The term "hot spot" can have many meanings. It can refer to a place of volcanic activity, a region marked by political or military tension, a location where wireless Internet connection is available, or a place of more than usual interest, activity, or popularity.
I wonder if you have discovered an "evangelistic hot spot," that is, a place or situation which seems to be most ripe for sharing the gospel with others or inviting them to church. It could be the school cafeteria, your job site, playdates, sports outings, a local diner, public park, or recurring social event.
For me, it's a literal hot spot -- the sauna at a local gym. More often than not, I find that's the place where I'm most likely to strike up a conversation with another guy in the hopes of inviting him to church and/or sharing the gospel with him. The challenge is to do so within 20-25 minutes, or else I'm likely to pass out!
This scenario makes me think of a few verses in Scripture connected with the apostle Paul. In Ephesians 5:16, Paul encourages believers to be wise in their actions, using every opportunity to advance the gospel. In Colossians 4:4 he says, “Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” Then he exhorts his fellow Christians, saying, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
If we pray for opportunities, boldness and wisdom to share the gospel, God will grant those requests to us. But then we must be ready to recognize them and utilize them to make the most of our God-given opportunity.
Like I said, when I’m at the gym in the sauna, I have a very limited time to talk with other men who are in there, so I have to make the most of the few minutes that we have. It makes me think of Paul's conversation with King Agrippa in Acts 26. Paul was sharing the gospel with Agrippa and at one point Agrippa asked Paul, perhaps sarcastically, "In such a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?" A friend of mine posted this Scripture on Facebook and quipped, "Sometimes our evangelism should be so urgent that it alarms those we are evangelizing."
One morning last week, I was engaged in a gospel conversation with another guy in the sauna and invited him to church, when another gym member walked in. Thirty seconds later he walked out! Perhaps this "hot spot" was a bit much for him, not because of the temp, but because of the truth! But that first guy I was talking to actually showed up at our church this past Sunday! I was thrilled and was able to follow up with him the next morning. Guess where? In the sauna!
No matter where we are, let's always be praying for opportunities, wisdom, boldness, and clarity in sharing the gospel with others. Let us also be mindful of those "hot spots" where the Holy Spirit seems to be blessing and empowering us in a special way to bring others to Jesus.