9 Ways to Bring God Into a Casual Conversation

An Adventist business executive is looking to catch “hungry fish.”

By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission

A

t a funeral, a coworker asked David Kim, a U.S.-based Seventh-day Adventist business executive, about his favorite weekend activities.

“I go to church and spend time with family,” David replied.

The coworker said he also liked to spend time with family, causing David to realize that he didn’t want to discuss faith.

The two men chatted about family. Then David said, “We have talked about family for a while, now how about faith?”

The coworker said quickly, “I am an atheist.”

“Why are you an atheist?” David asked.

The resulting conversation drew in other funeral guests and planted a seed that David hopes will lead to a Bible study.

David says it’s simple to bring God into a casual conversation. Here are nine ways that he responds to everyday questions:

Q: How was the weekend?

A: I had a great weekend! On Saturday we went to church, and on Sunday we ran some errands and went to the supermarket.

Q: What are your vacation plans?

A: We’re going to a conference put on by my church.

Q: How did you meet your wife?

A: We met at church in Chicago.

Q: Do you still play the cello?

A: Not like I used to, but I do teach my son, and I also have become involved with a Christian singer who has put together some really interesting recording projects on the books of Daniel and Revelation!

Q: What do you do for fun?

A: I spend most of my free time on activities related to my family and faith.

Q: How are you settling into the area?

A: Things are settling in well. One thing that has helped is that we’ve found a church.

Q: Why do you homeschool? How do your children get socialization?

A: We homeschool for a variety of reasons, but one of the more important is all of the stuff that happens to kids in school these days. Seems like there are a lot more ways for kids to get in trouble. Our kids get lots of socialization through things like their youth orchestra, homeschool co-op, and church.

Q: How do you manage your ambition vs. your desire for work-life balance?

A: This can be a real challenge, but one of the most helpful things for me — and I don't know how you feel about these things — is my prayer life

Q: Do you have any advice for how to be successful at work?

A: One of the things I find most helpful is spending time every morning in prayer and reading the Bible. It helps me to start every day focused on the big picture.

David likens himself to a fly fisherman.

“Fly fisherman are always casting,” he said. “I try to put bait out there and allow the hungry fish to respond.”

Coworkers have asked for more information about God through such conversations, and David conducts two to four Bible studies a week. Two coworkers have been baptized.

David Kim is a Seventh-day Adventist business executive and the founder of the Nicodemus Society, an organization that shares the Adventist message with the wealthy, worldly, and well-educated.