Review by Ben Johnston

If you're looking for a resource that will help you introduce God to others, then you can't go past the Introducing God course recently released by Christians in the Media. The course aims to introduce people to God over 6-8 weeks as the presenter, Dominic Steele, takes us on a journey through the Bible - 'God's biography' - following the now well-known evangelistic outline of Two Ways to Live.

There are a number of things that make this course a fantastic tool to use in your outreach ministry:

• Unlike other evangelistic courses on the market Introducing God begins a the begininng - Genesis 1 - leading to a climax in the Lord Jesus. This is consiously done to cater to those with postmodern minds. Post moderns see no need for a savior as they do not see themselves accountable to a creator. One 70 year old guest said 'I have never thought so much about the crucifixion of Jesus. That night (week 5), it went from my head to my heart.
  
• It uses a relational and interactive method. Again, to cater to the postmodern person, the course encourages people to express their opinion. the training session for the people of your church is particularly helpful in informing and equipping people to encourage the dynamic of the course. It was certainly my experience that the guests talked more than the Christians on the table.
  
• The language used was very helpful for the person who has not had much exposure to Christian culture.
  
• Introducing God is incredibly flexible. The course can be run in large or small groups or one-on-one. We ran the course with 18 people - all congregated in a (large) lounge room for Dominic's sessions on DVD - and then split into two table groups for discussion. My wife is now currently doing the course with a friend one-on-one.
  
• There are a great variety of resources. Introducing God comes on DVD or VHS. There is a training session, participants handbooks, a course driver's manual, invitation cards and posters to advertise the course. The course drivers manual walks you thorugh the course so that, with a little preparation, any minister could feel competent at the wheel.

I do have two things to note about this wonderful course that I hope to be using time and again:

• The first is that most of the people taking part in the course recorded on the DVD were young, well-dressed, beautiful people. However, I do think the most important thing is for people to feel at home with those in their discussion groups.
  
• While understanding that it's only the work of the Holy Spirit that convices people that they have acted in rebellion to ('autonomy from') the creator, I am still thinking about two aspects of the second session 'Our declaration of autonomy'. Firstly, 'nice' people (people who don't speed, drink drive or cheat on tax, that is law abiding people) may need a little more help to see how they have been law-makers living in autonomy from God. Secondly, Romans 1 says that in our wickedness we suppress the truth about god and neither glorify him nor give him thanks. The 'autonomy problem' was brought to our attention exclusively in terms of rule making in relation to the way we relate to others. Surely even post moderns can see that they have conveniently managed to shut any 'god' out of their lives (even though they may not yet be convinced he exists)?

All in all, praise God that we have access to a great course that is biblically sound, postermodern in methodology, contemporary in presentation and jolly good fun to be part of.

by Ben Johnston, Blacktown East Presbyterian Church