‘How should Christians engage with people of different beliefs?’ was the thread running through the 26 May conference held in Oban and organised by the Argyll Convention.
The speaker was Andy Bannister, Director of SOLAS Centre for Public Christianity, and participants found his contribution most helpful.
The first session, ‘How to speak about Jesus without looking an idiot’, went back to basics: how to listen and engage in conversation; identify the issue behind the objection; steer people towards understanding themselves and the gospel.
The second session addressed the question ‘Do all religions lead to God?’ Andy dealt with the differences between the Christian and Islamic perceptions of God, and exposed the confused thinking that is so common. Finally, a workshop helped explore practical issues such as ‘How can churches use social media?’ and ‘What are the barriers to evangelism in our area?’ The highly recommended SOLAS website contains more than 30 video clips that help address such issues.
The main Argyll Convention takes place in Oban from 7 to 9 August. The theme is ‘Search and Rescue’ and those speaking about God’s saving work include Martin Allen, David Cook from Sydney, and Tom Lennie who has written widely about revivals. Information at www.argyllconvention.org
