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Evangelism Network

2013 European Evangelism Network

Europe is the most relativistic and pagan continent on the earth. Europeans desperately need to hear and understand the life giving word of truth - the Gospel. How can this message be shared in ways that are relevant, biblical, and credible? This Network's curriculum is designed for evangelists, pastors, and lay evangelists who want to be equipped to be more effective evangelists. The Zacharias apologetics and evangelism training has been running in its present form for several years in Europe and is currently being led by Tom Price (Academic Tutor for the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and an Apologist for RZIM Europe), Tanya Walker (itinerant speaker, researcher on Islamic law in the west and fellow Apologist for RZIM Europe) and Vlad Criznic (Apologist and Director of RZIM Romania)

A set of comprehensive notes is given out after the session which encourages each participant to take their own notes during the Network, but also equips each person by the end to be able to present the material themselves in their own home context. The vision of the training is to fulfill the mandate of 1 Peter 3:15: "Always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience."

The training aims to equip Christians to reach their friends with the Gospel on a one to one basis, so that in the different workplaces and university settings in our nations, Christians are able to credibly and compellingly answer the real questions of their friends and lead them to Christ. As a result of the training which has taken place, many participants have had the joy of confidently leading work colleagues, family members, and university friends to Christ. This is the heartbeat of the course - that ultimately many men and women will turn to Christ, and bring about change for good in the different arenas which they are called into by God.

NETWORK LEADERS

Tom Price is an Academic Tutor at the OCCA and an Associate speaker of the RZIM Zacharias Trust. He holds degrees in Christian Apologetics (MA) and Philosophy (BA). He was the founding editor of the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship's world class apologetics website bethinking.org. He regularly lectures and speaks on Christian Apologetics at events such as Spring Harvest, the European Leadership Forum, and 24-7 Prayer's Transit. He is also the Student Resources Coordinator for the Damaris Trust, an educational charity that seeks to help people across the world explore spiritual and moral issues underlying their contemporary culture. His specific interests include meta-ethics, analytic and continental arguments for God, faith and reason, suffering, cultural apologetics, and C.S. Lewis. He is married to Caroline and they live in Oxford.

Lara Buchanan leads the School of Ministry – a internship programme in theology, evangelism and discipleship - at St. Aldates Church, Oxford. Lara is also a graduate from the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and holds a degree in English Literature and History from the University of Cape Town. She has served evangelistically as a leader of Christian Unions and campus Alpha courses, and has been involved in cross-cultural missions in South Africa, Ghana and Uganda. Lara continues to give public evangelistic talks while living in Oxford. Her passion is to make the riches of Christ known among the nations.

Vlad Criznic is the Director of RZIM, Romania. He grew up in a non-Christian family in the western part of Romania and became a Christian when he was 16. Ever since, he has been involved in various ministries, doing evangelistic camps and events for the youth ministries of Romanian Evangelical Churches. Among them is Josiah Venture and the Romanian Missionary Society. He graduated in 2008 from the Emanuel University of Oradea with a B.A. in Pastoral Theology, following apologetics training while being an Associate of the RZIM in Oxford. He currently is finishing an M.A. in Theology and is a Ph.D. candidate in Apologetics at King’s College, London. Vlad is married to Dora and they have two children: Amelia and Thomas. They live in Cluj, Romania, travelling through Romania and Eastern Europe in order to preach, teach and defend Christianity.

Visit http://www.rzim.eu for more information about Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and https://theocca.org to learn about The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics.

NETWORK SPEAKERS

Simon Edwards is a graduate of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and is currently working on staff as a Chaplain, along with his wife Natasha, at Latimer Minster - a missional church plant situated between London and Oxford. He regularly delivers evangelistic talks in pubs, schools and universities with an emphasis on apologetics. Simon holds degrees in law, economics and education; and is currently reading theology at Oxford University. He previously practiced law for a number of years in Australia both in public and private practice.

NETWORK PROGRAMME

Day 1

The Biblical Mandate for Apologetics
Lara Buchanan

This is an introduction to the biblical understanding of apologetics. The session deals with a definition of apologetics, rooting it firmly as a spiritual exercise indispensable to and indivisible from evangelism.

Suffering
Vlad Criznic

The problem of suffering is one of the most intimidating objections a non-Christian can raise. This session will look at how suffering can open up gospel-directed conversations rather than shut them down.

Day 2

The Nature of Truth
Lara Buchanan

The very concept of truth is under fire in our time from many different directions. This session seeks to give a biblical understanding of truth and to equip each participant to defend truth in the marketplace of ideas.

Logic and Fallacies
Tom Price

This interactive session explores some basic principles of philosophy, dissects different kinds of fallacious reasoning, and shows how these techniques are often used to trip up Christians in conversation. This session should teach you to begin thinking around issues and problems as they come in the form of different questions and statements.

Day 3

The Ontological Root of the Gospel
Tom Price

This session explores the fact that God has created us as beings; the gospel is not simply on the level of thinking, feeling or doing. In salvation, God takes our very being and changes us.

Questions and Answers
Lara Buchanan, Tom Price and Vlad Criznic

This session discusses the most difficult questions that non-Christians ask and help each person to begin thinking of different ways of answering them. This interactive session is designed to help each person grow in confidence in their personal evangelism.

Day 4

Using Film in Evangelism
Tom Price

Contemporary movies can provide a relevant and engaging point of contact with those who have turned their back on religious/spiritual answers to the big questions of life. This session will show you why talking about and showing contemporary film is one of the most fruitful ways to go about engaging with those who need Jesus Christ, as well as giving you practical advice, film recommendations, and tips for those conversations and discussions.

Preaching Evangelistically and Commission
Vlad Criznic and Lara Buchanan

This session will consist of a short talk on how to preach an evangelistic message with practical examples and pointers, followed by prayer for one another and a commission to be sent out.

 

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