“Go, therefore, and make disciples . . .”[1]
πορεύομαιb; πορείαa, ας f: to move a considerable distance, either with a single destination or from one destination to another in a series—‘to travel, to journey, to be on one’s way.’[2]
If you’re like me, you may find yourself on the go a lot. Part of my ministry through the Kentucky Baptist Convention is to meet with pastors across Kentucky. I am always ready and willing to sit down with a pastor to discuss evangelism strategies or ideas on how their church can reach their community. I have been blessed to visit various parts of the state.
Regardless of where I’m going, there is a common denominator in almost every trip. I need (or will need) some gas in my tank! I rely on my car to take me from one point to another. If that car does not have gasoline in it, then the engine will not work. Unless you have discovered some sort of new engine that runs off of water, your car also needs gas. It may sound strange, but I have discovered that gas stations are an excellent place to have gospel conversations!
Everybody gets gas:
This may sound pretty obvious, but it’s true. Unless you go to a gas station in the middle of the night (and even then, I still run into people), you will probably find people. When I fuel up, I can look 5 feet in front of me, and someone is fueling up their car on the other side. When you go into the store, you may stand in line with people or interact with the salesclerk. I often hear Christians (especially those who have been in the church for a long time) say that they do not know any lost people. Guess what, if you get gas, you will probably run into someone who doesn’t know Jesus.
Okay, I know this is sounding kind of weird. You may be asking, “Kenny, you’re telling me that I need to be evangelistic at a gas station? People are there just to get gas and go. They don’t want to talk. How in the world do I do evangelism at gas stations? Do you expect me just to start preaching on my car hood or something?” Fair questions. Let me show you some practical and helpful ways to evangelize at the pump.
View a gas station for what it is, a stop on the journey.
Your intended destination is not the gas station (unless you have some sort of infatuation for day old hot dogs, Slurpee’s, or just hanging around five stars). You are on your way, and you are getting what you need for the rest of the journey. It’s a temporary stop.
You may not be able to build a deep relationship with someone across the pump, but you can be a stop on their spiritual journey. If you can quickly tell the person about Jesus in a positive and encouraging way, you might plant a Gospel seed that could grow. Never forget what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth[1]” Why can’t the Lord use you in a seed planting role at the pump? The Lord may use you to be a spiritual stop on someone’s spiritual journey.
You don’t have to preach a sermon, but you can give a gospel booklet.
You may find yourself getting into a full-blown gospel conversation with someone at the pump (I have on multiple occasions). Still, most of the time, it is a quick conversation. I like to utilize the Share Jesus Without Fear questions at the pump. I strike up small talk and then transition with a simple question, “Do you have any spiritual beliefs?” That little question has proven itself over and over again to open doors to Gospel conversations.
If I can get into a full presentation, I will, but I am prepared if I cannot. I am ready to give the person a gospel booklet. A Biblically faithful Gospel Booklet ( I particularly like using the Billy Graham tract, Steps to Peace with God) helps with brief encounters at the gas station. I strike up a conversation, I’m polite, I’m not pushy, I ask about spiritual beliefs, and then give them a tract. I rarely have someone refuse the gospel booklet, usually people are happy to take the gospel booklet.
I also carry various multi language Gospel booklets in my car. I often meet folks at the gas station whose heart language is not English. When I present them with a gospel booklet in their first language, I am confident that it will get read. My task is to share the Gospel and believe that God is able to do miracles with it.
Sometimes there is a Spiritual fill up.
I recall getting gas when an older woman pulled next to me. I began to strike up a conversation with this person. I then asked her if I could share a gospel booklet with her, and she allowed me to do so. I read the gospel booklet to the woman page by page.
At the end of the gospel booklet, the woman wanted to ask me a question. I was expecting the typical questions like, “How can I really know this is true” or “what about people who have never heard this message?.” or something to that effect. I was surprised at what she did ask. She asked, “Can God save me at a gas station?” My answer was “yes.”
I regularly share the Gospel at gas stations. To date, I have seen three people pray to receive Christ at local gas stations. Never forget that we are told to “Go and make disciples.” The Great Commission implies that we are to make disciples, even as we “are going.”
I want to challenge you to attempt to tell someone about Jesus. . . at the pump.
[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), 1 Co 3:6.
[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Mt 28:19–20.”
[2] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 183.
Evangelism Encouragement 