21/01/2022

Hope Explored: A conversation with Rico Tice 

 
A webinar with Christianity Explored Ministries and Christianity Explored North America about the development of Hope Explored, why a three-week series works in today's culture and what the three F's of Hope Explored are.

 


What was the vision behind Hope Explored?

After Christmas and Easter, asking people to seven weeks is a big ask. It's much easier to say, 'thanks for coming at Christmas/Easter, why don't you come for three weeks to Hope Explored?' That is then a ramp to coming for another, longer course. People come for the three weeks, the word of God does its work and it doesn't return empty. 

What is the core message of Hope Explored? 

There are three F's that sum up the core message of Hope Explored:  

Felt needs: Unashamedly, particularly after lockdown , we are saying, 'where do you find your hope, peace and purpose?' These are needs we all have as human beings, they are universal.

Facts: There are facts of our faith and we are going unashamedly through Luke's Gospel to see the person of Jesus and see that faith has content that you then have to agree with and act upon. 

Fulfilment: We are taking Luke 1:1-4 where he says:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

So, we ask, if God promised Jesus and delivered him as he did in Luke's Gospel, then he can actually deliver the future that we long for him to deliver too. 

This has been developed with our Bibles open but not in a cultural vacuum. We've been trying to hear what people are saying and see the expressions, the longing right through the pandemic, for hope.

Hope, peace and purpose beat deep within the human heart. 

How is the Isaiah 9:6 passage covered in three sessions? 

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.


Mighty God: We show one day in the life of Jesus where he flattens a storm and raises a dead girl and we say, 'this is the Mighty God that Isaiah predicted. He's got power over nature and power of death. Will you trust him to be the Mighty God?' 

Prince of Peace: This title comes from the cross, he dies to bring us peace with God.

Everlasting Father: This is shown in the resurrection. Good fathers sort the problem out and Jesus sorts out the problem of death by rising.

Therefore, because he is the Mighty God, Prince of Peace and Everlasting Father, we can confidently ask people to make him their Wonderful Counsellor. Jesus being the Wonderful Counsellor is the strand that runs through the series. 

How does a Hope Explored session unfold?     

The introductory film is about illuminating the felt needs, we then try and draw people into what they think about hope, peace and purpose by having a short discussion to work out their worldview using picture prompts. As you draw people out you set them up to then hear the teaching of the Christian worldview. The second film highlights the facts, it looks at Jesus's life, death and resurrection and then finally, the Bible study enables the guests to check out the facts but also look at the fulfilled prophecy. 

The Good Book Company are offering 40% off Hope Explored Leader's Kits. Use the code HE40 at the checkout. 
 



Join us for Love Live Tell: An evening with Christianity Explored Ministries.
Thursday 10th February | Doors open at 7:00pm | Livestream begins at 7:30pm
 

 

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