t happens with alarming frequency. The evening news spills into the family room with the shriek of sirens as a grim-faced reporter describes the tragedy: the body count mountsrelatives are grief-strickenfilm at eleven.

A personal tragedy for many becomes a national tragedy for all. Even if the latest mass killing is half a continent away, the mood the next day is somber. It seems disrespectful to laugh too loudly, as if relatives of the dead and missing will hear.

Conversation over the backyard fence or the lunch table or the pro-verbial water cooler turns to the news event. What was the killers motive? How many died? Do the police have the situation under control?

If talk goes deeper, people wonder: How tight is our security? Where would I run if confronted by a gunman? How would I handle the loss of my family to senseless violence? The sub-text, of course, is what if it happened to me? Lets consider this question and the door it opens for an on mission conversation.

The "it" is death, which, of course, will happen to all of us (although its occurrence at the hands of a murderer adds a terrifying dimension).

Therefore, the public discussion after a tragedy is around death, a subject that rarely emerges at the office or the grocery store unless violence is on peoples minds because of a recent news event.

On mission Christians are becoming bolder about sharing their faith at such a timenot only to comfort people shaken by the news but to tell whyeven if violence struck them down in their primethey could face death with the comfort of knowing they would spend eternity with the Lord.

Its a message many of our friends, neighbors and co-workers havent heard. Or they may have heard it with indifference or even hostility. And, although they might not be receptive to it on most days, after the airwaves have been filled with tragic news, they may be more open to it than before.

George Pickle, North American Mission Board associate for healthcare chaplaincy and pastoral counseling, says the grief process, even when people are reacting to a violent news event far away, may move them into an awareness of their feelings and thus into an acceptance of their need for Christ as Savior.

The world watched in horror as students fled the campus at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, a SWAT team rushed in, and families searched frantically for their loved ones. Soon stories emerged about the brutal murders that claimed the lives of 14 studentsincluding the two gunmenand one teacher.

Although all of the deaths were tragic, one received more media coverage, an interesting fact in itself for on mission Christians searching for an opening to discuss with friends, neighbors and co-workers their need to know Christ. It was the cold-blooded murder of Cassie Bernall, whowhen asked at gunpoint by her killers if she believed in Godanswered with a solid "yes." She was then shot at point-blank range. According to her mothers book, She said yes, the unlikely martyrdom of Cassie Bernall, a student named Josh, who was crouched under a library desk as he heard the teenagers last words, testified: "She must have been scared, but her voice didnt sound shaky. It was strong. Then they asked her why, though they didnt give her a chance to respond. They just blew her away." Cassies story of taking a courageous stand for the Lord has been repeated not only in the press but in countless living rooms and offices where people gather for the sort of corporate grieving that takes place when mass murders occur.

A woman named Jordan visited Cassies mom, Misty, and told how it changed her life: "I think a death like this should shake us and wake us up. It should get us asking, What is important in life? Was it important that Cassie was in that library studying for her next class, getting an education so she could one day get a job? I dont think so. To me, the important thing is that she was prepared to go at a moments notice."

Consider what sort of response you would get if your comments around the proverbial water cooler went like this:

• "Did you hear about that shooting in Littleton, Colorado? It really makes me thankful that my kids believe in God and follow Christ. We talk about how violence like that could happen to any of us in our family. Do you?"

• "That girl who said she believed in God was really brave. I believe in Him too, and I hope I would have the courage to answer like she did if I were faced with that same situation. How about you?"

• "It hurts me to see how godless our society is becoming, because I believe in God and Jesus. And yet its interesting to me that belief in God was the issue when those two students killed Cassie Bernall. Its as if that subject compelled them. Why do you think they asked her if she believed in God?"

Today a teddy bear sitting in a glass case filled with memorabilia stares through its button eyes down the hallway of Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas. Pinned to its fur are notes from families of victims of tragedies such as the shooting at Columbine or the bombing in Oklahoma City: "This bear has brought us comfort. Now we pass it on to you."

It was down this hallway that a crazed man wandered with a 9 mm semiautomatic, letting loose more than 150 gunshots and killing seven. The irony is that onlookers initially mistook the shooting spree for a skit on the preciousness of life. Most were students who had participated earlier in the days See You at the Pole events and were now ending their day of evangelism with a student rally at the church.

The man repeatedly yelled "Religion is bull____!" prompting a student named Caleb to realize the attack was for real, thinking: A church skit probably wouldnt include profanity.

Jeremiah Neitz stepped into the aisle, confronted the man amid his cursing and killing and stated forcefully that he needed Jesus. The killer argued with Jeremiah, again cursing Christianity. Witnesses say the 19-year-old was fearless and again defended his faith. Moments later the gunman took his own life.

Water-cooler conversations based on this incident and intended to open a conversation about Christ might start like this:

• "Wow, what irony! Those students in Fort Worth, Texas, had just participated in See You at the Pole. Do you know what that is?"

• "Did you hear about that boy at Wedgwood who confronted the killer with his need for Jesus? What do you think about that?"

• "Why do you think that man chose to go on a killing spree at a church, of all places?"

Katy Wagner was in the cafeteria at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, when she realized her friends were in the direct line of fire as a boy sprayed bullets. Moments earlier she had walked away from the group. Her close brush with death prompted her father, Dieter, to return to church. That was in 1998.

"I was scared of dying, and then my daughter came so close to it. That got my attention," he said.

At first he came to church because the family tragedy reminded him of the emptiness in his life. But soon he met Henry Martin, who kept him coming. Not only did Henry strike up conversations about fishing, he reminded Dieter that life was precious, that Dieters daughter had nearly been killed. Henry helped Dieter to focus on the grieving process that brought him through the door. Dieter eventually gave his life to Christ and was baptized.

Now Dieter talks to others about the violence in society, how it turned his attention to God and how every minute is too precious to waste without Jesus. His wake-up call has been a wake-up call to others. And so the process of turning a tragedy into an opportunity for evangelism is snowballing for Dieter as he finds natural and comfortable ways to use his daughters experience as a conversation starter. And the people he talks to and influences do the same.

Steve Lee, youth pastor at Ken Caryl Baptist Church in Denver, the church closest to Columbine High School, ministers to many of the schools 1,800 students. He estimates that thousands of people in the Denver area have become Christians in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Wedgwood youth pastor Jay Fannin counseled the families of victims: "We saw evil in its purest form. Satan took off his gloves and showed the pure hatred he has for us. But the kids who were there also felt the presence of God, and they witnessed Him overcome that evil."

Steve Hayes, former youth pastor at Wedgwood and now director of pastoral counseling at Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, returned to help the day after the Fort Worth killing spree. He reminded students that the disciples had to deal with tragedy: "We talked about the nature of trauma due to violence and how crushed and confused the disciples must have been when Jesus was taken from them." All three youth pastors recommend these steps for using the subject of violence to talk to people about Christ, whether they were involved in a recent tragedy or simply heard about it on the news:

• Get their reactions to it. That creates an opening for conversation.

• Dig a little deeper to get an impression of where they are coming from regarding Christ.

• If you get a hostile or an I-dont-care-about-it response, then the conversation may end there.

• If they are shocked or upset at God, then at least there is a nugget of interest and you can share your belief that God is in control and that evil is a result of sin.

• If they have a broken heart about it, you can encourage them by talking about your faith and how it helps you put tragedy into perspective.

• f theyre knowledgeable about the tragedy and its spiritual implications but are not believers, then you have the beginnings of a conversation that may lead to your telling them about Gods hand of protection over your life and His grace in times of pain.

Karen Willoughby is the associate editor for the Northwest Baptist Witness in Vancouver, Washington.

Violence is often played up in the news. TV stations use the rule: if it bleeds, it leads. The good news is that we can use it for evangelism. But watch out for people who switch the subject to gun control, capital punishment, crime bills, pay for police officersall worthy subjects for discussion at a later date but not in the midst of a conversation about Jesus. Political views may distract listeners from your real message or even turn them off, if they dont agree. Dont mix the two topicspolicy issues on violence and the message of Christ. Tell them: "For now, Im sticking with what I know, not what I have an opinion on. And I know Christ as my Lord and Savior. Do you?"