1. Christian Community in Conversation
Recovering the art of spiritual conversation

2. Background Courage to experiment Changed missional language
MSI/MSM
Introduced us to context for mission in 21st century, Post-Christendom etc.
Courage to experiment
Changed missional language
Enabled evangelism to happen…….but
Background

3. When it comes to evangelism….we seem to be struggling

4. A story

5. We are afraid of evangelism and when we do have a go, we struggle
The reality is

6. WHY? Top reasons for avoiding evangelism
The model we have isn’t working
WHY?
Fear of getting the answer wrong
Passive recipients of a product
Somebody else’s job
Private faith
Fear of rejection
Guilt….been told to do it
Language barrier

7. A particular model of evangelism
Makes assumptions
Those with faith share with those who don’t have any
Implications:
1. Faith= a clearly defined commodity which a person either does or doesn’t possess and we, the informed, have all the answers
2. Faith-sharing happens only in one direction….we are missing out on hearing
A particular model of evangelism

8. In my experience
Difficult to make distinctions between those who do and don’t have faith….church congregations
Everybody possesses a rich and unique collection of experiences about human living through which, at times, they had begun to notice the silent, loving voice of God

9. Personal Relationship
‘To start talking to people about God can court sterility from the outset. To do justice to the theme, you need a previous exchange on the human level, marked by honesty and depth about how people really live, and what they have experienced in the past’ (Marcel Legaut)

10. Faith is not something which can be imposed
Faith can’t be imposed on somebody else
Gift from God
Let go and let God……! Best evangelism when I’m not trying to conform
It can’t be imposed, but it can be encouraged or repressed by the environment in which it emerges
Non-consensual evangelism…..not likely to show interest, will go too far

11. Time to consider a different approach

12. Why we need to try something different
Speaking about personal faith is difficult within our communities.
Our own formation is hampered by this - as is our readiness, desire and ability to share life and faith with others.
The development of the local Church will require increased lay participation.
Their success will depend on the quality of relationships – and the establishment of a graceful way of communicating.
Why we need to try something different

13. God is alive and active in the lives of ordinary people, they have treasures to share, but nowhere to share them, they need to be shared for the enrichment of all
People are keen to talk about spiritual things
Our own members need to have space to share spiritual conversation
Need to un-learn being the teacher and instead be a facilitator, providing not answers, but places where spiritual conversation can take place

14. Therefore, my call today is as the Conference, as the Connexion, as a local church and circuit as districts, is 'let's change the culture.' Knowing that the word culture means how we do things around here. Let's take some risky decisions, just as those first disciples did thousands of years ago and change as they did. Let us commit to talk of God, to make new disciples.
Let us achieve this by being hospitable, generous and loving our people, and encouraging our people to talk of God
Loraine Mellor Conference speech 2017

15. Research project into evangelism and Methodism which has the profound conclusions that we don’t really know what we are doing, but when we actually deliberately do stuff it can work, but there is no particular way of faith sharing that is more effective than any other within Methodism. 
Stephen Skuce, Director of Scholarship, Research and Innovation, Cliff College

16. So, what are we going to do?
We need to recover spiritual conversation among Christians not only for ourselves but as a service to wider community
Spiritual conversation has much to offer as a way of sharing the Good News, other more proclamatory ways have their place, but society has rejected institutional religion….humbler faith- sharing experience and openness to views of others
So, what are we going to do?

17. To become a District which is known for the quality of its conversation
To become churches which are known as places of Christian community in conversation
The plan

18. Working with Mark Davis of Shoreline Conversations and Rev.Jon Doble
To change the culture of evangelism, so that nobody is afraid anymore
To increase confidence in faith and conversation about faith
To address some of the issues of language in evangelism

19. To create Christian Communities in Conversation…
To create Christian Communities in Conversation….so that the community around knows that this is a safe church to explore faith without agenda
Equip an initial group of facilitators whose primary task would be to help other people converse about faith and life
To help churches create environments where people can freely converse about faith and life
To roll this out over a five year period, so that everybody will have the opportunity of being involved in a facilitated evangelism group, to experience it and feel confident to speak of their faith both within and without group setting