Here are some questions that I often use as openers for evangelistic Bible studies for unbelievers. They have been quite effective for me in creating discussions about spiritual things and getting teens to open up.

They can also be useful in witnessing. The goal of these questions is to get kids talking, not just to set them up so we can hammer them with the Gospel. I hope they will be of some use to you.

1. Do you think there is a God? Why or why not?
   I probably wouldn't use Scripture with these two questions. The important thing is to get them talking about the subject. I often tell them my reasons for believing in God.
   
   I often say that His presence is like the wind, or even like gravity: you can't see it, but you can see its effects. My changed life, and the changed lives of those around me, is the best proof.
   
   Also, life itself is proof of intelligent design. Things like:
   • The earth is just the right distance from the sun in order for life to exist.
   • The earth's rotation is just fast enough that we don't burn up and not too fast so we don't fly off.
   • A person has to have a lot of faith in order to believe that we evolved from pond scum. In fact, where did the pond scum come from in the first place?
   
   As I said, this is all about getting them talking and thinking on the subject. As I talk with European teens, I see that they don't think much about this subject.
   
2. If you believe there is a God, can you describe Him?
   Once again, this is to get them thinking further about the subject. You might even ask the question like this... "If Jesus were to appear right in front of you, what would He say to you?"
   
   This not only gets them talking about their view of God, it helps us to determine their view of themselves. And if they have a wrong view of who God is, maybe we can then use a verse or a Bible story to show them otherwise. By far the best thing is to tell of our experience of God... something He has done for us.
   
   Maybe you could use a short Bible story to illustrate His character:
   • The story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8) illustrates His mercy and grace.
   • The story of the healing of the leper (Luke 5) communicates His compassion, acceptance and the fact that He offers us dignity that we don't deserve.
   • The story of the thief on the cross (Luke 23) illustrates the fact that we can't earn His grace and mercy... it's a gift, given from God's giving heart.
   
   Once again, I don't think Scriptures are really needed at this point. If I was going to take a Bible study and teach about this, I would probably only pick one Scriptural story and really try to get them to connect with it. Just don't get too preachy!
   
3. Do you believe in life after death?
   You might mention that Jesus spoke often about the afterlife, even using stories to illustrate His point so His listeners could better understand. In other words, He obviously believed in life after death. But don't come down on them if they don't believe. They have the right not to believe if they so desire.
   
4. What would you do if you were God? How would you change things?
   This one is only used as a discussion starter. Maybe the discussion will come to the point that it's difficult to see a loving all-powerful Creator in the chaos of this world. If the discussion goes in this direction, make sure you point to the fact that this was not God's original intention for His creation. God gave Adam and Eve authority to run things down here, but they betrayed His trust and things have gone downhill since then.
   
   The events in the world today illustrate what happens when we try to control our own destiny. Which leads perfectly into the reason that Jesus came... He came to save us from our willful rebellion against God and its greatest consequence: separation from Him.
   
   God loves us so much that He wasn't willing to abandon us (leave us stuck in the situation that we have created for ourselves)... that is why Jesus came. And then I would probably end with the fact that Jesus said He would be coming back soon to rescue us and to set the things in this world right again.

I always end by telling my story of coming to Christ and the difference He's made in my life... maybe a story or two from my life that illustrates how I know there's a God and what He's like

Whatever you do, always give them an opportunity to give their hearts to Jesus Christ. But don't be pushy. If you leave them with a good impression, you've made it easier for the next person to share the Gospel to them.

May God richly bless your efforts to share His love with a lost and dying world!

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