Evangelism Network

2012 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. This Netowrk will be led and taught by Michael Ramsden, Director of RZIM Europe and Lecturer in Apologetics at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University. Teaching alongside Michael will be Vlad Criznic, Director of RZIM Romanian, and Tom Price, who is an Academic Tutor for the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) and an Apologist for RZIM Europe.

The Zacharias apologetics and evangelism training has been running in its current form for several years in Europe. The teaching aims to be academic and serious but at the same time inspirational and life-transforming. 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.

Michael Ramsden, a member of the Forum Steering Committee, has been the European Director of RZIM Zacharias Trust since its foundation in 1997. He grew up in the Middle East, returning to the UK to work for the Lord Chancellor's Department and to study. While at Sheffield University doing research in Law and Economics, he taught Moral Philosophy and lectured for the International Seminar on Jurisprudence and Human Rights in Strasbourg. He speaks to a wide variety of audiences worldwide and is involved in a number of initiatives to equip and train emerging leaders and evangelists throughout Europe. He has contributed to the book Preach the Word! and has written a series of articles for Idea magazine, giving an evangelical response to some of today’s most challenging issues. He is married to Anne and they live in Oxford with their three children.

NETWORK SPEAKERS

Vlad Criznic leads the RZIM Zacharias Trust Romania Office, and his primary responsibility is to serve as an evangelist and apologist for Romania and Eastern Europe.  His role with RZIM has recently led him to speak in such varied countries as the Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Moldova, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Azerbaijan. In 2008, he completed studies in Bible College in Romania.

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.

Day 1

The Biblical Mandate for Apologetics
Michael Ramsden

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.

Questions and Answers
Michael Ramsden, 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 2

The Nature of Truth
Michael Ramsden

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
Michael Ramsden

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
Michael Ramsden, 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

While many are reluctant to consider the claims of Christ and the gospel more directly, a less direct approach can be remarkably effective, and is no less faithful to scripture. After all they are still human beings made in the image of God, who are able to express themselves creatively and thoughtfully through the arts. Is it surprising then, that honest reflections on the nature of humanity, the unanswered questions and important discussions of today are at the core of much of mainstream cinema? 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 Michael Ramsden

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.