Contagious Christianity for Youth
Helen Pearson’s experience of a recent course run for the youth of the corps.
Helen writes:
From 14th May to the 2nd July 2010, the Youth Group at Chatham, including a few visitors from other corps, completed the Contagious Christianity course.
The aim of the course is to show ways for us to share our faith naturally and in a clear way that suits our personality: God can use everyone as they are, we do not need to change! Early on in the course we explored six main evangelism styles, these were Interpersonal, Testimonial, Invitational, Intellectual, Confrontational and Serving.
We discussed how it is usually most effective to share what God has done in our lives with those we are already friends with, as people are more likely to take recommendations seriously from friends. Because of this, we made a list of those we see in our daily lives, an “Impact List”. It is important that our evangelism should be based in our love and caring for others, and not just be about winning arguments about what we believe.
We outlined our testimony, and made sure we understood the basics of the Gospel message, God’s story, and some simple illustrations of the Gospel.
At the end of each session we had practice conversations and prayed with each other in pairs or small groups. This was helpful, as it helped us to tailor how we expressed ourselves to different people, showing links to their experiences, being sensitive to their needs and what they are thinking, so as not to put them off.
Another helpful thing about the course was our course handbook: something we can read through after we have finished the course. This is a useful guide with examples and Bible verses, and a helpful topic guide with frequently asked questions about our faith, and common objections.
I enjoyed the course and feel it has helped me put what I believe into words, which can be difficult as it is something very personal. It fits well with the verse: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15, NIV)
Helen Pearson