According to Gallup, 87 percent of Americans say they believe in God. How significant is that? Think about your ten closest friends and neighbors. This stat indicates that on average, eight or nine of them believe there is a God. I’m not suggesting they are religious or that they are churchgoers. They probably aren’t. I’m also not so naïve as to think that believing in a god means they have a relationship with Jesus. Most do not! The point is that most of the people around you already believe in a god, and they just need someone they trust to help them find their way back to the One True God. Discovering the best way to do that is why I wrote this book and why it will be helpful to you.

Before I get to the how-tos, here is some more good news: More than one in four non-Christians would say they are curious about Christianity and what it could mean for their lives. And when you present this question to young adults in their twenties and thirties, the percentage of those who are curious about Jesus and faith jumps from 26 percent to 36 percent. This is great news! Not only do the vast majority of your friends and neighbors believe in God, but somewhere between one-fourth and one-third are currently searching and interested to learn more about Jesus.

And here is the kicker: 79 percent of unchurched people5 agreed with the following statement: “I don’t mind talking to a friend about their faith if they really value it.” So within friendship, the vast majority of people are willing to talk about spiritual things.