1. Sharing our Faith: Finding faith on Eastenders: Who is ready to hear the gospel?

7. Sharing our Faith: Who is ready to hear the gospel?

8. Coming to faith: process, event or both? Hill, M, Entering the Kingdom (1978) Kerr, H & Mulder J(ed), Conversions: The Christian Experience (Michigan: Eerdmans), 1983. 20 from 10: Insights from the Decade of Evangelism (Churches Together in England Group for Evangelisation), 2000 Who is ready to hear the gospel?

10. Time to conversion? less than 1 year 21%, one year 10%, 2 years 11%, 3-5years 16%, 6-10yrs 8%, 11years 6%, ongoing 28% Who is ready to hear the gospel?

11. The Engel Scale: Conversion as a process Engel F. & Norton, H, What's Gone Wrong with the Harvest? A Communication Strategy for the Church and World Evangelism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975) Who is ready to hear the gospel?

13. No idea about God Journey to faith Awareness of God Awareness of Christianity Awareness of the Good News Response to the Good News Repentance and commitment Journey of faith Service and witness Discovery of spiritual gifts Growth in Christian character Growth in understanding Christian initiation

14. The role of courses.. Confirmation, Membership, After Alpha, Alpha, Disciple, Emmaus….. all enable people to respond and lead to some form of public confession. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

15. Conversion as: Belief in God to Belief about God Ball, P, Adult Believing (London: Mowbray), 1988 – emotions about a life of faith play key role. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

16. Key influences: Relationships & ‘special’ services Finney, J, Finding Faith Today: How Does it Happen? (Swindon: British and Foreign Bible Society), 1992 Minister, partners, faith base for kids, friends, eucharist, baptism. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

18. Shock, Horror! The Bible, evangelistic events, Church activities, Christian television and radio – aren’t major factors in conversion! Who is ready to hear the gospel?

19. Shock, Horror! Spiritual experiences are not a major or supportive factor in conversion! Hay, D, Exploring Inner Space (Oxford: Mowbray) 1987. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

20. What is attractive about converting to Christianity? Who is ready to hear the gospel?

21. Conversion as a route to find forgiveness from sin OR - conversion as a path towards fulfilment. Savage, S, ‘A Psychology of Conversion - From All Angles’, (Percy M,(ed) Previous Convictions (London: SPCK, 2000) ‘emotional or social need, or as existential need (spiritual hunger, emptiness, purposelessness and the need for identity). Kyu, P, ‘Conversion as a Pilgrimage to Liberation’, International Review of Mission LXXII/287 (1983), p.380-384. Cook, G, ‘Christian Conversion: A Perspective from Latin America’ Mission Studies, X-1&2/19&20 (1993) p.91-108. guilt, sin, judgement and propitiation - unpalitable Who is ready to hear the gospel?

22. Conversion in search of relief from a crisis Savage (p.7) cites Ulman, C, ‘Cognitive and Emotional Antecedents of Religious Conversion’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43 (1997), p.296-314. Rambo, L, Understanding Religious Conversion (New Haven: Yale University Press), 1993. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

23. Adolescence & Middle age: A critical age for conversion? 1959,1966 Socially Acceptable to Authentic, nurture of children, children leave home, relationship crises, care for parents Who is ready to hear the gospel?

24. People key to the conversion process: Who is ready to hear the gospel?

25. Ministers who show: Integrity, life experience, rapid response to crises, sharing ‘quality’ time, encouraging ‘faith sharing’ in groups, open baptismal policy, breaking stereotypes. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

26. Sunday School Teachers and the congregation Astley, J, How Faith Grows (London: Church House Publishing) 1991. Fowler, J, Stages of Faith (London: Harper & Ro) 1981 Nurturing people through the stages of faith: The Child’ (Fowler Stage 1), ‘the Rebel’, ‘The Adult’, ‘The Outlaw’, ‘The Lover or the Fool’ (Fowler Stage 6). Who is ready to hear the gospel?

27. The positive influence of family: conversion through silent witness. Non-Christian partner sees conscience of Christian partner at work. Parents do not influence faith of children beyond adolescence. (Finney.) Who is ready to hear the gospel?

28. The positive influence of Christian friends Transparent Christians: break stereotypes, difference faith makes, accepting of diversity. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

29. Implications for today: the changing face of evangelism.. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

30. Implications for today: Evangelism now congregation led and facilitated by evangelist cf Church led with evangelist on pedestal. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

31. Conversion as both a process and event: questioning rapid conversion Who is ready to hear the gospel?

32. Evangelism and confirmation Astley, J, How Faith Grows (London: Church House Publishing) 1991, universal? Same liturgy, Who is ready to hear the gospel?

33. Evangelism and Friendship Who is ready to hear the gospel?

34. Concerns about ‘friendship’ evangelism Who is ready to hear the gospel?

35. Accomodating seekers & creating opportunities for response. Wright H. & Gray F, Local Church Evangelism (Edinburgh: St Andrew Press) 1987. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

36. Supporting Christian spouses with non- Christian parners Who is ready to hear the gospel?

37. Baptisms, weddings, funerals & pastoral care. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

38. Evangelism amongst young people…. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

39. ‘Trust’ as the bedrock of exploration. Nurture through small groups Ownership and participation is key to faith development. West, L, ‘Young People in Cells - The Challenge to the Church’ Anvil 15/4 (1998). p.271-280. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

40. Recommendations: Parenting classes Rephrasing language for children Understanding affiliative faith Who is ready to hear the gospel?

41. Recommendations: Expose young people to the testimony of others Encourage an appreciation of myth and symbolism. Who is ready to hear the gospel?

42. Fainding faith on Eastenders? Who is ready to hear the gospel?

43. Do we believe in conversion? Who is ready to hear the gospel?

44. What is the most fertile ground for sharing the gospel? Who is ready to hear the gospel?

45. Who is the ‘evangelist’ in our midst? Who is ready to hear the gospel?

46. What factors help people to come to faith the most? Who is ready to hear the gospel?