Committing Approaches
The Soft Challenge The Soft Challenge is used at the end of the first lesson. It is a simple question: “If you knew these things to be true, would you be baptized?” This is an amazingly easy question to ask but unfortunately it is not consistently used. An affirmative response to this question leads directly to other important commitments such as a commitment to hearing the rest of the lessons. See the soft challenge dialogue PDF below.
The Soft Challenge Dialogue PDF
The Strait-Gate Dialogue When an investigator has accepted the Soft Challenge to baptism, you’re still only halfway there. The next step is to set a date for a baptismal service. This really solidifies the commitment and provides motivation for the investigator to continue thinking and working toward baptism. However, many missionaries struggle with setting dates; they get cautious, scared, or fail to communicate the critical importance of baptism. The Strait-Gate Dialogue is an easy and effective way to help the investigator understand why he or she needs baptism and to see the path forward. This dialogue is used at the end of the second lesson after you have talked about the plan of salvation. It can also be taught as a short, separate lesson of its own. See the Strait-Gate Dialogue PDF Below.
The Commitment Dialogue The Commitment Dialogue is a heart-to-heart talk with your investigator and should not only reveal and resolve any remaining concerns about baptism, but also help them commit to a firm date. This is an especially effective dialogue for investigators who have heard more than three lessons but have not yet committed for baptism. See the Commitment Dialogue PDF below.
