Ignite
Your Hobbies, God's Mission
You can create fun, honest communites online that help people get curious about Jesus.
Follow along with our student, Destiny, to learn how to spark a good conversations, fan the flame with honest sharing, and stoke the fire by inviting friends to explore Jesus.
Click this icon for a step by step Google Doc to type your answers along the way. (Make a copy in order to type).
Getting stuck? Click this icon to find a training script you can read along with.
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SPARK
Fun in Community
What are your hobbies and interests?
Follow Along With Destiny
Meet Destiny. She's a 20-year-old college student from California who practices K- Pop dances in her free time. Destiny wants others to dance with her and afterwards have an honest conversation about race, justice, and Jesus. She also asked her friend, Seth, to co-lead this event with her.
Your Turn
Ignite events begin with fun and end with honest conversations.
What do you already enjoy doing that you could do with friends online?
Ex. cooking zoom group, poetry slam, book discussions, etc.
Who might help you lead this event?
Think of friends who could support you in prayer or co-hosting the event.
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
2 Corinthians 2:14
Which honest conversation will you host?
Proxes have helped InterVarsity students host honest conversations with friends and strangers on campus for the last 10+ years.
Choose a proxe to use to spark your honest conversation:
“God wipes away our tears.”
"Jesus breaks the chains of oppression."
"God invites us to be totally honest."
What network of friends will you invite?
Destiny's Networks
Destiny brainstormed outside the box about who she could invite to her K-Pop Ignite event. She realized she had 3 circles of people in her life: her friends, acquaintances, seemingly random connections. Destiny knew that in each circle, there were non-Christians who Jesus cared about.
Your turn
Brainstorm a list using these 3 categories.
Who are your friends, aquantances, and distant connections? Take a look at Destiny's cirlces of influence and create your own.
"…[Jesus] leaves the ninety-nine in the open country and goes after the lost sheep until he finds it."
Luke 15:4
Create your invitation
Destiny's Invitation
Destiny created her invitation:
"Hi everyone! How are you de-stressing lately? I’ve been enjoying learning K-Pop dances, and I’d love to do this with others on Zoom! Join me in getting fit and having fun through K-Pop dancing. I also want to discuss how we’re all finding hope in the midst of all the injustice. [date, time, link] Are you interested?”
Destiny made sure to invite people to both a fun activity and a honest conversation. Later she added an Insta-proxe to invite additional friends and connections
Your turn
Draft your invitation using Destiny's example as a template.
Like Destiny, invite people in your networks to join you for a fun activity and a caring, honest conversation.
Based on your proxe choice, end your invitation with:
“We’ll discuss how we find peace in a time of anxiety.”
"We'll discuss how we find hope in a time of injustice.”
"We'll discuss how to find real connection in a time of loneliness."
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FLAME
Honest Conversations
Lead an honest conversation
After having fun, start an honest conversation
Refer back to the invitation you sent everyone and ask them your honest question:
“As I said in my invitation, this event is part fun and part honest conversation. I want to offer space for us to share how we’re doing...”
"How are you all finding peace in a time of anxiety?"
How are you all responding to racial tension? (use this poster) How are you all finding hope in a time of injustice?”
How are you all finding connection in a time of loneliness? Sometimes it is hard to be real.
“I'll go first....”
Discover your story of hope
Destiny's Honest Sharing
Destiny wanted her friends to hear a personal story of hope that would grow their curiosity and openness toward Jesus. She wondered what she should share. She remembered that Jesus can turn our mess into a message of hope. So Destiny brought her own brokenness to Jesus in listening prayer. She asked Jesus to speak to her about her numbness.
Your Turn
Pick one area of brokenness and invite God to speak to you about this:
Anxiety
Loneliness
Numbness
Depression
Anger
Other
“But [Jesus] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
Listening Prayer
Destiny's Prayer
Destiny prayed:
“Jesus, I had been feeling numb about racial injustice. Now I’m starting to feel overwhelmed by the emotions, and I need your help. Would you speak to me? Is there something you want me to do with these feelings?”
She spent some time listening to God. She felt her mind slow down and thought of the words “my heart broke first.” Her co-leader Seth was praying with her and saw an image of people crying together.
Your Turn
Listening Prayer is simple.
- Just ask, “Holy Spirit, I have been feeling (name the emotion). Would you please speak to me about that right now?”
- Wait on God’s response and reflect (30 seconds).
For an additional example of listening prayer, watch this video.
Prepare your story
Destiny's Story
Destiny wrote and shared her story:
"I’ve been a mix of feeling numb and feeling overwhelmed by all the strong emotions stirred up by racial injustice. I got to a point where nothing was helping me. So I went to Jesus in prayer. Jesus gave me a sense of peace and hope that things would get better. ed me to reach out to some friends for support in processing my emotions.”
Your turn
Write out how you're feeling and how Jesus is speaking to you.
- The more specific, personal, and vulnerable your sharing is, the better.
- Don't be preachy or use "Christianese" (see this guide if you need help)
- Keep it brief (about 15 seconds).
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FIRE
Explore Jesus Together
The best part!
There’s nothing like the “aha” moment when seekers and skeptics get a clear picture of Jesus the revolutionary for the first time. They often respond, “Who has been hiding Jesus from me?!” We have the great honor of offering them this opportunity of a lifetime!
We will help you create a winsome transition from your Ignite events to your GIG (God Investigation Group)
Destiny's Appeteaser
Destiny prayed and made the courageous pivot from her Ignite to a GIG. First she showed them our art piece. They were intrigued. Check out what she says next:
“I’m hosting a group of students to look more deeply at this art piece and the Jesus quote that inspired it. If you consider yourself spiritually curious or open, I would love to hear your perspective. Are you interested and free on [date, time]...”
Your Turn
Easy to Lead Bible Discussions
What do you like about this?
Use art to stoke curiosity
Your Turn
To increase interest in your follow-up event, show the corresponding proxe to preview what’s to come, and ask a question:
"Take a closer look, what do you see?"
"What grabs you in this mural?"
"How do we fake it online?"
Write an invitation to explore Jesus
Destiny's Invitation
After people became intrigued by her appeteaser, Destiny invited them to explore the artwork deeper and look at the story that inspired it.
“I’m hosting a group of students to look more deeply at this art piece and the Jesus quote that inspired it. If you consider yourself spiritually curious or open, I would love to hear your perspective. Are you interested and free on [date, time]
Your Turn
Write your personal invitation to explore Jesus.
Invite people to a GIG on another day or to a GIG right after the event for those who want to stick around for another 30 minutes.
Next Steps
Destiny's Ignite Story
Destiny and Seth led a great Ignite with students from all over the country. They danced together online, shared vulnerably about their emotions, and one person even committed their life to following Jesus! Everyone gained a sense of community around justice and saw hope and faith growing in their hearts. That’s the goal of Ignite. Now it’s your turn!
Non-Christian friendly invitations
Learn to avoid using Christian Jargon when you invite your friends.
Help your friends launch Ignite Groups
Coaching Best Practices
Best tips to coach your friends to do Ignite