

3. Conversations Need Clarity

Colossians 4:4 NIV

4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

How many of you remember the three minute testimony I had you write this summer? Now is a good time to gets those out again and practice your testimony so that you may have an opportunity to share that testimony with someone when the time arrives. Keep it simple.

We tend to make sharing the Gospel too complicated. Remember what I said your testimony should have. Who I was before Christ, what Christ did for me, and who I am now.

When we share the Gospel message we need to avoid religious jargon. We need to speak in everyday language.

How many of you like going to the doctor? And then when you have something wrong with you and they try to explain what it is, you’re like huh. They use these complicated words and you are like Doc just speak english that I can understand.

If I came in here every week and talked about hermeneutics and exegesis you would stop coming because you didn’t know what I was talking about. We want people to speak to us so that we can understand it. We want it simple in everyday language. That is how our testimony should be.

We need to be able to tell our testimony in three minutes or less. We need to make it clear and where anyone can understand it.

Jesus spoke to ordinary people. His disciples were fishermen, zealots and tax collectors. They weren’t religious scholars and philosophers. He presented the Gospel to where they could take His message and declare to everyone around the world. We are still sharing their stories today.

We must continue the tradition by doing the same. Present the Gospel in a clear manner that people can understand who Jesus is and what He’s done for you.

4. Conversations Reflect Christ

Look at the last two verses of our text.

Colossians 4:5–6 NIV

5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Everyone one of us should be always ready to answers questions about their faith. Why are you a Christian? What made you decide to follow Jesus? How has your life been changed?

Peter says it this way.

1 Peter 3:15–16 NIV

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. 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, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

How many of you have ever receive french fries at McDonalds and they did not have any salt? Those fries aren’t the same are they?

But if they season the fries just right, then you want more. You might even crave more. Some people say that McDonalds fries are the best. You may somewhere else that you like better, but they are only better if they have the right amount of salt.

When our conversations reflect Christ then we have seasoned our words just right.

We need to ask ourselves,

“Do my words make Christ attractive or push people away?”

Let me close with this story.

There was a man named Jason who stopped by the same coffee shop every morning on his way to work. Every day, he was greeted by the same barista — cheerful, polite, but with something in her eyes that said she was carrying more than she let on.

For months, their conversations were simple — weather, coffee flavors, small talk. Nothing deep.

But one morning, Jason felt that gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit. You know that whisper you sometimes get — the one that says, “Speak up. Say something.”

So as she handed him his coffee, he said, “Hey, this might sound a little random, but I’ve been praying that God would use me to encourage someone today. Is there anything I could pray for you about?”

The barista froze, and tears filled her eyes. She said quietly, “My mom was just diagnosed with cancer. I haven’t told anyone here. I actually asked God this morning if He still saw me.”

That single question opened the door to weeks of conversation — prayer, encouragement, hope. Eventually, she came to church, met Jesus, and later told Jason, ‘That one conversation showed me God hadn’t forgotten me.’

You see, that’s why conversations matter. God uses ordinary words from ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Our churches name is Connect Church. We want to connect people to God. We want to do that by having Christ-centered conversations.

Your conversations matter. People matter. What you say to people can be the bridge that connects people to Christ.

Do me a favor this week? Look for an opportunity to be a bridge for someone. It could be in a coffee shop. It could be at work or in a store. Don’t hold back! Look for opportunities. Open your mouth and start conversations.

I believe if you will ask Him to, the Holy Spirit will give you the nudge that you need to build a bridge with your conversations.

This morning, I want us to pray for one another. Can we get in a group of 3 or 4 and pray for each other. Pray that each of you will have boldness this week to build bridges with your conversations.

Let’s pray.