course Christianity Explored
By PETER TEO
THE Methodist Church in Singapore
(MCS) will launch the highly successful evangelistic course, Christianity
Explored, here.
The 10-week programme will be introduced to Methodists at a full-day
seminar at the Aldersgate Convention 2006 at Methodist Centre,
Barker Road, on May 27.
The DISCIPLE Agency of the MCS,
which is headed by the Rev Paul Nga, is working with the course
project team to finalise the launch of the programme.
Aldersgate Convention 2006 will
open with the Aldersgate Service at Lee Kong Chian Auditorium,
ACS (Barker Road) on May 24 at 7.45 pm.
The keynote speaker will be the Rev Dr M. Robert Mulholland, Jr,
a New Testament professor at Asbury Theological Seminary. He has
taught and written significantly in two areas -- the New Testament
and spiritual formation.
The Aldersgate Service, to commemorate the anniversary of John
Wesley's experience of assurance in 1738, will be followed by
evening talks to be held at Barker Road Methodist Church from
May 25 to 27 at 7.45 pm.
An annual event of The Methodist Church in Singapore, Aldersgate
Convention is aimed at bringing the Methodist family together
to be renewed according to key themes in our Wesleyan heritage.
This year's theme is "Scripture".
Except for the seminar, admission to all the other events is free.
The registration fee for the seminar is $65 per person, but those
who register before April 28 will only have to pay $50. Groups
of 10 will also be accorded the special fee of $50 per person
even after April 28. The fee includes lunch, tea and handouts.
Registration forms will be available soon.
The Rev Rico Tice, who developed Christianity Explored (see related
story on the back page), will be in Singapore to introduce the
course and conduct the seminar himself. An Associate Minister
at All Souls Church in London, he will be assisted by Mr Barry
Cooper, the Associate Evangelist of Christianity Explored.
The course, which is similar to
the Alpha Course and is gaining worldwide recognition, is now
being run in hundreds of churches in Britain and the United States,
and in more than 250 other churches internationally, in addition
to individual homes, prisons, schools, universities, hotels, cafes
and youth clubs. It focuses on Mark's Gospel.
It has received endorsements from
many well-known evangelists and preachers, including Dr John Stott,
who had said: "What I welcomed about the Christianity Explored
course is that, in taking us through Mark's Gospel, it emphasises
truths which are often neglected - like the gravity of sin, the
centrality of the cross, the sufficiency of grace, and the necessity
of repentance."
The target audiences for Christianity Explored include enquiring
non-Christians, Christians wishing to equip themselves to be more
effective in sharing the Gospel, and church leaders who recognise
the need for increased support in evangelism.
"Most importantly,"
says a publicity paper, "Christianity Explored is for those
who are deeply concerned that, despite Jesus' stark warnings about
the seriousness of our sin, the reality of hell and the inevitability
of God's judgement, these unpalatable truths are increasingly
being watered down or forgotten in the desire to present a message
that might be more attractive to modern tastes."
Christianity Explored aims to
present the Gospel to all nations
The
publicity paper adds that Christianity Explored "provides
an open, friendly, non-threatening forum for Christians to share
the Gospel in all its fullness so that God may be seen in all
his greatness". It is also a great forum for Christians to
train in evangelism.
There is already in print a "simplified"
English version of the course for those for whom English is not
a first language.
The course was developed by the Rev Tice in 1995. In 2001, it
was published as Christianity Explored by Authentic Lifestyle
as other churches began to be interested in using it.
The widespread response led to
the development of a global vision in mid-2002 when the Rev Tice
headed a specially formed project team to create and implement
a strategy to expand Christianity Explored, first across Britain,
and then around the world.
By late 2003, the team had revised
and published a second edition of the printed course materials;
professionally produced a complementary 14-programme Video Series;
authored an evangelistic book based on the course selling 10,000
copies within nine months of publication; launched a comprehensive
website which now averages 1,800 hits per day; and conducted initial
training and promotional tours across Britain and several areas
in the United States, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
The course materials are now published by The Good Book Company
and the team continues to run training conferences all over the
world.
In a nutshell, Christianity Explored is a 10-week course with
a two-fold aim - to present the Gospel … to all nations,
and to prepare God's people for works of service; and it aims
to help people answer three questions that cut to the heart of
Christianity - who is Jesus, why did He come, and what does He
demand of those who want to follow Him?
Besides relating the Gospel faithfully to non-Christians, the
course equips Christians, too. Included in the course material
are a wealth of training exercises designed to inspire, encourage
and inform course leaders in their evangelistic work, whether
in the context of a Christianity Explored course, or beyond.
QUOTE:
'Christianity Explored is for those who are deeply concerned
that, despite Jesus' stark warnings about the seriousness of our
sin, the reality of hell and the inevitability of God's judgement,
these unpalatable truths are increasingly being watered down or
forgotten in the desire to present a message that might be more
attractive to modern tastes.'
-- Publicity paper on the course.
Tice:
Pastor who developed the course
THE
REV RICO TICE (right) is an Associate Minister at All Souls Church
in London. Born in Chile to British expatriate parents, he spent
his early years in Uganda and Zaire before being educated in England.
He had a year working at a church in inner city Liverpool before
going on to read history at Bristol University (where he was captain
of the rugby team). After graduating, he worked for Hewlett Packard,
then went to theological college at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.
As a passionate evangelist, he has spent the last 10 years developing
the Christianity Explored course. He also works with Christians
in Sport and often conducts student missions.