Sharing faith, or evangelism, in Australia has become increasingly challenging. Cultural changes in and around the Church have had an impact on the confidence of many Christians when it comes to sharing their faith in Jesus. The good news is that one in three Australians are open and would accept an invitation to church if invited, with a further 15% who are not sure.
In the lead up to National Baptism Week, it’s important to turn our minds to the invitations and steps of faith that occur on a person’s journey towards baptism.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? – Romans 10:14
Joining in the effort to resource and empower churches to engage their friends and neighbours in conversations about faith, Olive Tree Media has produced new, culturally relevant resources.
One such resource is their ‘Faith Runs Deep’ series and church campaign. Faith Runs Deep includes a 6-week church campaign, exploring the landscape of faith in Australia throughout our history and today. The resource is designed to be used by churches in their unique situation to stimulate conversation and invite people to consider the impact of the Gospel on their own lives.
Baptist churches across the state have started using the Faith Runs Deep resource and adapting it to their unique contexts. Kiama Baptist Church is partnering with a collaboration of local churches hosting a Men’s outreach event utilising the Faith Runs Deep resource. Over six weeks 50 men from the Illawarra will gather at a local brewery for beer, burgers and to discover together the stories of faith that have helped shape Australia. The hope is that these events foster deeper connections within the community, as men engage in meaningful discussions and share insights inspired by the stories unearthed together.
Similarly, Taree Baptist Church recently ran the Church Campaign and their life groups got involved in doing the studies. Taree Baptist found that running Faith Runs Deep alongside another discipleship course, Christianity Explored, was particularly fruitful. Two couples did Christianity Explored, both with one spouse who was a person of faith and one who was not. For these couples, unpacking the personal impact of the Gospel during the week at Christianity Explored and the broader national impact on Sundays was particularly transformative.
How is your church inviting people to take the next step in their faith?
Resources like the Faith Runs Deep series use stories to break down people’s initial barriers and engage them in conversation about faith, evangelism and commitment. For more ideas are resources visit https://nswactbaptists.org.au/national-baptism-week-2023.
To find out more about Faith Runs Deep visit: https://www.olivetreemedia.com.au/faithrunsdeep/
