Improving on the “Lie Detector Test” – a Fun Way to Start a Gospel Conversation at Events

Say you’re evangelizing at a block party, or parade, or festival, often people are so focused on getting to the cotton candy machine, or to the hamburgers, or to the bouncy house, that you only have a minute of their time before they walk away. For this reason, “Event Evangelism” can be a challenge.

That’s one of the reasons I love the Lie Detector Test by Living Waters Publications.

It gets people to laugh very quickly, and in my experience, then they are much more open to sticking around to chat.

Here’s the description of the Lie Detector Test from Living Waters’ website:

The Lie Detector Magnet Box contains two powerful magnets, set side-by-side (at opposite poles) in the box. The “pointer” is also magnetized at the tip, making it almost impossible for it to touch the “Yes,” and to be irresistibly drawn toward the “No.” All you do is ask people, “Would you like to try the lie detector?” When they answer the question “Are you a good person?” by pointing to the “Yes,” it always goes to the “No.” It makes them laugh and gives you opportunity to say, “Do you think it’s wrong…let’s do a test by going through some of the Ten Commandments.”

It’s a unique (and fun) way to share the gospel one-to-one, and in open air preaching.

I got thinking, this is super, but I wanted a way to make it better. By itself, it communicates the “bad news” effectively, but I wanted to use it to communicate the “good news” too!

So I came up with an idea, and my friend and brother in Christ, Matt Camillieri, who owns and runs a machine shop, made it happen!

The pointer ALWAYS points to “No” and then you walk the person through the gospel message, explaining that if you repent and believe, you are covered by the blood of Christ and clothed with Him, and on the Day of Judgement, God will see us as if we are good. Matt lathed me a metal covering for the pointer that I painted red with nail polish. It fits perfectly over the pointer and symbolizes someone who has put on Jesus and covered by His blood. It also reverses the magnetism. Then you ask the person, “If you are hidden in Jesus, will God see you as good on the Day of Judgement?” You hand them the pointer and it only will go to “Yes!”

Here are some photos. Please click on them to enlarge.

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You can purchase your own Lie Detector Test from Living Waters Publications by clicking here.

If you want the custom sleeve, well, contact Matt and say nice things about motorcycles. 😉

I hope this is a help to you as you reach out to the lost at events in your area! 🙂