Christianity Explored (CE) www.christianityexplored.org is one of the most effective tools available to explain the claims of Jesus Christ and the message of the Bible in a way that is informal, relaxed and conducive to discussion and questioning. The aim of the course is to study the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus as detailed by the Gospel of Mark, and within that context to raise and address various objections to the claims of Christ and the claims of Christianity.
In Leith Free Church, over the last 4 years we have run several eight week courses, meeting weekly in the hall (though it can be run over ten weeks) from 7pm to 9pm, and this has attracted people ranging from those with no church background whatsoever to those who have been brought up in the church but who wish to discuss the Christian faith in more detail and in more relaxed context. Ages of those attending has been from 13 to 73!!!
The main themes of the course are food, fellowship and discussion of Mark's gospel. A typical evening would comprise of:
- A Main meal and dessert, tea / coffee and a time of informal chat at a table;
- A discussion of a part of Mark's Gospel looked at over the course of the week in small groups around a table;
- Watching a 15 minute video/DVD which addresses a different aspect of the life and teaching of Jesus Christ each week;
- A second discussion time in the light of the video/DVD;
The evening officially ends at 9pm but people are welcome to stay behind to chat further if they so wish.
Those who have attended previously have found the format of Christianity Explored to be relaxed and helpful. No question is out of bounds and as well as looking at some of the main criticisms of Christianity (i.e. if there is a God why is there so much pain and suffering in the world?) we spend time dealing with any issues that are of concern to you if that is what you wish. After all, Christ and the Christian faith is meant to have an impact upon every area of our lives.
Part of the benefit of the course is that if you are going to miss a week or two of the course because of other commitments then the video/DVD are available to watch to help you keep up to date, as well as the accompanying study booklet which you can work through at your own pace. If you decide after the first week of Christianity Explored that it is not for you then we respect that decision. You are free to leave it at that, come along to our services on Sunday, keep in contact with someone from the group or have no further contract. There is no obligation on anyone to keep coming along or to maintain contact with the church, though we would love that to be the case!
Discipleship Explored
This is an eight-week course that follows the same format as Christianity Explored, that is, an opportunity for discussion and debate around food and in the context of fellowship. The format of the evening is as follows:
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Start at 7:00pm. A meal of home made soup, filled rolls and crisps, followed by a dessert and then tea / coffee and a time of informal chat.
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A discussion of a part of Philippians looked at over the course of the week in small groups around a table
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A ten minute DVD on a particular section of Philippians.
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A second discussion time in the light of the talk.
The evening officially ends at 9pm but people are welcome to stay behind to chat further if they so wish.
The course follows on from Christianity Explored which concludes with the opportunity for someone to make a commitment to Jesus Christ, and looks at what it is to live as a Christian in the 21st Century. The course focuses on how God's Word both challenges and directs us to live in a manner that is pleasing to God.
For more details about the ethos behind Discipleship Explored check out the DE website.